PASSIVE SOLAR ASPECTS OF

TRADITIONAL RESIDENTIAL
BUILDING OF KATHMANU VALLEY

S U B M I T T E D BY:
A A K R I T I K A R K I ( B A RC H - 0 7 2 -
01)
A M A N S H R E S T H A ( B A RC H - 0 7 2 -
03)
D E E P I K A T H A PA M A G A R
( B A RC H - 0 7 2 - 0 6 )
J I T E N D RA K H AT R I ( B A RC H
-072-10)
INTRODUCTION
 
The Kathmandu Valley Is Located Between 2736' To2750' North Latitude And 857' To 8537' East
Longitude At An Altitude Of About 1340 Meters Measured From Sea Level
Area: 665 sq. km
Cities: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur and Kritipur
CLIMATE
TEMPERATE ZONE (1200-2400 METERS)
CIMATE IS COMFORTABLY MILD WITH BEITHER SEVERE WINTER NOE HEAVY TROPICAL HEAT
AND RAIN.
SEASONS: AUTUMN, WINTER, SPRING AND SUMMER
-SUMMER: MAX. TEMPERATURE: 31 DEGREE
-WINTER: MIN. TEMPERATURE: -0.8 DEGREE
- DAILY AVERAGE TEMPERATURE: 9.2 DEGREE(IN JAN.)
23.3 DEGREE (IN JULY)
- AVG. DURNAL TEMP. : 17.6 DEGREE
 CLIMATE
AVG. MONTHLY MAX. HUMIDITY: 100% (IN MORNING)
28% (IN DAY/ IN DECEMBER)
46% (IN JULY)
DAILY AVG. HUMIDITY: 61% (IN APRIL)
86% (IN JULY)
RAINFALL: AVG RAINFALL-1540MM
HIGHER RAINFALL IS OBSERVED DURING MARCH THROUGH SEPTEMBER
WINDSPEED: ABOUT 0.95 M/S (AVG.)
MAX. ABOUT 13.4 M/S
WIND DIRECTION- WESTERLY
AVG. HOUR OF SUNSHING: 6.3 HOURS AND CAN VARIES BETWEEN 3.3 TO 8.4 HOURS
SUNPATH DIAGRAM

• SOLAR ALTITUDE ANGLE AND SOLAR AZIMUTH ANGLE

OF DIFFERENT TIME OF A DAY FOR ANY MONTH OF THE
SUN PATH DIAGRAM FOR KATHMANDU YEAR
• SUMMER SOLASTICE( JUNE 22): 62.3 DEGREE
• WINTER SOLASTICE( DECEMBER 22): 38.8 DEGREE
 BUILDING PLANNING
SINCE LAND WAS SCARED FOR AGRICULTURE,
TRADITIONAL HOUSES WEREE PLANNED IN VERTICAL
ARRANGEMENT
HOUSES WERE 3 OF 4 STOREY HIGH AND GROUPED
TOGETHER TO CREAT INTERCONNECTED COURTYARD
BUILDINGS ARE NORMALLY 6 METER IN DEPTH AND
4 TO 8 METER IN LENGTH
GROUND FLOOR: STORAGE FOR FARM EQUIPMENT,
SHELTER FOR ANIMALS OR SHOPS
FIRST FLOOR: BEDROOM
2ND FLOOR: BOTH BEDROOM AND LIVING
TOP FLOOR/ATTIC: KITCHEN AND PRAYER ROOM
BUILDING PLANNING

DEVELOPMENT OF TRADITIONAL
ARCHITECTURE OF KATHMANDU VALLEY OVER
THE LASR 6TH CENTURIES
BUILDING PLANNING
SIMPLE BUILDING WITH A RECTANGULAR PLAN AND A TILED SLOPED ROOF
DWELLINGS ARE BUILT IN CONTINUOUS ROWS FACING THE STREET WITH INTERNAL
HOUSES ARRANGED AROUND INTERCONNECTED COURTYARDS
COURTYARD PLANNING IS THE IDEAL FORM; IT PROVIDES A SOURCE OF LIGHT, AIR, AND
A SPACE FOR SOCIAL INTERACTION IN THE KATHMANDU VALLEY
IN PAST ,LAND VALUE USED AS AGRICULTURAL DEMAND, PLANNED VERTICALLY.
HOWEVER, SEISMIC CONDITIONS LIMITED THE HEIGHT OF THE BUILDINGS, AND THREE
AND A HALF STOREY BUILDINGS ARE COMMON.
 BUILDING’S PASSIVE
STRATEGIES
1 OPENINGS
IN PAST PEOPLE SPENT MOST OF THE DAYTIME OUTDOOR, LARGE
OPENINGS WERE NOT KEPT
AREA OF OPENING IS NOT MORE THAN 10% OF TOTAL FLOOR AREA
ROOF OVERHANG ABOUT 1.5M SUFFICIENT TO SHADE THE SOUTH
FACADE IN SUMMER ,ADMITTING IN SUN RADIATION IN WINTER AND
PROTECT WALL FROM RAIN

ARRANGEMENT OF OPENINGS IN A TRADITIONAL BUILDING

AND
SOLAR PENETRATION THROUGH WINDOWS IN DIFFERENT
SEASONS
LOCATION OF WINDOW IN BUILDING
WHICH IS INSUFFICIENT FOR LIGHTING
INSIDE THE BUILDING
 BUILDING’S PASSIVE
STRATEGIES
2 WALL
WALL THICKNESS: GENERALLY 60 CM
THICK EXTERNAL WALLS ARE MADE OF A COMBINATION
OF BRUNT AND SUN DRIED BRICKS
WALLS HAVE LOW U-VALUE WITH THICKNESS OF
ALMOST A METER THAT SERVED AS A GOOD INSULATOR
TIME LAG OF WALL WAS HIGH, STORED HEAT DURING
THE DAYTIME AND RADIATED IT INTO THE ROOM AT
NIGHT
UNBURNT CLAY BRICKS WERE USED ON THE INSIDE,
WHICH ABSORBED 10 TO 20 TIMES MORE MOISTURE
THAN BURNT BRICKS AND MAINTAIN A COMFORTABLE
INTERIOR ENVIRONMENT
TYPICAL WALL SECTION OF A TRADITIONAL BUILDING
Types of wall Thickness (m) U-value(w/m²°c) Time lag(hr)

Full brick wall 0.254 1.903 7.5

Full brick wall with external insulation 0.294 0.695 15.5

Full brick wall with internal timber cladding 0.260 1.556 6.2

Full brick wall with internal straw board 0.292 0.848 6.0

Cavity wall 0.282 1.491 6.8

Cavity wall with insulation 0.272 0.730 11.3

Cavity wall with insulation with air gap 0.322 0.654 12.0

Rat trap bonded wall 0.242 1.923 3.9

Rat trap bonded with external insulation 0.294 0.689 11.46

Time lag :8 to 14 hrs.

U-value: less than 1.39w/m²°c
 BUILDING’S PASSIVE
STRATEGIES
3 .ROOF
LIGHT ,WELL INSULATED AND HIGHER U-VALUE THAN
THE WALLS
THE QUICKER TRANSMISSION OF HEAT THROUGH THE
ROOF, MAKING THE ATTIC SPACE WARM THROUGHOUT
THE DAY
ATTIC SPACE USED AS THE KITCHEN WAS NOT
UNCOMFORTABLE FOR THE USERS AS THE SPACE WAS
MAINLY USED IN THE MORNING AND THE EVENING.

TYPICAL ROOF SECTION OF A

TRADITIONAL BUILDING
 BUILDING’S PASSIVE
STRATEGIES
4.COURTYARD EFFECT(DAY)
DUE TO THE INCIDENT SOLAR RADIATION IN THE COURTYARD THE AIR IN IT BECOMES WARMER AND
RISES UP TO REPLACE IT
COOL AIR FROM THE GROUND LEVEL FLOWS FROM THE ROUGH THE LOUVERED OPENING OF THE
ROOM THUS PRODUCING THE AIR FLOW
 BUILDING’S PASSIVE
STRATEGIES
4.COURTYARD EFFECT(NIGHT)
THE ROOF SURFACES ARE SLOPED TOWARD AN INTERNAL COURTYARD
THE COOL AIR SINKS INTO THE COURTYARD AND ENTERS THE LIVING SPACES THROUGH THE LOW
LEVEL OPENING AND LEAVES THROUGH HIGHER LEVEL OPENING
• The courtyard present in middle acts as an intermediate space shuffling
the air flow in and out the building. Because of low vegetation in the
courtyard and presence of sprinklers, the air temperature within is
maintained
 BUILDING’S PASSIVE
STRATEGIES
5. COLOUR: DARK AND DULL COLOURS IN
ROOFS AND WALL
6. TEXTURE: ROUGH TEXTURES IN ROOFS
AND WALL WITH DIFFUSES THE LIGHT
7. VEGETATION: PROTECT COOL BREEZE
AROUND BUILDING
8. WATER BODIES: SPREADS COOL AIR TO
THE BUILDING
9. FLOOR: PERMEABLE FLOORING IN STREETS
 BUILDING MATERIALS
BASICALLY, WOOD AND CLAY PRODUCTS WERE USED AS
BUILDING MATERIALS
TILES WERE WIDELY USED FOR ROOFING
EXTERNAL WALLS ARE ABOUT HALF TO ONE METER THICK
DEPENDING UPON HEIGHT AND SIZE OF THE BUILDING
WALLS ARE CONSTRUCTED OF SUN DRIED BRICK WITH
EXTERNAL VENEER OF GOOD QUALITY BURNT CLAY BRICK
WITH MUD MORTAR
SUN DRIED BRICKS HAVE LOWER DENSITY THAN BURNT
BRICK MEANS THEY ARE GOOD FOR THERMAL RESISTANCE
 BUILDING
MATERIALS
ROOF ARE CONSTRUCTED WITH WOODEN RAFTERS
AND BOARD OVER THE RAFTERS
ROOFING MATERIAL IS CLAY TILES FIXED WITH MUD
OVER THE WOODEN BOARD
A FEW HOUSES ALSO HAD STRAW-THATCHED ROOFING
ALMOST ALL STRUCTURES WERE BUILT WITH BRICKS IN
MUD MORTAR
WOOD WAS USED FOR OPENINGS AND FLOORING

FLOOR DETAIL
PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN STRATEGIES FOR KATHMANDU
SITE PLANNING: COMPACT PLANNING WITH DECIDUOUS TREES IN EAST AND WEST
DIRECTION
BUILDING ORIENTATION: BUILDING SHOULD HAVE E-W ELONGATED PLAN
BUILDING FORM: OPEN ELONGATED RECTANGULAR PLAN WITH ROOMS HAVING
DIAGONAL CROSS-VENTILATION.
OPENING: OPENING SHOULD BE LOCATED IN SUCH A WAY THAT, THE CIRCULATION OF
AIR IN A BUILDING IS INCREASED BY NATURAL MEANS. OPENING SIZE SHOULD BE 20-40
% OF FLOOR AREA.
MATERIAL AND TECHNOLOGY: MATERIALS AND TECHNOLOGY OF WALL, ROOF, FLOOR
AND PARTITION SHOULD HAVE MAXIMUM TIME LAG WITH LOW U VALUE.
HEAVY WALLS WITH HIGH THERMAL CAPACITY AND LARGE TIME LAG IS
RECOMMENDED.
SHADING DEVICES: IT IS NECESSARY TO DESIGN SHADING DEVICES IN A BUILDING TO
PROTECT THE SUMMER SUN. THERE SHOULD BE MINIMUM OF 2’9” INCH OF
PROJECTION TO AVOID DIRECT SUNLIGHT.
 DESIGN GUIDELINES
TO SECURE CROSS VENTILATION, SINGLE-BANKED CONSTRUCTION
IS SUGGESTED
AS FAR AS POSSIBLE, OPENINGS ON THE NORTH FACADE ARE TO
BE AVOIDED AS THE NORTH SIDE DOES NOT RECEIVE SOLAR
RADIATION IN WINTER MONTHS AND OPENINGS WILL
CONTRIBUTE TO HEAT LOSS.
LARGE WINDOWS IN THE SOUTH FACADE ARE ALWAYS BENEFICIAL
AS THE SOLAR COLLECTION AREA IS LARGE WHICH ENABLES THE
HEATING OF A LARGE FLOOR AREA
THE ROOF SHOULD BE PERFECTLY INSULATED OR WOULD
OTHERWISE CONTRIBUTE TO RAPID HEAT LOSS AT NIGHT TIME

SINGLE BANKED CONSTRUCTION

ALONG WITH COURTYARD
 DESIGN GUIDELINES
ROOF SPACE ACTS AS BUFFER SPACE WHICH PREVENTS
THE FLOW OF UNNECESSARY HEAT FLUX WHEN HEAT IS
NOT NEEDED AND ALLOWS THE FLOW OF HEAT AT NIGHT
WHEN THE ROOM TEMPERATURE FALLS BELOW THE
COMFORT RANGE
CONSIDERING THE FOUR MONTHS OF MONSOON RAIN, A
BUILDING SHOULD HAVE A RAISED PLINTH AND SURFACE
DRAINAGE SHOULD BE MAINTAINED PROPERLY SO THAT A
HEAVY DOWNPOUR DOES NOT AFFECT THE BUILDING.
MEAN INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AIR
TEMPERATURE IN BUILDINGS DURING
DIFFERENT TIME AND SEASONS
COMPARISON OF INDOOR AND OUTDOOR AIR TEMPERATURE IN
TRADITIONAL AND MODERN RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS DURING SUMMER
References
https
://www.academia.edu/18504114/Improving_Thermal_Comfort_of_residential_buildings_in_Kat
hmandu-_
Using_Passive_design_Strategies
-Bajrachaya S.B. The Thermal Performance of Traditional Residential Buildings in Kathmandu
valley. Iinstitute of Engineering, T.U, Lalitpur, Nepal, 2013
-Korn W. (1976), The traditional architecture of the Kathmandu valley
-Journal of asian architecture and building engineering
-Traditional Materials and Construction Technologies used in the Kathmandu Valley
Caterina Bonapace and Valerio Sestini
THANK
YOU!!