Building design in different climatic zones

L39: Shelter for Hot and dry climate

Infosys- Mysore campus

For further information refer the link:

By: CHETAN SACHDEVA
http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jsk02ce/3.3.html

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Feeling!!!

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There are mainly three climatic zones on
earth

1. Hot and dry climate zone

2. Warm humid climate zone

3. Composite climate or Monsoon climate

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 Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone

• Characteristic features of the zone

• Day time temperature range is from 27 degree

Celsius to 49 degree Celsius
• Relative humidity is moderate to low (20% to
50%)
• Precipitation is slight and varies throughout the
year 50 mm to 155 mm per year
• Sky condition are normally clear due to absence
of humidity
• Clear sky condition leads to direct and strong
sunlight hitting the ground surface minimising
the chance of survival of flora and fauna 4
 Physiological objectives of Design
• Physical comfort by day depends mainly on the reduction
of the intense radiation from the sun and reflected heat
from the ground and surrounding
• Capturing the cool air as much as possible
• Preventing the building from storm constituted of sand &
dust
• Aim of the design is to maintain inner surface temperature
less than skin temperature of human being (37oC)
• At night time, the high temperature of interior of building
wrt air temperature leads to thermal comfort
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 Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form &
planning
• The main aim of building and external living spaces need
to be protected from the sun
• An enclosed, inward looking building is most suitable form
• The arrangement of spaces should aim at accessibility of
water, fuel and food storage to the point of use reduction
of movement distances.
• Avoidance of unnecessary staircase will benefit the
occupants by reducing physical movement and efforts
leading to less metabolic activity
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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form & planning
• Maximum accommodation under one roof is most preferred to
lessen thermal loading from the sun and hot air
• Surfaces exposed to the sun should be reduced as much as
possible

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form & planning

• The orientation of the building should be along East-West direction

to protect the exterior surfaces of building from the harsh sun rays
• North side receives the lowest amount of sun rays
• The worst orientation is west as peak intensity on the west coincides
in time with the highest air temperature

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning

• Non habitable rooms (Toilet and store) should be placed on western

side of the building to create a barrier for the western harsh sun rays
• Shading of roofs, walls and out door spaces is critical
• Projecting roof, verandah, shading devices walls and utilization of
surrounding walls and buildings are some techniques for solving the
problem of heating of external faces

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
• Mutual shading of buildings by placing them close to each other

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
• Mutual shading of buildings with compact planning and narrow streets

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Kashan is a city in Iran that located in hot & dry area
• urban area completely surrounded by narrow alleys & irregular
• sometimes covered with a vault & buildings joined together

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
• Shading devices close to opening should be constructed of low thermal
capacity to ensure quick cooling of after sunset

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning

• Double roof is good solution with inner roof having reflective surfaces

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
• Cavity walls also help in limiting penetration of solar heat & radiations
inside buildings

Inner wall

Outer
wall
Cavity

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
• Best external space in this type of climate is a courtyard where a pool of cool
night air can be retained as it is heavier than the surrounding warm air
• Small courtyard i.e. the width is not greater than the height, even breezes will
leave the pool of cool air undisturbed

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
• The small courtyard is an excellent thermal regulator because high walls
cut off the sun and large areas of inner surfaces and courtyard are
shaded during day
• Cooler surfaces, cooler air & earth beneath the courtyard will draw heat
from surrounding area re-emiting the it to open sky during night time

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Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
Two storey solution for hot and dry climate

• As outdoor conditions =
hostile. Hence, an
enclosed, compact in-ward
looking building will be
suitable.
• Evaporative cooling from
ponds, water features and
‘active’ or mechanical
cooling systems is ideal for
arid climates where low
humidity promotes high
evaporation rates. 18
Shelter design for Hot-dry climate zone: Form and planning
Two storey solution for hot and dry climate

• Use high mass solutions with passive

solar winter heating where winters are
cool or cold and diurnal ranges are
significant.
• Use low mass elevated solutions where
winters are mild and diurnal ranges are
lower.
• Consider high mass construction for
rooms with passive winter heating and
low mass for other rooms.
• Shade all windows in summer and east
and west windows year round.
• Well sealed windows and doors with
maximum opening area allow maximum
exposure to cooling breezes and
exclude hot, dry and dusty winds.
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 EXTERNAL SPACES
• Treat the external spaces just as carefully
as the indoors.
• Adjacent buildings, pavements, roads
heat up quickly and cause a glare onto
the building during the day and at night,
they reradiate the heat stored during the
day.
• One way to avoid this is to place walls
protecting external spaces to keep out
dust and winds.
• Also, landscaping like trees, plants and
water in enclosed spaces will cool the air
by evaporation.
• But the best solution is courtyards. In
these, a pool of night air is retained, as
this is heavier than surrounding warm air
• A small courtyard is excellent as a
thermal regulator. 20
 THE SKYLIGHTING OPTION
Sunlight reflected from adjacent Properly designed sky-lighting A coffered ceiling is an
roof and building surfaces is an devices can function as wind effective method for
important component of sky- catchers and/or vents for distributing light uniformly
lighting in hot dry climates. convective air currents. within a space without
creating discomfort from
glare

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 ROOF, WALLS AND OPENINGS
• To make use of diurnal temperatures, the
use of thermal high capacity structures is
necessary, which will absorb any heat that
enters. Hence, walls and roofs must be of
heavy materials.
• Thus, the design of openings is governed
by two requirements-
– During the day, the absence of
openings would be desirable, or at
least as small as possible and located • Occupancy Pattern- Office and
commercial buildings are only occupied
on high walls.
during the morning and early afternoon,
– During the night, the openings should hence will need a time lag of 4-6 hours.
be large enough to provide adequate • But a residential building would need a
ventilation for the dissipation of heat time lag of 9-12 hours.
emitted by the walls and roof. • Massive roofs will be effective here.22
 ROOF AND WALL SURFACES
• Selection of surface materials- Light colored
or shiny external surfaces will reflect a large
part of the incident solar radiation, thus
much less heat will enter the building.
• The roof- The most critical part. The surface
most exposed to the sky.
• Both aluminium and white sheet are
preferred. But Aluminium has an
absorbance of 0.1 and white, 0.3. hence
Aluminium will absurd much less heat.
Hence, a white sheet is preferred.
• For a vertical wall, opposed by other
surfaces of buildings and ground, a bright
surface will give better results.
• Dark colored surfaces should be avoided.
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 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION

Compact Planning - Minimal sun-exposure in summer and therefore compactness and shade are the
main principals for building in hot-arid zones.

Grid diagonal to east-west axis - Winding or zigzagging narrow alleys Grid diagonal to east-west axis -
maximizes radiation throughout receive minimum radiation, reduce maximizes radiation throughout
its straight streets the effect of stormy winds, establish its straight streets
shaded spaces

The larger building dimension should face north Shading of buildings and building
Narrow and shaded streets and south allow for sun and wind protection and elements by cantilevered
controlled wind channeling construction
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION
Building Form-

A compact, inward-looking building with an interior

courtyard minimizes the solar radiation impact on the
outside walls and provides a cool area within the building.
When the courtyard is provided with water and plants, it The building of the Indian Institute of Health
acts as a cooling source and modifies the microclimate Management , Jaipur
accordingly

Buildings with an internal thermal storage

capacity is very important to decrease the
temperature variations and to make it possible to
profit from an increased night ventilation by
“storing the cool of the night until the day”
during summer.
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION
Windows and Openings

Main openings should face north and south, but the latter should be shaded either by shading
devices, roof overhangs or by deciduous trees. The size of the windows on the west and east sides
should be minimized in order to reduce heat gains

Placement of Openings

In relation to the prevailing (cool)

breeze to allow a natural airflow
through the building
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION
Roofs

The vault, the dome and the flat roof are the traditional roof shapes. A vaulted roof provides a larger
surface area for heat loss compared to a flat roof.

Roof gardens and roof sprays/ sprinklers

 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION

Earth sheltered and underground buildings are naturally

insulated

The roof should have enough insulating Appropriate thermal insulation and air cavities in walls
properties to minimize heat gains. reduce heat transmission into the building, which is the
primary aim in a hot region.
 DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION
Earth Tunnel Cooling Wind catchers
Wind-catchers are ventilation flues
carried above the roof to catch cool
and clean air. It creates a pressure
gradient which allows less dense hot
air to travel upwards and escape out
the top and cold air is sucked

The cooling process is based on

the fact that the temperature a
few meters below the ground is
almost constant throughout the Passive downdraught evaporative cooling
year
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS IN HOT AND DRY REGION

Landscaping and its

significant role
Channelizing breeze over
pools

Trees act as barriers against dusty winds

Courtyards with wind towers

Provides shade, promotes and controls air

Solar chimneys movements, improve micro climate
 CASE STUDIES – VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE

Vernacular architecture adheres to basic green architectural principles of energy

efficiency and utilizing materials and resources in close proximity to the site.

In the past, due to lack of access to modern heating and cooling equipment, it was only the
intelligent architecture of the buildings that enabled people to tolerate the extremely hot
summer and severe cold winter.
Climate Responsive and Low energy passive techniques
 YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..
The desert city as an ancient living example of ecocity

The urban and architectural features in Yazd enabled people to adapt to very hard climate condition through
millenniums. The lack of water and energy sources in these areas forced people to build their houses with
some strategies based on minimum energy consumption.
YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..

Urban form is
Introvert, dense
and compact to
expose little
surface area to
solar radiation and
hot dusty winds.

The narrow semi-covered passageways and the

Sabat or the linked arches between two walls of the
alleys could modulate a transient temperature
besides providing shade
 YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..

Summer Portion – North Side Winter Portion – South Side

The summer rooms face north away from

the sun and in the winter they face south
that allow the low winter sun to penetrate.
 YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..
Orientation of dwellings in Yazd
It is slightly east of south (typically 15° east of
south) and is very effective, because in this
way the western façade absorbs lesser sun
heats in the summer.
Roof Forms
Air vents were employed in domes and curved roofs -
traditional convective cooling systems.
Domes and arched roofs – Reduces heat transfer,
Radiant heating is minimized while radiant cooling is
maximized and Wind speed around a domed roof is
higher
Materials
Natural and locally available materials like clay and
mud brick with low thermal capacity and greater
thermal mass.
YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..

Wind Catchers for ventilation

Wind-catchers with an underground water

channel create an evaporative cooling effect in
underground rooms
 YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..

Lack of precipitation causing scarcity of water- Water reservoirs (cisterns) called “Ab-Anbar”.

Yakhchal or ‘Ice houses’

were buildings used to store
ice throughout the year,
prior to the invention of the
refrigerator.
 YAZD, CENTRAL IRAN…..

Referred to as the 'qanat system', water reaches urban centres through underground tunnels that run
from a mother well to a qanat outlet that flows through surface canals to irrigate fields, gardens, and
provide water to homes in the village.
Boroujerdiha House In Kashan

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Boroujerdiha House In Kashan . This Boroujerdiha House In Kashan . This
part had been used in summer part had been used in winter

Boroujerdiha house: Using light color for external surface & using vegetation for reduce the heat
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ABASSIAN house
Using light color fao external and internal surface

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Boroujerdiha house: Using water for make evaporation and court yard

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A unidirectional badgir which is open to cool breezes
from the north but rejects the hot winds from the
south. A vacuum at the mouth of the badgir pulls cool
Plan &
air into the rooms from the patio section
Hot air through
a
Persian
Cool air house

N S Summer

Winter

North wind Hot air

POND

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Cool air
L40: Shelter for Warm & humid climate

For further information refer the link:

http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jsk02ce/3.4.html

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 Shelter design for Warm-humid climate zone
Characteristics features of this zone
• The most prominent characteristic of this climate are hot, sticky conditions
and continual presence of dampness
• Air temperature remains moderately high, between 21 and 32oC with little
variation between day and night
• It rarely exceeds skin temperature
• Humidity is high throughout the year
• Dense cloud filters the sun rays before hitting the ground surface so the
light is reduced & diffused

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Shelter design for Warm-humid climate zone

• The presence of clouds during night time does not

permit the radiation from the ground surface to
outer atmosphere resulting to warm nights
• Moisture in the atmosphere with moderate
temperature and high rainfall leads to dense
vegetation
• Winds are generally of low and variable speed but
constant in direction
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 Physiological objectives
• Bodily heat loss to the air by conduction or convection
is negligible as the temperature of air remains near
skin temperature
• In high humidity air the evaporation of a small quantity
of moisture from body would form a saturated envelop
effectively preventing any further evaporation
• The saturated air envelop
can be can be removed by
movement of air

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 Physiological objectives
• Some degree of comfort can be achieved by encouraging
outdoor breezes to pass not only through building but
across the body surface of the occupant
• Building will have to be opened up to breezes and
oriented to catch whatever wind is available

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Shelter design for Warm-humid climate zone: Form & planning

• Buildings to have open elongated plan shapes with single row of rooms
to allow cross ventilation
• The rooms can be accessed from verandah which also provide shading

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Shelter design for Warm-humid climate zone: Form & planning

• Door and window opening should be as large as possible to

allow freely flow of the wind through the building
• Stilt floors are preferred to elevate the liveable area because
stagnant & low speed wind are present near the ground surface
• The ground surface is nearly at same temperature as air so no
any significant flow of heat in to the ground
• In warm humid climate, the
solar radiation comes from the
whole of the sky hemisphere
the shading devices should
cover maximum area to
obstruct most of radiation
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 Design criteria
• Buildings are usually separated & scattered with free spaces
between them to utilise airflow.
• As air movement is the only available relief from climatic stress,
therefore vital to indoor comfort, buildings have to be opened
up to breeze and oriented to receive air movement.
• Failure to fulfil this would produce indoor conditions always
warmer than a shaded external space which is open to air
movement.

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• In this climate, where the need for shelter from sun & rain
predominates, the roof becomes the dominant structural &
formal element:
– steeply sloping to shed heavy rains, with a max. of insulation,
– Large overhangs to protect buildings against sun/blowing rain

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 Site layout
• In this climate, emphasis is given to cross ventilation as the high
humidity of air creates discomfort for human beings.
• Cross ventilation of streets and buildings is desirable in order to
reduce discomfort from excessive humidity.
• The structure of the settlements becomes scattered and loose in
order to channel winds through the streets and inside buildings.

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• Open spaces left under buildings elevated on stilts can also be
utilized as shaded out-door spaces.
• Trees and planting can be relied on for shading, as plants carry
full foliage all year round.
• Pergolas and light framing which are covered by climbing
plants can cheaply and effectively provide shade to an open
space.

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 Planning for comfort

Rooms with flow-through ventilation are best.

A stone screen at a window

in India. 56
 VENTILATION
• Catch the breeze: Locate on a hill or raise above the ground,
at a 20- 408 angle to the prevailing breezes.
• Don't block the breeze: Space buildings out, and add
breezeways in them. Build a minimum of 18 m downwind
from a 3 m height building or wall to allow breezes in.
• Make rooms breezy: Each room needs 2 exterior walls, with
many windows or vents, including low openings.
• Verandahs with outside stairs obstruct breezes much less
than interior halls.
• Make outdoor areas breezy: Place them on the breezy side
of the building, but protected from storm winds.
• Porches can allow openings to windows in the centre of the
building. 57
 VENTILATION

Roofs shade
Porches ventilate adjacent N and S
rooms. walls.
West walls can be
screened with vent
block or louvers. 58
 SHADING
• Keep sunlight off building walls: Try to face the
long sides (with most of the windows) towards the
S & N so the roof overhang can shade walls &
windows throughout the middle of the day.
• Shade in the afternoon: Keep W & E sides short or
provide screens, vines, or shrubs to shade.
• Use white/light colours, stay cooler on sunny
walls, roof, & pavement
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Best orientations for buildings to avoid afternoon overheating
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Best orientations for buildings in the southern hemisphere. 61
Adjustable window screens keep sun out in Orlando
and in Ouagadougou.

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 PLANTINGS
• Let tall, open trees shade roofs and shrubs & vines shade the
ground or buildings to reduce the local temperature.
• Plants cool by evaporating moisture & shading, like natural ACs.
• Don't make sun traps of heavy walls around sunny paved areas.
• Plant between walls and paved areas. Funnel breezes with
building walls or plants: Buildings close together can aim &
speed up the breeze.

Plants and walls can funnel breezes 63

SHELTER FOR COMPOSITE CLIMATE
Most complex one from the designer’s point of view

http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jsk02ce/3.5.html
 FEATURES OF COMPOSITE CLIMATE
• Composite climate is the combination of hot dry & warm humid
climate, which prevails for different parts of year.
• Summer season is experienced during months of April –June.
• Monsoon season is experienced during months of July- September.
• Winter season is experienced during months of October- March.
• Hot –dry season (April – June) –In this season protection from sun is
required.
• Dry – winter season (October-March)- Low temperature & low humidity
• Warm- humid season (July- September)- Moderate temperature & high
humidity.
 Hot –Dry Season Monsoon Season/ Winter Season
(April – June) Warm Humid climate (October-
(July-September) March)

Temperature
Day 32-43C 27-32C up to 27C
Temperature 21-27C 24-27C 04-10C
Night

Relative 30-55% 55-95% nearly 20%

humidity
 OBJECTIVES OF DESIGN
• The main objective of the
design is to consider all the
three different climates
prevails through out the year.
• The temperature during the
day should remain nominal
inside the building, during the
summers.

• Heat gain during the winters as the temperature during winters falls below
normal.
• For the physiological comfort temperature should be below human skin
temperature & wind should flow near the skin.
 SO THE MAIN POINTS ARE…
• Keep a balance between
conflicting requirements.
• Seek solar radiation gain in
winter and provide shading in
summer
• Provide wind protection in
winter and proper ventilation
in summer
• Construct “good-natured”
houses, with moderate heat
 SHELTER FOR COMPOSITE CLIMATE SHAPE & VOLUME
• Buildings are preferably rather compact.
• High thermal capacity walls are required for
this type of climate. i.e. 9”-13.5” thick brick
walls.
• Thick walls are useful for winter season as they
retain the heat gain during day time so that at
night the interiors of building remains warmer.
• Openings with louvers as shading device is very
useful for this climate.
• Wide chajjas at opening protects the building
from solar heat during summer season as well
as protects interior from rain during monsoon.
 Topographical location of settlements
• In lowland regions settlements should be exposed to the wind & protected from sun.
• In winter the opposite is required: Exposure to the sun and protection from the wind.
• In upland regions, shelter against the wind and orientation for maximum solar radiation gain
are required all the year round.
• In areas of intensive land use, buildings should be located on south slopes
where the sun exposure is adequate.
• Depressions should be avoided because cold air accumulates there.
• Above the bottom of the valley the microclimate is more favourable.
• Houses should be located behind a wind shield, but be assured of exposure to
the sun.
• This shield can be formed by existing or newly planted vegetation, by other
structures or by topography.
 Urban forms and external space: Settlement pattern
• Aspects of appropriate sun orientation & wind protection should already be
considered while working out the basic pattern of a settlement.
• This pattern should be of a semi-compact type.
• The plot dimensions should allow the positioning of a building with its wider side
facing S & sufficient distance from the neighbouring buildings.
• Provision for row buildings along the E-W axis may also be favoured.
• Streets are best planned in the direction of summer winds, avoiding the
direction of winter winds.
• The outdoor space - as in all warm regions - should be actively used.
• It should be planned to provide a well-balanced mix of open, sunny areas for the
cold season and shaded, well-ventilated areas for the warm period.
• Open squares with groups of trees to provide shade are desirable.
• Planting of deciduous trees & pergolas with deciduous creepers are a possibility.
• A good example is
Bhumra, a village in
the higher hilly
region of West
Nepal.
• This settlement
also provides
efficient wind
protection
• Flat and used as outdoor living and working
roofs are actively
takes full
spaces, advantage
where favourable climatic conditions prevail during
of daytime.
the the sun’s
radiation.
 Building design
• Orientation and room placement should be
south facing.
• Form depends on precipitation pattern.
• Shade in summer and heat gain in winter is
necessary.
• Ventilation must be controllable.
 COMPACT BUILDINGS WITH HIGH VOLUME.

Thick walls Courtyard Planning

Schematic layout of a house in Marpha, Nepal
FORM AND PLANNING OF BUILDING
THE CONCEPT OF THERMAL ZONES

• The areas of the building can be

segregated, as per the usage and the
climate.
• The rooms which are less in use can be
arranged in lower portion of the
building.
• The main areas of the building i.e. bed
rooms can be planned on upper floor
of the building
 Room arrangements
• A moderately compact internal
room arrangement is of benefit
for most of the year.
• Courtyard buildings are suitable,
terraced buildings facing south
may also be appropriate.
• In cooler areas, exposure of the
main rooms to the winter sun is
essential, whereas in warmer
areas these rooms can also be
placed north facing.
 The concept of thermal zones: colder areas only
• Heat losses can be efficiently reduced by dividing the house into
zones with higher & lower heat demands, accor. to their functions.
• The zone with the higher heat demand, such as living rooms, is
placed facing towards the sun (south).
• The zones with less heat requirements, e.g. sleeping areas, kitchen,
stores, entrance etc., are arranged around the warm zone on the
W, N and E side, providing protection against heat loss & wind.
• This zone functions as a thermal buffer.
• An external belt of vegetation or other adjoining buildings and
parapet walls may provide additional protection.
This concept applies in the colder areas only.
 Ventilation in warm zones
• In the warmer areas, humidity can cause problems
during the monsoon period, Hence, arrangements
for a proper cross-ventilation are necessary.
• The separation of humidity-producing areas such as
kitchen and bathrooms from the rest of the building
is recommended
 BUILDING COMPONENTS FOR DIFFERENT SEASONS:
• One solution would be a building type
which is also useful in hot-dry and maritime
areas, ground floor with massive walls and
an upper floor of a light structure .
• The ground floor would be relatively cool in
the daytime & relatively warm at night.
• The light structure on the upper floor would
perform the opposite way.
• RESULT- In the winter time the inhabitants
would use the upper floor in the daytime
and the ground floor at night. In the
summer time the pattern would be
reversed.
 Economic limitation
• In reality, however, for both economical and
organizational reasons, such day and night rooms
or summer and winter houses are often not
feasible, and a building or room has to be
designed to serve all year round.
• The large range of thermal conditions requires
the utilization of radiation and wind effects, as
well as protection from them.
• Hence, the arrangements have to play a dual role.
 Immediate external space
• The outdoor space should
also be designed as a
compromise with ventilation
and shade in summer, and
wind protection and solar
radiation gain in winter.
• The vegetation should be
planned accordingly, to
provide partly sunny and
partly shaded spaces.
• Deciduous trees are an
VEGETATION COVER ON FACADES

DECIDUOUS TREES PROVIDE ACCESS TO WINTER SUN BUT PROTECT

AGAINST SUMMER SUN
• Plants can be arranged to achieve the desired
ventilation effect
 The basic idea
• Capturing as much winter sun as possible
• Keeping out solar radiation in summer time
sun
• Using a thermal buffer zone towards the north
The function of the solar gain process using glazed surfaces is based on the “greenhouse effect”.
This means that solar radiation can easily pass through glass. When it strikes an absorptive
surface behind the glass, it is converted into longwave heat radiation which cannot pass directly
through the glass anymore. As a result the materials behind the glass heat up.