Is ‘Physical Environment’ of Room 204 Block-6, Apt for an ‘Architecture

Studio’

By
Karuneshwar Jha
Lovely Professional University, G.T. Road, Phagwara (144401), Punjab
E-mail – [email protected]

ABSTRACT
Architecture studio requires setting that facilitate the imagination and thought process of a design student
and physical environment is a major part of that setting. Thus, this paper aims at determining the
analyzing the physical environment of the room, 204 of block-6 at Lovely Professional University. Major
components of physical environment are natural lighting and ventilation. The major problems related to
physical environment are identified through this research. Buildings elements that affect the natural
ventilation and solar gain are mostly the openable as well as non-openable windows or skylights. The
sizes, position and orientation of the openings determines the penetration of natural light and wind flow
inside a room. For this paper, size and orientation of existing windows is determined and comparing the
existing situation with the standards provided by the National Building Code tells us about the physical
environment of the room. This paper provides a comparative analysis of the existing conditions and the
ideal setting.

KEYWORDS
Natural Ventilation, Solar Penetration, Thermal Comfort, Opening Size, Opening Position

INTRODUCTION
Natural sunlight inside an architecture studio is necessary to provide a comfortable setting for creative
learning and productive imagination. But, due to increasing number of inexpensive artificial lighting
solutions being available in the market the natural lighting had taken a back seat. Now, with the
increasing concern over the consumption of energy and health hazards, there is a constantly growing
effort to revitalize natural lighting. Natural lighting has been proven to make people more productive,
happier, calmer and enkindles the imagination. In an architecture studio there is a lot of dealing with
drawings and sheets which can be extremely stressful on the eyes, natural light helps in reducing the eye
strain to a great extent. Hence, natural lighting is a must in an architecture studio.
Natural ventilation is important inside an architecture studio to maintain thermal comfort and to reduce
the pressure on the environments that mechanical/artificial means of ventilation puts on. Unlike any
mechanical electronically driven appliance natural ventilation inside a building does not require any

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artificial force or energy to work. Also, the natural ventilation is quite maintenance free and reduces the
carbon emissions. Natural ventilation works more efficiently in providing thermal comfort and a constant
natural wind flow inside the building which in turn make people more efficient and productive.
METHODOLOGY
To analyze quality of physical environment in the studio, the existing situation determined by takings
measurements of the size and areas of the openings, the daylight penetration inside the studio and the
wind flow inside. Then a brief study of recommended standards is done from the national building code.
A comparison of existing situation is done on various parameters with the standard recommendations
given by the National Building Code of India.
LAYOUT OF STUDIO
The studio is a 17m long and 7m wide room with openings on both shorter sides. Room has one external
wall on the north side and with the south wall facing an interior corridor. Room has two openable
windows of 1.5m x 1.5m with sill at 0.9m and a fixed skylight of 7m x 3m at a height of 3.1m at an angle
of 27° on the north wall. There are two fixed clearstory windows of 2.8m and one fixed window of 0.6m
x 1.8m with sill at 0.4m. There is one door 1.5m x 2.1m on the south wall of room.

Figure 1: LAYOUT PLAN AND SECTION

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DAYLIGHT PENETRATION
Daylighting is a controlled penetration of natural sunlight, the direct sunlight and the diffused sky light
into the building to increase energy efficiency and eliminate the need of artificial lighting inside the
building during day time. Daylighting can create visually simulation and productive environments for a
designer or any occupant of the building. Daylight in this studio, penetrates from openings in opposite
wall on the north and south sides. South wall faces an internal corridor. A skylight is provided on the
north wall and two clearstory windows are provided on the south wall facing internal corridor.

Figure 2: DAYLIGHT PENETRATION IN PLAN Figure 3: DAYLIGHT PENETRATION IN SECTION

COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF DAYLIGHTING

Sr. No. RECOMMENDATIONS BY NBC EXISTING SITUATION

1 Skylights at 20-25° Angle Skylight at 27° Angle
2 Broad openings for better light spread Broad openings for better light spread
3 Tall/Higher Openings for better light Tall/Higher Openings for better light
penetration penetration
4 Sill of openings 0.3-0.6m above working Sill of openings at working plane
plane
5 Number of small openings placed on Number of broad openings on opposite
adjacent or opposite walls walls
6 If length of room is more than 2.5 times the Clear story windows and skylights are
height of lintel of openings, light shelves are provided for better natural light penetration
recommended to increase the light
penetration
7 If length of room is more than 7 m, windows Openings on opposite walls are provided
on opposite walls is recommended for better along the longer span for better
illumination illumination.
8 To reduce glare, side openings on one side Angled skylight and side openings on one
and clearstory windows on opposite side are side and clearstory windows on opposite
recommended side are provide, reducing the glare

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 9 Cross lighting to increase internal diffusion Cross lighting to increase internal diffusion
of light of light
10 Direct sunlight to be avoided, taking diffused Natural lighting only from diffused sources
light inside is recommended and northern diffused light is let in
11 Floors to grinded or sanded rough, if required Floor buffed and polished to shine, which
to reduce glare often produces glare
12 Light sources are recommended to be away Light sources, although many in number,
from field of vision. are away from field of vision
13 Sill level of opening at least 0.15m below the Sill level of openings provided at 500mm
head level of person working below the head level of person working
14 Total area of openings is recommended to be Total area of openings provided is 30% of
at least 25% of the floor area the total floor area
TABLE 1: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: DAYLIGHT PENETRATION (Bureau of Indian Standards, 2016)

RESULT

The comparative analysis of the existing situation with standard recommendations provided by the
national building code highlights very good daylighting conditions inside the room. The diffused light
from the north skylight and the south clearstory windows provide ample spread and penetration inside
the studio. The working plane is aptly illuminated by natural daylighting, eliminating the need of any
artificial lighting in the day time. The major light inlet being the skylight and the clearstory window, the
light sources are away from the field of vision. Only drawback being the polished floor tiles, which can
cause glare under certain circumstances.

NATURAL VENTILATION

A building requires ventilation to remove stale air and replace it with fresh air. Natural ventilation is of
two types:
 Wind driven: When wind blowing across the building, hits the wall perpendicular to its direction
of flow it creates a positive pressure. The wind after circulating inside the building leaves from
an opening at leeward side, leaving a negative pressure.
 Buoyancy Ventilation: Or otherwise known as the stack effect. The air given in by the occupants
is at a higher temperature, thus rises and leaves from a higher outlet, leaving behind a negative
pressure and causing the fresh air from outside to flush inside.

Sources of natural ventilation in this studio are only two side windows placed on the north wall and the
door placed on the south wall of studio. The windows on the wall being on the external wall are the only
source of air inlet and the door on the south wall being the source of outlet when open.

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Figure 4: WIND FLOW IN PLAN Figure 5: WIND FLOW IN SECTION

Sr. No. RECOMMENDATIONS BY NBC EXISTING SITUATION

1 Air inlet at lower level and outlet at a higher Air inlet and outlet both at lower level, not
level to promote stack ventilation allowing stack ventilation to happen
2 Air inlet wall should be perpendicular to the Air inlet wall parallel to the direction with
direction with the maximum wind flow to the maximum wind flow.
promote internal wind penetration
3 Air inlet should be free from obstruction Air inlet windows are free from obstruction
4 Window opening height 1.1m to have Window opening height 1.5m to promote
maximum air motion air motion inside
5 Fenestration area 32% of the floor area Fenestration area provided is 30% of the
floor area
6 If only one external wall two separate Two separate opening windows provided
opening windows to be provided on it on the external wall
7 20 m3 of fresh air per person per hour is 26.8 m3 of fresh air is available per person
recommended per hour
8 Air change rate of 4-8 times per hour is Air change rate is 2 times per hour, which
recommended to maintain indoor air quality is not sufficient to provide good indoor air
quality
9 Openings should be on a higher level on the No outlet opening on the leeward side, just
leeward side. a 1.5m wide door for the outlet
TABLE 2: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS: NATURAL VENTILATION (Bureau of Indian Standards, 2016)

RESULT
The comparative analysis of the existing situation with standard recommendations provided by the
national building code, highlights a very poor natural ventilation inside the studio. The major problem
being lack of cross ventilation. The other major problem being the orientation of inlet opening, which is
parallel to the direction of wind flow, which in turn eliminates the scope for wind driven ventilation.

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There is also lack of stack ventilation due to absence of outlet at a higher level. Poor natural ventilation
has rendered the studio uninhabitable without any mechanical means of ventilation during summer time.
CONCLUSION
Daylight Penetration –
Large/Broad openings on opposite walls provide a very good spread of
illuminance inside the studio. Natural lighting from diffused sources illuminates the working plane in a
manner which does not strain the eyes of the user. Openings placed at higher levels such as skylights or
clearstory windows provide better daylight penetration inside the studio as well as avoids glare to a very
large extent. Cross lighting inside the studio promote internal diffusion of light, resulting in better spread
across the working plane. Major light source being the skylights and the clearstory windows are away
from the field of vision.
The daylighting conditions in existing situation of the studio is very good,
providing ample natural light penetration and spread across the working plane, eliminating the need of
any artificial lighting during the day time. The existing daylighting situation is fairly apt for an
architecture studio, providing an environment which promotes imagination and creative learning.
Natural Ventilation –
Natural ventilation inside the studio is very poor, owing to the fact that the only
air outlet source is either the door on the south wall or one of the windows on the north wall. The other
major factor responsible for poor natural ventilation is the orientation of the air inlet openings which is
parallel to the direction of the wind flow, which hinders the wind driven natural ventilation inside the
studio. Also, no openings or the south wall at a higher level makes stack affect ineffective.
PROPOSAL FOR IMPROVEMENT
Daylight Penetration –
The only major area for improving the daylighting inside the studio is the
polished flooring which result in glare. The floor can be roughed or sanded up to reduce the glare it
produces.
Natural Ventilation –
 Providing clearstory windows on the south wall with openable shutters to create the stack effect
inside studio and generate natural wind flow.
 Providing vertical louvers angled in the direction with most wind flow on the air inlet openings
on the north walls, to promote wind driven natural ventilation inside the studio.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to thanks Ar. Mustafizur Rehman and Ar. Loknath Saha for their valuable discussions and
guidelines in framing this paper.
REFERENCES
Bureau of Indian Standards. (2016). National Building Code of India 2016 Vol-2 (4th ed., Vol. II).
Delhi, Delhi, India: Bureau of Inidan Standards. Retrieved 2016
Frazier, F. (2019). Types and Advantages of Natural Ventilation Systems in Buildings. Cainstavern
Media Inc.

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