Energy

Elective
Lecture - 2
 Fundamentals of Climate Responsive Buildings
Types of passive strategies
Building Orientation
• Building orientation
• The building orientation determines the amount of
• Plan form solar radiation it receives.
• With respect to air patterns , orientation affects the
amount of natural ventilation possible.
• Design elements

• Roof form

• Fenestration –
Arrangement ,Configuration ,
orientation.

• Roof and wall Materials

• Vegetation
 Fundamentals of Climate Responsive Buildings
Plan Forms

• The plan form of the building affects the airflow around & through it. It could
either aid or hinder natural ventilation.
• The perimeter to area ratio of a building is an important indicator of heat
loss and heat gain.
• Knowing the direction of air movement , the plan form can be determined
also as to create high pressure and low-pressure areas . Building openings
connecting high pressure to low pressure areas would cause effective
natural ventilation.
• The perimeter of the area ratio(P/A) is an important factor in controlling
heat gain and losses. Greater the ratio the greater radiative heat gain during
the day and the greater heat loss at night. Smaller the ratio the lesser will be
heat gain during the day and heat loss during the night.
• In hot and cold climates, the P/A ratio should be minimum to ensure
minimal heat gains and heat loss respectively.
• For warm-humid climates, minimum P/A ratio can help to maximize air
movement.
Design Elements
• Waterbodies – they are effective means of evaporative cooling as water having a high specific heat can absorb a
comparatively large quantity of radiation and conversely it can be used as a heat storage material when enclosed by a
glazing . Although they can increase humidity for warm – humid climates.
• Vegetation – Vegetation can absorb radiation and affect cooling. These can humidity and affect daylight or cause glare.
• Courtyards & Verandas : as shaded elements these are quite effective as reservoirs of cooler air in hot climate as cool air
tends to collect in the court.
• For HOT climate – integrating vegetation as gardens , roof gardens , planters is desirable into the building to reduce heat
gain. Shaded courtyards would lower air temperatures.
• For COLD climate – Greenhouses and glass boxes are effective heat traps to enhance heat gain. Waterbodies can be
useful in these heat traps.
• For HUMID climate – Courtyards and verandahs aid in ventilation, wind catchers may be employed only if there are
strong and cool breezes.
Roof Form
Fenestration – Arrangement & Configuration
• Fenestration pattern and configuration involve area, shape , location and relative positioning of the windows and effects the air
movement , daylight and glare indoors.
• Area of the opening affects the amount of light and breeze entering inside . Location of the opening affects ventilation and
distribution of light indoors.
• Varying opening sizes and shapes i.e narrow strip window or regular square windows would affect internal air speed & light
distribution indoors.
• Windows for HOT climates – appropriately shaded , smaller area , high opening or ventilators as effective heat vents.
• Windows for WARM humid climates – appropriately sized to facilitate ventilation accompanied by appropriate shading device.
• Windows for COLD Climates – large sized and unshaded but air- tight.
• Windows for COMPOSITE climates – adequate design of shading device to cut off summer sun, allow winter sun & facilitate
ventilation.
• Windows as a combition of high windows with baffle , low windows accompanied with baffles as well as light & reflective interior
finishing can help distribute light inside a room uniformly.
• To enhance air movement , windows should be staggered, partitions should not be kept near windows & windows on adjacent
walls should be preferably not placed to avoid disruption to air-flow. The sizing of inlet and outlet windows can increase or
decrease air speeds.
Fenestration – Orientation
• Fenestration orientation determines the amount of radiation incident on the opening and can increase or decrease natural
ventilation with respect to the air pattern.
• To obtain a good distribution of air flow and circulation , the wind direction and inlet to outlet direction should not be the
same.
• For hot- dry climate , fenestration should be facing north and for cold climates it should be facing south. For humid climates,
fenestration should be within 45 deg of the perpendicular to direction of air flow and inlet and outlet should be staggered to
maximise airflow.
Fenestration- Controls
• Shades – both vertical and horizontal shades control radiative heat gain. The projection can be adjusted to cut-off
the sun by using solar azimuth and altitude for overheated and underheated periods.
• Light shelves – these horizontal projections functioning as a horizontal shade, have an upper reflective surface that
can bring more light into the room. These can be placed can be inside , outside or partly inside or outside over a
window.
• Fly wire nets – these reduce the velocity of air coming indoors as well as a control device for insects.
• For hot climates , windows and glazing would need to be shaded from the sun. For cold climates, window shades
need not to be necessary but light shelves can be very effective in utilizing the low sin angle.
• For composite climate, shades would be needed to cut- off the sun in the summer yet allow the sun in the winters.
The window section should enhance air velocity.
 Wall Materials
• Walls receive incident radiation , so wall materials are a major
factor to consider heat flow studies.
• Wall constructions like cavity walls with air spaces between the two
layers reduce heat transmission.
• Wall materials should be low U-Value in hot climates.
• Thermal mass in the form of Trombe walls can be used for
effective means of heat gain in cold climates.

Roof Materials
• Roof materials determine the amount of heat transfer taking
inwards through the roof or outwards as well as time taken for this
heat transfer to take place.
• The key component for selecting roof materials is the amount of het
absorbed by the material and transmitted and the time taken for this
transmission.
• In hot & Cold climates, the roof should have a low transmittance
value (U- value) to ensure maximum heat gain and heat loss
respectively. Insulation would minimize the heat stored by the roof.
Vegetation
Passive Heating strategies

• Elements that contribute to passive solar heating the

following:
• Orientation
• Building shape
• Buffer spaces and double facades
• Space planning
• High – performance windows (Clear , low- e)
• Mixed mode heat recovery ventilation (HRV)
• Low window to wall area ration (N/E)
• High window to wall ration (S/W)
• Operable external shading
• High – performance insulation
• Thermal mass
• Minimized infiltration
Passive Cooling

• Elements that contribute to cooling include the

following :
• Fixable /operable external shading
• Thermal mass
• Low window to wall area ratio (S/W)
• Passive ventilation
• Nocturnal cooling
• Stacked windows
• Passive evaporative cooling
• Earth tempering ducts.
Passive Ventilation
• The passive elements that contribute to natural
ventilation include the following:
• Operable windows
• Buffer spaces and double facades
• Building shape
• Space planning
• Orientation
• Strategic architectural features
• Openings to corridors and between otherwise
separated spaces
• Central atria and lobbies.
• Wind towers.
Day lighting

• The features which contribute to a

daylighting strategy include:
• Space planning
• High ceilings paired with tall windows
• Window size and placement ( window to
wall area ratio)
• Interior surface colors and finishes
• Strategic architectural features.
• Light shelves
• Skylights and light tubes
• Clerestories.
ADVANCED PASSIVE DESIGN
STARTEGIES
Types of advanced passive design strategies
• Thermal insulation
• Thermal mass
• Cool – roofs
• Courtyard effect
• Wind tower
• Evaporative cooling
• Passive down – draught cooling
• Roof sprays
• Earth Air - Tunnels
Thermal insulation

• A process to help achieve thermal comfort for the occupants by reducing unwanted heat loss or gain, decreasing
energy demand of heating and cooling systems.
• Most building insulation materials like glass – wool , cellulose , polystyrene foam use the principle of trapping air into
small cells that cannot transfer heat effectively by natural convection.
• An insulated building is energy efficient , provides more uniform temperatures throughout the space , has minimal
recurring expense for maintenance.
Thermal mass
• Thermal mass is the capacity of a material to absorb , store and release the
sun’s energy.
• The material’s density and levels of conductivity help to keep the temperature of
a building stable.
• They can store and release the sun’s heat energy. Example of materials include
brick , stone , concrete , water.
• Thermal mass can be used for its heating capacity to absorb heat from sunlight
and release the energy throughout the evening or night.
• Thermal mass can be used for its capacity to keep a structure cool during the
hotter summer months.

Cool Roofs
• A technique that uses highly reflective and emissive materials for roofing that
can remain approximately 28-33 deg C than traditional materials during peak
summer weather.
• Cool roofing materials have high albedo as well a proportionate thermal
emittance to maintain surface temperatures and heat transfer.
• A cool roof transfers less heat to the interiors of the building, keeping the
building cooler and comfortable and uses less energy for cooling , which can
contribute to reduction in emissions of pollutants.
Courtyard Effect

• Due to incident solar radiation in a courtyard the air gets warmer and rises.
• Cool air from the ground level flows through the louvered openings of room surrounding a courtyard, thus producing air
flow.
• At night, the warm roof surfaces get cooled by convection and radiation.
• In this heat exchange reduces roof surface temperature to wet bulb temperature of air, condensation of atmospheric
moisture occurs on the roof and the gain due to condensation limits further cooling.
Wind Towers

• In a wind tower , the hot air enters the tower through the openings in the tower, gets cooled and thus becomes heavier and
sinks down . The inlet and outlet of rooms induce cool air movement.
• In the presence of wind , air is cooled more effectively and flows faster down the tower and into the living area. After a
whole day of air exchanges, the tower becomes warm in the evenings.
• During the night , cooler ambient air comes in contact with the bottom of the tower through the rooms.
Evaporative Cooling
• Evaporative cooling lowers indoor air temperature by evaporating water . It is effective in hot and dry climate where
the atmospheric humidity is low.
• In evaporative cooling , the sensible heat of air is used to evaporate water , thereby cooling the air , which in turn
cools the living space of the building.
• Increase in contact between water and air increases the rate of evaporation.
• The presence of a water body such as a pond , lake and sea near the building or a fountain in a courtyard can
provide a cooling effect,

• WALMI Bhopal section showing

implementation of evaporative cooling
• 1. Ground cover
• 2. Water sprinkler
• 3. Insulated roof
• 4. Shading trees
• 5. Watertrogh
Passive Down – Draught Cooling

• In this system , wind catchers guide outside air over water filled pots , inducting evaporation and causing a
significant drop in temperature before the air enters the interior.
• Such wind catchers become primary elements of the architecture form also.
• Passive down draught evaporative cooling is particularly effective in hot and dry climates.

Passive Down – Draught Cooling has been used to effectively cool the Torrent Research Centre in Ahmedabad .
Roof Sprays
Earth Air tunnels

• Daily and annual temperature fluctuations decrease with the increase in depth below the ground surface.
• At a depth of about 4 m below ground, the temperature inside the earth remains nearly constant round the year and
is nearly equal to the annual average temperature of the place.
• A tunnel in the form of a pipe or otherwise embedded at a depth of about 4 m below the ground will acquire the
same temperature as the surrounding earth at its surface.
• Therefore, the ambient air ventilated through this tunnel will get cooled in summer and warmed in winter and this air
can be used for cooling in summer and heating in winter.
Visual and Acoustic Comfort
Lighting Quality – Visual comfort

• To be able to fully describe light , one needs to discuss its many aspects

Its source Its Distribution Its tone & color Its intensity
Lighting Quality – Visual comfort

• Color of light
• Color rendering
• Light distribution ( direct or diffuse : modelling )
• Freedom from glare
• Luminance distribution ( consideration of surface qualities together
with the lighting of these surfaces)

Lighting Quantity – Visual comfort

• Visual comfort and efficiency can be ensured by the control of
luminance distribution within the visual field.

• Both too little and too much light cab cause visual discomfort .
Important changes in light levels or sharp contrast ( which is
perceived as glare) can cause stress and fatigue as the human eye
is permanently adapting to light levels.
Recommended illumination

Recommended illumination and limiting glare index ( based on IES Code , 1968)
Glare
• Glare is a subjective human sensation that describes “ light
within the field of vision that is brighter than the brightness to
which the eyes are adapted” (Harpercollins2002)

Effects of glare:
• Injures the eye
• Disturbs the nervous system
• Causes annoyance , discomfort & fatigue
• Reduces efficiency of work
• Interferes with clear vision
• Risk of accident increases
Glare Index

• The CIBSE Glare index is a system for the evaluation of

discomfort glare defining two methods of calculation:

• The calculation of the glare index based

on a formula.

• The finding of the index from tables

based on the photometric data as
supplied by the luminaire manufacturer
• Lj – Luminance of jth glare source
• Lb – Avg. luminance of the field of view
• Pj – Position index of the jth glare source.
• Wj – Subtended area of the jth glare source
Unified Glare Rating
• Unified Glare rating or UGR method is an
international index presented by CIE
(International commission on illumination) and
is used to evaluate and limit the psychological
impact of direct glare from luminaries
Visual Comfort Strategies
Visual Comfort Strategies
 Sound and Noise
• Sound – desired and designed for
• Noise – unwanted and designed out
• We live and work in the environments of increasing levels of noise

Decibel Measurements
• Decibel (dB) unit for expressing the ratio between two physical quantities, usually for measuring the relative
loudness of sounds.

• Zero decibel(o dB ) is the quietest

sound audible to a healthy human
ear.. From there, every increase of
3 dB represents a doubling of
sound intensity , or acoustic
power..
Why acoustics matter
?
• Impact of built environment – (Humans = Noise )
• More density = more noise
• Public health and patient recovery
• Privacy and solitude
• Worker satisfaction and increased productivity.

Environmental Noise
Transmission Path impacts
• Sleep disturbance
• Speech interference
• Occupant annoyance
• Reduced worker productivity
• Prolonged patient recovery
Architectural Acoustic
concerns
• Environmental noise
• Mechanical /Equipment noise
• Structural vibration
• Speech privacy
• Room Acoustics
• Sound Isolation

Absorption Co
efficient
Reverberation
• This prolongation of the sound in the room caused by continued
multiple reflections is called reverberation.
• When room surfaces are highly reflective , sound continues to
reflect or reverberate.
• A high reverberation time will cause a build – up of the noise
level in a space.

Reverberation time
• A reverberation time that is optimum for a music program could
be disastrous to the intelligibility of the spoken word. Conversely
a reverberation time that is excellent for speech can cause
music to sound dry and flat.

• The reverberation time of a room or space is defined the time

takes for sound to decay by 60 dB
Reflection
• Reflected sound strikes a surface or several surfaces before
reaching the receiver.
• These reflections can have unwanted or even disastrous
consequences.
• Domes and concave surfaces cause reflections to be focused
rather than dispersed which can cause annoying sound
reflections.
• Absorptive surface treatments can help to eliminate both
reverberation and reflection problems.

Noise Reduction Coefficient (NRC)

• The noise reduction Coefficient (NRC) is a single number index
for rating how absorptive a particular material is.
• It is simply the average of the mid frequency sound absorption
coefficients (250,500,1000, 2000 Hertz rounded to the nearest
5%).
• The NRC gives no information as to how absorptive a material is
in the low and high frequencies , nor does it have anything to do
with the material’s barrier effect (STC)
Sound Transmission Class (STC)
• The STC is a single number rating of a materials or assembly’s
barrier effect.
• Higher STC values are more efficient for reducing sound
transmission.
• For eg: Loud speech can be understood fairly well through an
STC 30 wall but should not be audible through an STC 60 Wall.

Environmental Noise control

Acoustic Measures
• Site selection :
• Understanding outdoor activities
• Avoid sites in high noise areas
• Ensure compatibility with existing facilities
• Eg: do not site a school in an industrial area.
• Determine the future use of surroundings.
• If future buildings are acoustically incompatible with yours,
significant remediation measures may be necessary to return
the interior sound environment to an acceptable level.

• Site Planning
• Setting up Distance
• Non – Residential elements as buffers
• Buildings acting as shields
• Building orientation away from noise
Acoustic Measures
• Use of solid walls
• The use of solid walls means, to use a wall with fewer
openings.
• Having an opening in walls will reduce its efficiency in noise
control. The openings in the forms of windows or doors that
are facing directly towards the noise, would welcome noise
into the building.

• Room Arrangement
• Layout the building so that restrooms , mechanical and
electrical equipment rooms and other less noise sensitive
spaces are adjacent to the roadway.
Acoustic Measures
Acoustic Measures
Acoustic Measures
• Proper arrangement of balconies for Noise control
balconies provide access to the external
environment as well as ventilation in the form of
light and air.
• Balconies have higher exposure to outside
environment.

• Having courtyards for Noise control

• Having courtyards helps in reduction noise control in buildings.
• They provide an acoustical privacy through shielding effect.
ABC Of Acoustics
Office

• Common Problems
• Inability to have private discussions
• Can hear sounds through partitions
• Too noisy in room
• Can hear sound from air return registers.

• Open office environments

• Acoustical problems have surfaced in open office
environments causing employees distraction, stress
and interference with telephone conversation and
normal work routine.
• The center for built environment at U.C.Berkely
conducted post occupancy evaluation of 15
buildings by 4096 respondents in a variety of office
configurations, Over 60 % of occupants in cubicles
think acoustics interfere with their ability to get their
job done.
ABC of Acoustics in Open office space
Classrooms
• Common Problems
• Outside of the school(Vehicular traffic and aircraft
flyover)
• The hallways
• Other classrooms
• Mechanical equipment
• Inside the classroom - reverberation

• To reduce noise from adjoining classrooms do not have doors adjacent to each other or
have doors directly across from each other. Rtaher offset the door locations to extend the
sound travel path from one classroom to the next. This strategy works well with conference
rooms and private offices as well.

• LEED V4
• HVAC noise – 40 Dba , 35 Dba
• Reverb time : NRC of 0.70 acoustic finishes
• Calculate to meet ANSI S12.60
• Sound Transmission(Credit)
• Interior partitions
• Exterior windows
Glazing