Basics of

passive design
GOALS FOR VARIOUS CLIMATES
▪ Cool climates
▪ Maximum thermal retention
▪ Maximum heat gain
▪ Maximum wind resistance

▪ Temperate climates
▪ Moderate thermal retention
▪ Moderate heat gain
▪ Slight wind exposure (humidity control)
GOALS FOR VARIOUS CLIMATES
▪ Hot-humid climates
▪ Maximum wind exposure
▪ Maximum internal airflow
▪ Minimum heat gain

▪ Hot-dry climates
▪ Minimum heat gain
▪ Moderate wind resistance
▪ Moderate internal airflow
GERONIMO
MANAHAN
“The passively cooled urban house”, a
prototype house designed by Geronimo
Manahan in collaboration with the
Ministry of Energy.
PASSIVE DESIGN
Design that works with the environment to
exclude unwanted heat or cold and take
advantage of sun and breezes (inducing
comfort conditions in the building interiors),
therefore avoiding or minimizing the need for
mechanical heating or cooling.
PASSIVE COOLING
The use of passive cooling principles in the tropics
results in a building that is comfortable, energy
efficient and results in substantial savings in
running costs of both cooling and lighting.
PROS/CONS OF
PASSIVE COOLING
▪ Typically, initial costs for passive
cooling systems will be higher
because these systems are typically
integral to the building envelope
▪ However, this is often offset by the
minimal operating costs required, as
well as the minimized impact on the
environment.
ACTIVE COOLING
A building design approach that addresses the
problem of inducing comfort by means of
equipment that consume energy.
PROS/CONS OF
ACTIVE COOLING
▪ In active systems, the initial cost of
the building envelope will be low.
▪ But this will soon be recouped by the
costs for equipment, maintenance,
and energy consumption.
 Principles of
passive design
PRINCIPLES OF
PASSIVE DESIGN
 Avoid heat gain
 Encourage natural ventilation
 Make use of natural light
 Create cool outdoor areas
AVOID HEAT GAIN
1. Orient the building to reduce exposure to midday sun, particularly
summer sun.
2. Use materials with low thermal mass as a general rule.
3. Shade walls and windows, particularly any walls with high
thermal mass.
4. Use glazing on windows that cannot be effectively shaded.
5. Use insulation, light colors, and heat-reflective surfaces.
ENCOURAGE NATURAL VENTILATION
1. Orient the building and windows towards prevailing winds.
2. Include operable windows and ceiling vents that enable the
building to naturally ventilate.
MAKE USE OF NATURAL LIGHT
1. Install shaded windows.
2. Install shaded skylights, light tubes, and other natural lighting
devices.
CREATE COOL OUTDOOR AREAS
1. Use verandas and deep balconies to shade and cool incoming air.
2. Use landscaping to provide shade without blocking cooling
breezes and use planting to reduce ground temperature and
minimize reflected heat.
Passive design
considerations
MAIN CONSIDERATIONS
1. Orientation
2. Ventilation
3. Landscaping
4. Thermal Mass
5. Insulation
6. Windows
7. Natural lighting
1. ORIENTATION
Orientation concerns the position of the
building on the site as well as the arrangement
of the rooms within it.
ORIENTATION
▪ There are two main goals to consider
when considering the building
orientation:
▪ Orientation for minimal solar
heat gain.
▪ Orientation for maximum air
flow.
Sun charts illustrating the variation in the sun’s movement in relation to latitude.
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
 Azimuth Lines - Azimuth angles run around the
edge of the diagram.
 Altitude Lines - Altitude angles are represented
as concentric circular dotted lines that run
from the center of the diagram out.
 Date Lines - Date lines start on the eastern side
of the graph and run to the western side and
represent the path of the sun on one particular
day of the year.
 Hour Lines/Analemma - Hour lines are shown
as figure-eight-type lines that intersect the date
lines and represent the position of the sun at a
specific hour of the day.
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
 Azimuth Lines - Azimuth angles run around the
edge of the diagram.
 Altitude Lines - Altitude angles are represented
as concentric circular dotted lines that run
from the center of the diagram out.
 Date Lines - Date lines start on the eastern side
of the graph and run to the western side and
represent the path of the sun on one particular
day of the year.
 Hour Lines/Analemma - Hour lines are shown
as figure-eight-type lines that intersect the date
lines and represent the position of the sun at a
specific hour of the day.
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
How to read sun path diagrams:
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
How to read sun path diagrams:
At 9:00AM,
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
How to read sun path diagrams:
At 9:00AM,
On April 1,
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
How to read sun path diagrams:
At 9:00AM,
On April 1,
the azimuth is 62 degrees, and
SUN PATH
DIAGRAMS
How to read sun path diagrams:
At 9:00AM,
On April 1,
the azimuth is 62 degrees, and
the altitude is 30 degrees.
ORIENTATION FOR MIN. HEAT GAIN
▪ Generally, the best approach is to design so that
all walls are shaded from the sun all year round.
▪ It may be desirable to admit some northern sun
especially during the cool months (October-
March). This can be done by planning the width
of eaves and awnings.
ORIENTATION FOR MAX. AIR FLOW
▪ In the Philippines, the prevailing winds are
north-easterly from October-March and
south-westerly from April-September. The
building design must take advantage of this.
▪ The lack of breeze during the hottest days can
pose challenges for achieving effective natural
ventilation. Designing to encourage
convection flow is very effective at these
times.
The rule of convection
Warm air rises, cool air sinks.
2. VENTILATION
Ventilation, circulation of air or to replace stale
air with fresh air.
STACK
VENTILATION
Uses the principle of convection to
induce air flow.
PASSIVE VENTILATION
▪ Designing a building in a way that maximizes
natural ventilation will greatly reduce the need for
air-conditioning
▪ Air movement over the body, even if the air not
much cooler, creates a feeling of cool due to the
evaporation of moisture from the skin
PASSIVE VENTILATION METHODS
▪ Maximizing breezes
▪ Orient the building to make the most of prevailing
winds in the locality
▪ Align vents, windows and doors (reasonably straight
line) to allow air to flow through the building
▪ Minimize internal obstacles or blockages such as
internal walls to allow for unimpeded ventilation
▪ Raise the building off the ground to catch breezes
PASSIVE VENTILATION METHODS
▪ Removing hot air
▪ Design for convection air flow to remove hot air from the
building
▪ Convection air flow is created by hot air rising and exiting at
the highest point, which naturally draws in cool air from the
outside
▪ This can be achieved by placing low window openings across
a space from high window openings
▪ This will be even more effective if the incoming air is being
drawn from a shaded area where plants/trees grow
PASSIVE VENTILATION METHODS
▪ Designing for “mixed-mode” use
▪ A building can be design to be mixed-mode. This
means that it will rely on natural ventilation in cooler
months, and use energy-efficient air conditioning in
hotter months

▪ Low thermal mass materials are particularly suitable

▪ It also reduces heat radiated from the ceiling cavity

▪ Example: Ridge vents can let hot air out while cool air
enters through the eave vents
3. LANDSCAPING
Reducing the extent of paving and other hard
surfaces with vegetation.
LANDSCAPING
▪ The hard surfaces of pavement around buildings
absorb and re-radiate heat, creating a hotter
microclimate
▪ Thus, it is smart to minimize the extent of paving
and replace them with vegetation
URBAN HEAT ISLAND
A city or metropolitan area that is
significantly warmer than its surrounding
rural areas due to human activities.
LANDSCAPING
▪ Planting areas around the building creates a cooler
environment due to a plant’s ability to transpire or
lose moisture, which cools the air
▪ External temperatures can be reduced by over 5°C
by using ground cover or lawn instead of paving
▪ Denser vegetation provides a greater cooling effect
▪ Air that is drawn from planted areas is much cooler
than air drawn from paved areas