TROPICAL ARCHITECTURE
TYPE III – RELATIVELY DRY FROM NOV TO
ELEMENTS, FACTORS, AND CONCEPTS OF CLIMATIC
DESIGN
CLIMATE – AVERAGE PATTERN OF VARIATION IN
TEMPERATURE, HUMIDITY, ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,
WIND, PRECIPITATION, ATMOSPHERIC PARTICLE
COUNT AND OTHER METEOROLOGICAL VARIABLES
WEATHER – SHORT TERM CONDITIONS
TROPICAL CLIMATE – FOUND IN NEARLY UNBROKEN
BELT AROUND THE EARTH AT LOW LATITUDE,
MOSTLY15 DEGREES N AND S.
CLIMATE OF THE PHILIPPINES
• TROPICAL AND MARITIME – RELATIVELY HIGH
TEMPERATURE, HIGH HUMIDITY, AND
ABUNDANT RAINFALL
• CENTRAL AMERICA
MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS OF THE COUNTRY'S
WEATHER AND CLIMATE:
• TEMPERATURE
o PHILIPPINES ANNUAL TEMP 26.6
DEGREES C
o COOLEST – JANUARY (25.5 DEGREES
C)
o WARMEST – MAY (28.3 DEGREES C)
o BAGUIO CITY – TEMPERATE CLIMATE –
SUMMER CAPITAL OF THE
PHILIPPINES
o THE MEAN ANNUAL TEMP OF THE
SOUTHERNMOST STATION
(ZAMBOANGA) AND THE
NORTHERNMOST STATION (LAOAG) –
INSIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE
• HUMIDITY – MOISTURE CONTENT OF THE
ATMOSPHERE
o PHILIPPINES – HIGH RELATIVE
HUMIDITY
▪ HIGH TEMPERATURE
▪ SURROUNDING BODIES OF
WATER
o AVERAGE MONTHLY RELATIVE
HUMIDITY:
▪ MARCH – BETWEEN 71%
▪ SEPTEMBER – 85%
• RAINFALL – MOST IMPORTANT CLIMATIC
ELEMENT IN THE PHILIPPINES
o RAINFAL DISTRIBUTION DEPENDS
UPON THE DIRECTION OF THE
MOISTURE – BEARING WINDS AND THE
LOCATION OF MOUNTAIN SYSTEMS
SEASONS
TWO MAJOR SEASONS OF THE PHILIPPINES:
• RAINY – JUNE TO NOVEMBER
• DRY – DECEMBER TO MAY
o COLD DRY SEASON – DECEMBER TO
FEBRUARY
o HOT DRY SEASON – MARCH TO MAY
CLIMATE TYPES (BASED ON THE DISTRIBUTION OF
RAINFALL):
1. TYPE I – DRY (NOV TO APRIL); WET DURING
THE REST OF THE YEAR
2. TYPE II – NO DRY SEASON WITH A
PRONOUNCED RAINFALL FROM NOV TO JAN
3.
APRIL; WET DURING THE REST OF THE YEAR.
4. TYPE IV – RAINFALL IS MORE OR LESS EVENLY
DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
PREVAILING WINDS
• HANGING AMIHAN (NORTHEAST) – NOV TO
APRIL
• HANGING HABAGAT (SOUTHWEST) – MAY TO
OCT
MONSOON – SEASONAL SHIFT IN THE PREVAILING
WIND DIRECTION
BASICS OF PASSIVE DESIGN
PASSIVE DESIGN – DESIGN THAT WORKS WITH THE
ENVIRONMENT TO EXCLUDE UNWANTED HEAT OR
COLD AND TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SUN AND BREEZES
(INDUCING COMFORT CONDITIONS IN THE BUILDING
INTERIORS); MINIMIZING THE NEED FOR MECHNICAL
HEATING OR COOLING.
• COMFORTABLE, ENERGY EFFICIENT AND
RESULTS IN SUBSTANTIAL SAVINGS IN
RUNNING COSTS OF BOTH COOLING AND
LIGHTING.
ACTING COOLING – DESIGN APPROACH THAT
ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM OF INDUCING COMFORT
BY MEANS OF EQUIPMENT THAT CONSUME ENERGY.
PRINCIPLES OF PASSIVE DESIGN:
• AVOID HEAT GAIN
o ORIENT BUILDING TO RED EXPOSURE
TO MIDDAY SUN
o LOW THERMAL MASS MATERIAL
o SHADE WALLS AND WINDOWS
o USE GLAZING ON WINDOWS
o USE INSULATION, LIGHT COLORS, AND
HEAT – REFLECTIVE SURFACES
• ENCOURAGE NATURAL VENTILTION
o ORIENT THE BUILDING AND WINDOWS
TOWARDS PREVAILING WINDS
o INLCUDE OPERABLE WINDOWS AND
CEILING VENTS THAT ENABLE THE
BUILDING TO NATURALLY VENTILATE.
• MAKE USE OF NATURAL LIGHT
o INSTALL SHADED WINDOWS
o SKY LIGHTS AND LIGHT TUBES, ETC.
• CREATE COOL OUTDOOR AREAS
o VERANDAS, DEEP BALCONIES TO
SHADE AND COOL INCOMING AIR
o USE LANDSCAPING TO PROVIDE
SHADE WITHOUT BLOCKING COOLING
BREEZES
PASSIVE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS:
1. ORIENTATION – POSITION OF THE BUILDING
ON THE SITE, AS WELL AS THE ARRANGEMENT
OF THE ROOMS WITHIN IT.
• MAIN GOALS
i. ORIENTATION FOR MINIMAL
SOLAR HEAT GAIN
ii. ORIENTATION FOR MAXIMUM
AIR FLOW
SUN PATH DIAGRAMS
• AZIMUTH LINES – RUN AROUND THE
EDGE OF THE DIAGRAM
• ALTITUDE LINES- CONCENTRIC
CIRCULAR DOTTED LINES THAT RUN
 FROM THE CENTER OF THE DIAGRAM
OUT
• DATE LINES- START ON THE EASTERN
SID OF THE GRAPH AND RUN TO TH
WESTERN SIDE AND REPRESENT THE
PATH OF THE SUN ON ONE
PARTICULAR DAY OF THE YEAR
• HOUR LINES/ANALEMMA – FIGURE –
EIGHT – TYPE LINES THAT INTERSECT
THE DAT LINES AND REPRESENT THE
POSITION OF THE SUN AT A SPECIFIC
HOUR OF THE DAY.
2. VENTILATION – CIRCULATION OF AIR OR TO
REPLACE STALE AIR WITH FRESH AIR
• STACK VENTILATION – PRINCIPLE OF
CONVECTION TO INDUCE AIRFLOW
3. LANDSCAPING – REDUCING THE EXTENT OF
PAVING AND OTHER HARD SURFACES WITH
VEGETATION
• HARD SURFACES – ABSORB ANND RE-
RADIATE HEAT CREATING A HOTTER
MICROCLIMATE
• MINIMIZE THE EXTENT OF
PAVING AND REPLACE THEM
WITH VEGETATION
URBAN HEAT ISLAND – A CITY OR A
METROPOLITAN AREA THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY
WARMER THAN ITS SURROUNDING RURAL
AREAS DUE TO HUMAN ACTIVITIES.
4. THERMAL MASS – ABILITY OF BUILDING
MATERIALS TO ABSORB, STORE, AND RELEASE
HEAT.
• TROMBE WALL – SYSTEM FOR
INDIRECT SOLAR HEAT GAIN.
CONSISTS OF DARK COLORED WALL
OF HIGH THERMAL MASS FACING THE
SUN, WITH GLAZING SPACED INFRONT
TO LEAVE A SMALL AIRSPACE. THE
GLAZING TRAPS SOLAR RADIATION
LIKE A SMALL GREENHOUSE.
• TROPICAL CLIMATES – LOW THERMAL
MASS MATERIALS.
• LIGHTWEIGHT CONSTUCTION SUCH
AS TIMBER RESPOND QUICKLY TO
COOLING BREEZES.
5. INSULATION – CONTROLS THE RATE AT WHICH
A BUILDING LOSES O GAINS HEAT.
• ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAYS
TO REDUCE HEAT INPUT TO A
BUILDING; CAN BE INSTALLED IN THE
ROOF, DEILING, AND WALLS.
6. WINDOWS – IMPORTANT WAY TO ENCOURAGE
AN DIRECT AIRFLOW INTO A BUILDING
• LOUVERS AND CASEMENT STYLE
WINDOWS – CONTROL HOW MUCH
NATURAL AIR ENTERS THE BUILDING.
• TINTED GLASS – TINT APPLIED TO THE
GLASS DURING MANUFACTURE, TO
REDUCE THE AMOUNT OF HEAT
TRANSMITTED THROUGH IT
• REFLECTIVE COATINGS – THIN FILMS
OF METAL OR METGAL OXIDE THAT
ARE APPLIED TO STANDARD GLASS;
STOP GREATER AMOUNTS OF HEAT
GAIN THAN SOME TONED GLASS;
GLARE PROBLEMS.
• SOLAR SHADING – SHADING DEVICES
SHIELD WINDOWS AND OTHER
GLAZED AREAS
i. HORIZONTAL OVERHANGS –
SOUTHERN ORIENTATIONS
ii. HORIZONTAL LOUVER
PARALLEL TO A WALL PERMIT
AIR CIRCULATION NEAR THE
WALL AND REDUCE
CONDUCIVE HEAT GAIN
iii. SLANTED LOUVERS –
PROTECTION
iv. VERTICAL LOUVERS –
EASTERN OR WESTERN
EXPOSURES.
v. EGGCRATES – COMBINED
HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL
LOUVERS (BRISE – SOLEIL)
vi. SOLAR BLINDS AND SCREENS
– 50% REDUCTION IN SOLAR
RADIATION
vii. HEAT-ABSORBING GLASS –
ABSORB 40% OF RADIATION
7. NATURAL LIGHTING – MAXIMIZING THE
AMOUNT OF NATURAL LIGHT THAT ENTERS
THE BUILDING
• SKYLIGHTS
i. PROVIDE GOOD QUALITY
LIGHT TO WORK SPACES THAT
ARE AWAYS FROM WINDOWS
ii. VENTED TO ALLOW HOT AIR
TO ESCAPE
• ATRIA
i. LARGE OPEN SPACE
ii. HOT AIR CAN BE VENTED AT
THE TOP RATHE THAN
ACCUMULATING
• LIGHT SHELVES
i. ALLOWS DAYLIGHT TO
PENETRATE DEEPER INTO A
BUILDING
ii. HORIZONTAL LIGHT –
REFLECTING OVERHANG
PLACED ABOVE EYE LEVEL
• CLERESTORY WINDOWS
i. HIGH VERTICALLY PLACED
WINDOWS THAT ARE IDEALLY
NORTH FACING
ii. GOOD SOURCE OF DIFFUSE
LIGHT
iii. ALLOWS HOT AIR TO LEAVE TH
BUILDING