10.2478 - Aup 2020 0006
10.2478 - Aup 2020 0006
10.2478 - Aup 2020 0006
Ta ble I
Abstract ‒ Orientation is a design parameter that plays a major role in
climate responsive architecture and helps achieve comfort within the built L ist of R ecom m en ded D esign S olu tions for a Wa r m H u m i d
environment. However, it is difficult to achieve an ideal orientation, espe- C li m at e (I n fer r ed from K oen igsberger [3]) H igh light i ng t h e
Factors which a r e A ffect ed by B u i ldi ng O r i en tation
cially in urban context. The main aim of this paper is to develop alternate
strategies to overcome the challenges faced in designing as per preferred
orientation and then derive a set of tools that can help decide the orienta- Parameter Recommended design features in warm humid regions
tion of a building on site both under normal and congested site conditions.
Thereafter, the inferences from the paper can act as references for choosing
an optimum orientation for placement of buildings in warm humid climate. • Open Plans
It can act as a significant pedagogical guideline for students of architec- • Elongated Building Forms
ture in deciphering solutions for a climate responsive design in a simplified • Single-banked rooms (accessible from galleries)
Form and
manner. The results can also be utilised for future research in formulating • Spread out layouts for multiple buildings1
planning
similar tools for other climatic regions. • Shading of vertical surfaces1
• Broad overhangs1
Keywords ‒ building orientation, climate responsive architecture, light- • Orientation – long axes in the East-West direction1
ing, solar radiation, thermal comfort, vegetation, ventilation, wind.
• Groundcover preferred around the structure to avoid re-
flection1
• Plantation to provide shade1
I ntroduction • Pergolas and light framing with climbers preferred1
• Plantation that can provide deflection of winds towards the
Architectural design is a complex combination of various Vegetation
openings1
processes that integrate to create a functional, habitable, and • Surrounding plants to protect the walls from direct radia-
comfortable built environment. These processes include site tion1
• Deciduous trees can be used to provide shade in summer
planning, form and massing, spatial layout within the structure, and sunlight in winters
façade design and building services. A functional and habitable
building is a combination of these factors implemented in the • Lightweight construction
form of a design solution. However, a comfortable built envi- • A reflective upper surface
Roof
ronment is achieved with consideration of the local context and design
• Double-roof construction can be preferred
surroundings. • Low thermal capacity
• Good resistive insulation of the roof surface
Warm humid climate zones are regions lying in the tropical
belts where heat is the dominant problem. This climate experi-
• Shaded walls: insulation not required1
ences very little seasonal variation throughout the year. Air tem- • Exposed wall/ gable wall: good insulation needed to pre-
peratures remain moderately high and the ranges are very narrow. Wall design
vent increase of inner surface temperature above air tem-
Humidity remains high for most of the time, and so does precipita- perature1
tion [3]. Thus, this type of climate particularly requires sufficient
air movement through the building, as it is the biggest source of • Large and fully openable1
comfort. However, wind speed in these regions is particularly low. • Free from the effect of external obstructions1
Consequently, building design needs to consider orientation and Opening • Air flow not to pass through hot surfaces ( e.g., asphalt) be-
design fore reaching the building1
cross ventilation solutions accordingly, ensuring sufficing breeze • Protection from driving rain, rodents, pests, odour and
penetration into the indoor environment [6] (Table I). noise1
According to Koenigsberger [3], ideal development in warm
humid regions should be less dense than in hot-dry regions for 1
Design solutions driven by orientation
three reasons:
• to allow free movement of air through buildings and
through spaces between buildings; However, in contemporary scenario, this ideal development
• to provide privacy by distance, as walls and screens can- is not feasible due to lack of space and the economics associat-
not be used for this purpose; ed with it.
• many activities carried outdoors.
Ta ble III
Climate responsive architecture is a result of successful com- Factors C on t r i bu ti ng to C li m at e R esponsi v e
bination of various building design parameters utilized on an D esign [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
optimum scale to achieve comfortable living conditions within
SPATIAL ECONOMICAL FUNCTIONAL SUSTAINABLE
the built environment. Orientation is always the first criterion for
• Availabili- • Affordability for • Sufficient • Maintenance
placement of the building on site, which modifies the undesirable
ty of space materials, instal- lighting and
effects of natural climatic factors such as solar heat, illumination, for efficient lations ventilation
ventilation, and even noise [8]. Orientation is an objective quan- design, • Cost of mainte- • Structurally
tity (along with building form, shape, wind patterns, and indoor planning, nance and dura- feasible
and inter- bility of design
conditions), that behaves as one of the most important parameters
nal layout solutions
of contextual design [12]. This type of design can be achieved
in several forms, as site-oriented design or climate responsive
design. Achieving a suitable orientation for any building in its I. M ethodology
preliminary design phase is an effective way to achieve passive
cooling, rather than depending on the latter phases for the same. This research designs a set of reference tools to be used for
It represents the relationship between building elevations and the coming up with design considerations like building form and lay-
original geographic direction. Good orientation can effectively out, solar shading devices, and site vegetation using parameters
reduce the need for mechanical systems for heating, cooling, like solar angles and prevailing wind direction. These tools are
and ventilation. It controls the manner in which solar radiation manual and mainly intended for conditions when ideal orienta-
is being received by the facade of a building, and thus alter its tion is not being achieved.
thermal load thereby affecting the thermal comfort of space [2]. The tools are intend to be capable of developing design rec-
While designing, building orientation is influenced by both natu- ommendations for a particular orientation in a particular type of
ral as well as man-made surrounding conditions. Natural factors climatic zone, since ideal orientation cannot be achieved all the
include solar radiation, prevailing winds and associated venti- time. Currently, the derivation of the tools is intended to be for
lation, and atmospheric humidity predominantly. However, the warm humid climate specifically.
effects of ancillary factors like sky conditions and precipitation Fenestration design is not being taken into consideration, as it
cannot be ignored. On the other hand, man-made conditions like magnifies the scope of the research and can be used for further
vegetation, proximity and character of surrounding elements studies. Factors like obstructive elements are not being consid-
also play a significant role in finalizing a suitable orientation in ered because in warm humid regions where shading is more im-
building design. portant than direct sunlight these adjacent elements add to the
An optimal building solution is an efficient amalgamation of comfort levels.
site-oriented and climate responsive design both of which are The tools worked upon are as follows:
heavily dependent on building orientation. A design is said to be • tool for orienting the building form as per solar and wind
site-oriented when most of its dominant characteristics are for- orientation;
mulated out of considerations specific to the site provided and its • tool for designing an ideal shading device for different
surrounding conditions [5] (Table II). facades;
• tool for selecting the appropriate vegetation as per ori-
Ta ble II entation.
Factors E ssen ti a l for C onsi der ation for
a S it e - or i en t ed D esign [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
II. O r ientation as a B uildi ng D esign Factor
Primary factors Secondary factors
Building orientation refers to its positioning on a site and
Location relatively the placement of its openings, typology of its roofs,
Potential of existing landform Urban landscape
Surroundings Weather and climate and design of its shading devices. The intention of achieving an
Building orientation ideal building orientation is to control the manner in which solar
radiation is being received by the facade of a building:
• to maximize thermal comfort within a built environ-
Climate responsive architecture incorporates design solutions ment [14];
that help reducing the energy load on active lighting and venti- • to minimize energy loads on active systems of lighting,
lation systems within a building. The concept revolves around heating, cooling or ventilation [14].
implementing such features in the design that ensure efficient Building orientation is influenced by both natural as well
passive heating or cooling, and hence a comfortable built envi- as man-made surrounding conditions. Natural factors include
ronment. A successful climate responsive design is complement- solar radiation, prevailing winds and associated ventilation, and
ed by spatial, economical, functional, and sustainable factors [7] atmospheric humidity predominantly. Man-made conditions like
(Table III). vegetation, proximity and character of surrounding elements
33
Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16
also play a significant role in finalizing a suitable orientation in In case the building does not achieve an ideal orientation
building design [4]. (as per this tool) due to space constraints or other contextual site
The amount of solar radiation falling on sloped surfaces is conditions, the following tools can be used. They can help in
determined by its orientation. It plays an important role in zon- passive solar design and enhance thermal comfort levels within
ing spaces within a site based on their function [9]. Appropriate the building.
building orientation is the most significant aspect for achieving
Ta ble IV
passive solar design.
D esign Pa r a m et ers a n d Factors t h at I n flu ence t h e C li m at e
R esponsi v en ess of B u i lt E n v i ron m en t [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
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Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16
Ta ble V
Tool for O r i en t i ng the B u i ldi ng For m wit h R espect to P r eva i li ng Wi n d D i r ection [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
Prevailing N
wind direction
–
NE
– –
– –
SE
SW
– – –
NW
– –
Ta ble VI
G-va lu es of D i ffer en t M at er i a ls [15]
Glass type Single glazing Double glazing Triple glazing These devices should be designed in such a way that the solar
G-Value (mm) 0.87 0.78 0.67
radiation is blocked only at those times of the year when over-
heating is a concern [11].
When it is difficult to obtain ideal orientation in urban sce- An exercise was conducted taking an example of Kolkata
narios, (a warm humid region), and the overheated and undercooled pe-
window design + shading design = effective thermal perfor- riods were mapped on the sun path diagram for the city. Further,
mance in warm humid climate. it was analysed with respect to horizontal and vertical solar an-
As fenestration design is an extremely elaborate subject gles, and shading devices were proposed. This is an efficient
in itself, it has not been taken into consideration for this research. manual method for understanding the required specifications for
It can be a further scope for this study. shading device design and can be helpful in practice as well as
The design of shading devices depends on: pedagogy.
• site location;
• orientation of openings.
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Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16
Ta ble VII
M ea n A m bi en t H ou r ly Tem per at u r e (i n degr ee C elsi us) O v er h eat ed
dem a r ki ng t h e and U n dercooled P er iods [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
0600 h 0700 h 0800 h 0900 h 1000 h 1100 h 1200 h 1300 h 1400 h 1500 h 1600 h 1700 h 1800 h
J 14 15 16 18 19 22 24 25 26 27 26 26 24
F 17 17 19 20 22 24 27 28 29 30 29 28 27
M 22 22 24 25 27 29 31 33 34 34 34 33 32
A 25 26 27 28 30 32 34 35 36 36 36 35 34
M 27 27 28 29 31 32 34 35 36 36 35 34 33
J 27 27 28 29 31 32 34 35 36 36 35 34 33
J 26 27 27 28 29 30 31 31 32 32 32 31 31
A 26 27 27 28 29 30 31 31 32 32 32 31 31
S 26 27 27 28 29 30 31 32 32 32 32 31 30
O 24 25 25 26 27 29 30 31 32 32 32 31 30
N 19 19 20 22 23 25 27 28 29 30 29 28 27
D 15 15 16 18 20 22 24 26 27 27 27 26 24
Fig. 2. Stereographic Sun path diagram of Kolkata [Figure: Author of the Article].
Ta ble VIII
S ola r S h a di ng D ev ice D esign [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
tan δ = w/d
tan 63.5° = w/d
N Radial Vertical 0° + 63.5° ˗63.5° - 2.005 = w/d
Thus, d = 0.5w
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Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16
Horizontal
Type of Vertical
solar angle
Wall Shape of shading Wall solar
Solar mask angle Design of shading device
facing SM device azimuth +δ ˗ δ
required (δ2) (δ1) ∞
37
Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16
Horizontal Vertical
Type of solar angle
Wall Shape of shading Wall solar
Solar mask angle Design of shading device
facing SM device azimuth +δ ˗ δ
required (δ2) (δ1) ∞
38
Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16
Ta ble IX
Tool for S electi ng A ppropr i at e Vegetation as per O r i en tation i n U r ba n A r eas for Wa r m H u m i d C li m at e [A u t hor of t h e A rticle]
Vegetation to be planted
N NE E SE S SW W NW
NE -
E - - -
SE - - -
Wind direction
S - -
SW - -
W - - - -
NW - -
VI. Tool For S electi ng The A ppropr i ate As observed, the three tools function best when they are used
Vegetation A s P er O r ientation I n U r ban in a combination so that they complement each other. However,
A r eas U n der Wa r m H u mid C lim ate
they are not completely dependent on each other for their validi-
Vegetation is a design parameter that can be utilized and moni- ty, and can give design recommendations to create a comfortable
tored by design [10]. It has a huge impact on the comfort levels of built environment as discrete tools themselves.
a building. This tool has been designed to select the most func- These can be beneficial for academicians, students and re-
tional type of vegetation that can be planted in the direction of a searchers in framing architectural solutions for this climate
particular façade. The variations have been shown with respect zone, with respect to the context of their design problem and
to the prevailing wind directions, as in warm humid climate it is the site associated with it. They can act as a quick reference
extremely essential to ensure satisfactory air movement for pas- while designing buildings, spaces, sites, and shading devices.
sive cooling (Table IX). Additionally, they can also be used as a pedagogical tool for
students of architecture to understand climate responsive ar-
C onclusions chitecture better, which is an essential component of designing
sustainable buildings.
Inferring from this research, three manual tools were designed to
suit warm humid climatic conditions. These tools have certain chal-
lenges and opportunities, which are discussed further (Table X).
39
Architecture and Urban Planning
Alisha Sinha, Building Orientation as the Primary Design Consideration for Climate Responsive Architecture in Urban Areas 2020 / 16