684253140CBF Lecture 1 PDF

PRINCIPLES & APPLICATIONS OF
CLIMATE
RESPONSIVE
DESIGN IN THE
TROPICS
Presentation by: Serene Mary Joy
➤ TEMPERATURE:
• Summer: 30-35o C during day & 25-30 oC at night
• Winter: 25-30o C during day & 20-25 oC at night
➤ HIGH HUMIDITY: RELATIVE HUMIDITY REMAINS HIGH 
• 75% for most of the time.
• but vary from 55% to almost 100%.
➤ PRECIPITATION
• High precipitation throughout the year (rainfall)
• Generally becomes more intense for several consecutive month
• Annual rainfall- 2000 to 5000 mm.
• Occurrence of gusty winds and electric storms  
Elements of Tropical Climate

➤ SKY CONDITIONS
• Sky is fairly cloudy
• Cloud cover 60-90%.
➤ VAPOUR PRESSURE
Between 2500 to 3500 N/m2
➤ WIND
Wind velocity is low, calm and periodic but may be strong during
rain squalls.
➤ SOLAR RADIATION
Intensity of solar radiation is high during summers and moderate
during winters.
➤ STRONG SUN
➤ GLARE FROM THE SKY AND HORIZON
➤ VEGETATION
• Grows quickly due to frequent rains & high temperature.
• High humidity accelerates mould and algae growth, rusting

and rotting.
Elements of Tropical Climate

Main design objectives
• Resisting heat gain: 
Measures that are convenient to resist unwanted heat gain are:
• Decreasing surface area of the building exposed to the outside.
• Using materials that take a longer time to heat up.
• Providing buffer spaces between the outside and the

inside.
• Increasing shading of the building in general.
• Using materials that reflect heat.
• Promoting heat loss: 

To promote heat lost it is essential to ensure:
• Appliances used are well ventilated.
• Proper ventilation occurs throughout the day.
• Humidity levels are reduced as much as possible.

FORM, ORIENTATION &
PLANNING
STRATEGIES @ Urban &
Building level
Source: Chapter 3.3; Climate Responsive Buildings: Appropriate
Building Construction in Tropical and Subtropical Regions by Paul
Gut, Dieter Ackernecht, SKAT 1993
Main Aims of Design:
· Provide maximum ventilation and free air movement by large openings.

· Provide maximum shading of direct and diffuse solar radiation. 
· Avoid heat storage. 
· Use reflective outer surfaces.
· Use ventilated double roofs. 
· Use vegetation to moderate the solar impact.
Settlement Planning:
Topographical location with maximum air velocity and shade.

· Orientation to minimize sun radiation impact 
· Orientation to maximize natural ventilation by winds.
· Scattered pattern of buildings
· Hazards, mainly floods and storms, to be considered.
Topographical Location of Settlements (UD)
Sun orientation
Settlements should be placed preferably on southern or northern slopes, ideally facing away from the
equator.
These climate zones are generally located near the equator. As a consequence, east and west slopes receive
more radiation compared to north and south slopes and are, therefore, disadvantageous.
Wind orientation
Ideal sites are windward slopes near the crest or near the beach, where regular winds exist.
The ventilation effect of winds can be improved by effective arrangement of vegetation.
Urban Forms & Morphology, External Space (UD)
•An open settlement pattern is appropriate
• To provide sufficient air circulation, buildings should be scattered and have a low population density.
• Buildings should be separated with large, free spaces between them, allows airflow which provides ventilation for
cooling and a hygienic environment.
• On the other hand, the walking distance to public spaces should be minimal and the footpaths shaded.
• Extended settlements, arranged in a line across the prevailing wind direction give low resistance to air movement and
are, therefore, the ideal solution.
• In cases where settlements consist of several rows of buildings, the houses should be staggered to avoid wind
shaded buildings in the downwind rows.
Street Configuration with Landscaping (UD)
• The settlement pattern should allow for a loose open street network.
• External public spaces, streets, squares and footpaths should be protected from sun and rain without
impeding cross-ventilation
• Street spaces should be long & straight to facilitate air movement, lined by high, shade-providing trees.  
• rain trees form a canopy effect, so that the crowns form a wide hall-like space, creating a comfortable
microclimate.  
• Streets exposed to the sun heats up and can reach very high temperatures. A vegetal groundcover, keeps it
cool and contributes much to a cooler outdoor microclimate.  
• An unshaded pavement should be avoided and air should not be allowed to pass over such hot surfaces before
reaching buildings. • High trees with wide, shading crowns provide significant protection from solar radiation 
• High bushes, should be avoided near buildings providing free access for the wind at the level of the living
spaces. 
• A suitably spaced, scattered settlement pattern helps to avoid fences, yet provides privacy, without hindering air
speeds.
Orientation of Building (AR)
Sun orientation
Shading of the E-W elevations is difficult because of the low sun, and may require special
devices; whereas the south and north sides can easily be protected by an overhanging roof. Thus
the best orientation for protection from the sun is along the east-west axis.
Wind orientation
Where a predominant wind direction can clearly be identified, long-shaped buildings should
be arranged across this direction.
Compromise 
Often the above two parameters are contradictory. In this case, a reasonable compromise should
be made considering the possibilities for diverting the wind direction by means of
vegetation and structural arrangements, such as parapet walls within the external
adjoining space.
Low rise buildings: where the walls would not receive much radiation, orientation
according to the wind direction is more advisable.
High-rise buildings: the opposite holds true and protection from sun radiation should be
the decisive factor.
Shape, volume, type & form (AR)
Forms with large surface areas are preferred to compact buildings. This favours ventilation and heat emission at
night-time. The main goal is the reduction of direct heat gain by radiation:
◦ building should be designed with protected openings and protected walls.
◦ will be much easier if the building is kept low.
◦ the roof should extend far beyond the line of walls, with broad overhanging eaves & other shading
devices.  
The height of the buildings (NV) should not exceed 3-storeys. Higher buildings receive too much radiant heat &
give wind obstruction to neighbouring buildings.  
Optimal shading: large overhanging roofs and wide shaded verandas.  
Row houses elongated along the east-west axis provide the best shading of the critical east and west walls, are
best protected if the house is covered with a hipped roof.
Rooms and internal Planning (AR)
• Bedrooms: adequately located on the east side, where it is

coolest in the evening. Good cross- ventilation is especially
important because at rest the human body is more sensitive to
climate. On the other hand, stores and other auxiliary spaces
can be located on the west side.
• Kitchen: it can be located on the west side as well.
• Main room: living rooms, should not be located on the east
or west side.
• Rooms with internal heat load: kitchens, should be
detached from the main building, although they can be
connected by a common roof.
• Wet rooms: high humidity (bathrooms) require proper
cross-ventilation to avoid mould growth.
Building Components (AR)
•Main considerations:
• Heat storage + time lag should be minimal as undesirable re-radiation of heat at night & to avoid condensation in morning.
• Thermal insulation is not effective except on surfaces exposed to direct radiation due to very less diurnal variations.
• Materials should be permeable to air.
• Reflectivity and emissivity are important for keeping indoor temperatures low  
Walls:
◦ should be as light as possible with a minimal heat storage capacity, allowing the airflow.
◦ should reflect radiation, at least in places where solar radiation strikes the surfaces; the outer surface should be reflective, light
coloured.
◦ Light & thin materials such as timber or bamboo matting are recommended. Materials forming light panels can be used, together with a
frame structure for structural requirements.  
Openings & windows:
◦ should be large & fully openable, with inlets of a similar size on both sides of the room, equipped with flexible louvres  
allowing a regulation of ventilation. Door shutters may also incorporate louvres or grills.
◦ openings should be shaded by an overhanging roof, screens, lattices, grills etc.
◦ Mosquito-screens, reduce the airflow, are best installed away from windows, e.g. around the veranda or balcony.
Building Components (AR)
•Roof Design:
• roof is preferably pitched to allow heavy rains to run off.
• Large overhangs protect the walls and openings from

radiation and precipitation.
• Single leaf construction: lightweight materials with a

low thermal capacity and high reflectivity. Metallic
and light coloured surfaces have the best reflective capacity.
Ordinary Fig1. Ordinary louvres direct the wind upwards above body level.
Furthermore they are not safe against driving rain. 
• Ventilated double roof: The inner layer is well insulated Fig2. Modified louvres keep the wind at lower level (living area) and provide
protection from driving rain, but reduce the airflow to a certain extent.
and provided with a reflective upper surface. The inner
Fig3. Another alternative is the use of a second set of louvres to direct the air down to
surface of the ceiling should not exceed the air temperature the occupants.
by more than 4°C. This can be achieved by an insulation
board with a U-value of about 1.5-W/m2.
• Air which has passed through a double roof space should

not be allowed to enter the living zone (e.g. discharged
towards veranda), as this air will be much hotter than
normal outdoor air.
Shading strategies (AR)
• Due to the moisture in the air, much of the radiation is

diffuse, coming from the whole of the sky. Shading devices
should therefore provide great coverage, obstructing
most of the sky and not just the sun.
• The openings should be far larger than in other climates.

Which is why, the shading devices should also be much
larger.
• The proper arrangement of shade-providing trees is

important for improvement of the indoor climate.
• Another efficient solution is to grow a green cover over

roofs and walls. This second skin provides:
Thank You…

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PRINCIPLES & APPLICATIONS OF

• Winter: 25-30o C during day & 20-25 oC at night

➤ HIGH HUMIDITY: RELATIVE HUMIDITY REMAINS HIGH

• 75% for most of the time.

• but vary from 55% to almost 100%.

• Generally becomes more intense for several consecutive month

• Annual rainfall- 2000 to 5000 mm.

• Occurrence of gusty winds and electric storms

Elements of Tropical Climate

• Cloud cover 60-90%.

• High humidity accelerates mould and algae growth, rusting

Elements of Tropical Climate

• Decreasing surface area of the building exposed to the outside.

• Using materials that take a longer time to heat up.

• Providing buffer spaces between the outside and the

• Increasing shading of the building in general.

• Using materials that reflect heat.

• Promoting heat loss:

• Appliances used are well ventilated.

• Proper ventilation occurs throughout the day.

• Humidity levels are reduced as much as possible.

· Provide maximum ventilation and free air movement by large openings.

Topographical location with maximum air velocity and shade.

•An open settlement pattern is appropriate

◦ building should be designed with protected openings and protected walls.

◦ will be much easier if the building is kept low.

• Bedrooms: adequately located on the east side, where it is

• Materials should be permeable to air.

◦ openings should be shaded by an overhanging roof, screens, lattices, grills etc.

• Large overhangs protect the walls and openings from

• Single leaf construction: lightweight materials with a

• Air which has passed through a double roof space should

• Due to the moisture in the air, much of the radiation is

• The openings should be far larger than in other climates.

• The proper arrangement of shade-providing trees is

• Another efficient solution is to grow a green cover over

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➤ HIGH HUMIDITY: RELATIVE HUMIDITY REMAINS HIGH 

• Occurrence of gusty winds and electric storms  

• Promoting heat loss: 