Republic of the Philippines

BATANGAS STATE UNIVERSITY

Gov. Pablo Borbon Main II, Alangilan, Batangas City
College of Engineering, Architecture, and Fine Arts
www.batstate-u.edu.ph Telefax (043) 300-4404 locs. 106-118

CLIMATIC DESIGN FACTORS

A research paper about Climatic Design Factors

Presented to
Ar. Amirah Krisha C. Casas

Research no. 1 in

ARCH 516 – Tropical Design

Submitted by:
Roxas, Sheila Marie E.

September 2020
 CLIMATIC DESIGN FACTORS

It is important to design an ergonomically and sustainable building to provide satisfaction

and comfort to the user. But it can only be achieved when climatic factors are put on

considerations during the planning process. An energy efficient house lessens the user’s

expenses for its maintenance. In that case, what is climatic design factors?

Climatic design factors are what needed to be analyzed in the site, location or place

where the building will be erected. As climate and weather condition varies on regions and

countries the design of structures depends on it. The height, width, materials, shape and

orientation of the building will also be based on the climatic factors such as: seasons, weather

temperature, soil temperature angle and intensity of sunlight, relative humidity, wind direction

and speed and as well as rainfall. Considering the said factors will help an Architect plan a

green building which provides the comfort and needs of the user. Set for example, during

planning the sun path is considered, because of this, bedroom is placed on east side so that

the user will be able to receive morning sunlight that will wake them up in the morning. But why

not place it on the west side? In a tropical country like Philippines, the sun sets on the west,

making the western side of the house the warmest part or the part that receives much more

heat, in that case if you put the bedrooms on it the user will be uncomfortable because the

afternoon sun was directly headed to it, also because materials such as concrete absorbs heat

island effect. If these factors are overlooked different problems may arise.

In conclusion, climatic design factors guide us to what we should design and build. That’s

why site analysis comes first before the actual plan. It gives us explanations on problems and

how can we have a better design solution to make a climate-responsive building for an efficient,

sustainable and safe environment for everyone.

 WHAT ARE THE CLIMATIC DESIGN FACTORS?

▪ Climates

Tropical

Sub-tropical

Equatorial

▪ Weather Temperature

▪ Relative Humidity

▪ Wind Direction

▪ Wind Speed

▪ Soil Temperature

▪ Sunshine/Sun Path

▪ Rainfall

CLIMATES

Climate is defined as the condition of the atmosphere, the average condition over

time. Climate is always associated with weather and these two brings a lot of confusion.

Climate are long-term while weather last for a short period of time. Weather varies on

places and change from time to time while it took years or series f years for climate to

change. Elements of climate are solar radiation, temperature, humidity, precipitation,

atmospheric pressure and wind direction as well as its speed. There are different kinds

of climate all over the regions of the world.

 In a broader sense, climate is the state of the components of the climate system,

which includes the ocean and ice on Earth.[1] The climate of a location is affected by

its latitude, terrain, and altitude, as well as nearby water bodies and their currents.

More generally, the "climate" of a region is the general state of the climate system at that

location at the current time.

Climates can be classified according to the average and the typical ranges of

different variables, most commonly temperature and precipitation.

Climate is one of the most important factors that affect both architectural design

and urban planning. The identification, understanding and control of the climatic

effects at the location of the building are crucial even before design decisions are

made. Climate of a location develops by its geographical position on earth, height

above sea level, topography and flora. As a result of all these conditions, different climate

regions and thus different climatic design criteria are established.

Climate conditions are effective in arrangement of building designs, determining

the requirements, selection of equipment and building method, and accordingly the

formation. Different climate systems generate regional architectural characteristics.

Planning and forming the building in accordance with the regional climatic data.
 Climate of the Philippines

The Climate of the Philippines is tropical and maritime. It is characterized by

relatively high temperature, high humidity and abundant rainfall. It is similar in many

respects to the climate of the countries of Central America. Temperature, humidity, and

rainfall, which are discussed hereunder, are the most important elements of the country's

weather and climate. Because of this climate, designing a house or structure needs

proper analysisis. The said climate conditions are the reason why designs in the tropical

country as Philippines is highly encouraged to adapt passive cooling or less use of

mechanical means to cooldown or ventilation on structures for less power/energy

consumption, and maximize the use of natural air.

Temperature

Based on the average of all-weather stations in the Philippines, excluding Baguio,

the mean annual temperature is 26.6o C. The coolest months fall in January with a mean

temperature of 25.5oC while the warmest month occurs in May with a mean temperature

of 28.3oC. Latitude is an insignificant factor in the variation of temperature while altitude

shows greater contrast in temperature.

. In other words, there is essentially no difference in the mean annual temperature

of places in Luzon, Visayas or Mindanao measured at or near sea level.

As temperature varies across islands in the Philippines, different design solution is

adapted and styles are made. In regions where there are too hot temperature methods

such as Vegetation cover to avoid heat island effect and provide shades used to lessen

heat. Use of sun shaders, pergolas and louvers for windows and also high ceilings with

wide eaves. These solutions arise due to the influence of temperature condition.

Humidity

Humidity refers to the moisture content of the atmosphere. Due to high

temperature and the surrounding bodies of water, the Philippines has a high relative

humidity. The average monthly relative humidity varies between 71 percent in March and

85 percent in September. The combination of warm temperature and high relative and
absolute humidity give rise to high sensible temperature throughout the archipelago. It is

especially uncomfortable during March to May, when temperature and humidity attain

their maximum levels.

Rainfall

Rainfall is the most important climatic element in the Philippines. Rainfall

distribution throughout the country varies from one region to another, depending upon the

direction of the moisture-bearing winds and the location of the mountain systems.

Because of this a traditional house has a steeper roof for raindrops be able to fall

easily on surface. This also affects the choice of materials used in roofing.

The Seasons

Using temperature and rainfall as bases, the climate of the country can be divided

into two major seasons: (1) the rainy season, from June to November; and (2) the dry

season, from December to May. The dry season may be subdivided further into (a) the

cool dry season, from December to February; and (b) the hot dry season, from March to

May.

Climate Types

Based on the distribution of rainfall, four climate types are recognized, which are

described as follows:
 Typhoons have a great influence on the climate and weather conditions of the

Philippines. A great portion of the rainfall, humidity and cloudiness are due to the influence

of typhoons. They generally originate in the region of the Marianas and Caroline Islands

of the Pacific Ocean which have the same latitudinal location as Mindanao. Their

movements follow a northwesterly direction, sparing Mindanao from being directly hit by

majority of the typhoons that cross the country.

TROPICAL CLIMATE

Tropical climates are generally characterized by hot, wet summers, high levels of

humidity and little change between day and night temperatures. The use of lightweight

materials for the walls and roof is recommended because they do not store much heat

and shed heat quickly, even with small changes in temperatures. Building design in urban
areas is marked by the increasing popularity of multistoried apartment blocks, where the

choice of wall thickness and exposure to radiation can make significant contribution to

indoor comfort.

SUB-TROPICAL CLIMATE

A typical setup for a subtropical storm. Subtropical cyclones typically are

associated with upper-level lows and have colder temperatures aloft,

whereas tropical cyclones are completely warm-core and upper-level high-pressure

systems overhead help facilitate their increase.

Passive cooling system has become an attractive option to design and modify

homes to achieve thermal comfort. The system provides cooling through the use of

passive processes, which often use heat flow paths that do not exist in conventional or

bioclimatic buildings.

WEATHER TEMPERATURE

Average temperatures in the Philippines usually range between 21 °C (70 °F) and

32 °C (90 °F) with the average yearly temperature coming in at around 26.6 °C (79.9 °F).

Temperatures can fluctuate between regions and depending on the season, however generally

January is the coolest month while May is the warmest.

Because of this proper orientation of the building is necessary for the comfort of the

user. Buildings ends shall face on north to south and bedrooms should be on the east side, while

Kitchen And service are should be facing west side to be sanitary, for sunlight heat kills germs.

With building opening facing north and south proper ventilation will also be provided. The layout

is also important to know where should spaces be located.

RELATIVE HUMIDITY

Air will generally include moisture in the form of water vapour. Absolute humidity is the

mass of water vapor in a volume of air divided by the mass of dry air.

Relative humidity (RH) is a measure of the water vapour density of air compared to

the water vapour density for saturated air at the same temperature and pressure (that is,

the maximum amount of moisture that air can 'hold' at that temperature and pressure). It

is expressed as a percentage.

When air cools, it is less able to “hold” moisture, that is, the saturation water

vapour density falls, and so relative humidity rises. When the relative humidity reaches

100%, the air will be saturated. This is described as the dew point. If the air continues to

cool, moisture will begin to condense.Humidity influences thermal comfort. The higher
the relative humidity, the less heat a person is able to lose heat through

the evaporation of moisture on the skin, and so the hotter they will feel. Conversely, air

that is too dry can cause problems such as dry eyes, nose, ears and throat. Typically,

a relative humidity of 40 to 60% is appropriate in many buildings.

Humidity also affects the performance of buildings, causing condensation, mould

growth, mildew, staining, slip hazards, damage to equipment and the corrosion and

decay of the building fabric as well as poor performance of insulation. Humidity can be

controlled by limiting sources of moisture (including reverse condensation,

where moisture evaporates from damp materials), increasing temperatures,

humidification or dehumidification, and by ventilation. Condensation can be further

avoided by increasing surface temperatures (such as by the inclusion of insulation or by

improving glazing).

Materials swell and shrink as they take on and lose water. Humidity therefore affects the

dimensions and weight of materials. Wood, leather, paper, cloth, carpet, and rugs all

contain water in quantities that vary with the surrounding humidity. The effects of this

constantly changing moisture content can shrink joists and studs, crack plaster, separate

wood paneling, and dry out furniture, art, and books.

Air inside a building tends to be dry during cold weather because the RH drops as the air

is heated.
WIND DIRECTION and WIND SPEED

Wind direction comes from northeast and South west part, this this the area

where you should locate openings to allow cross ventilation. Wind speed, or wind flow

speed, is a fundamental atmospheric quantity caused by air moving from high to low

pressure, usually due to changes in temperature. Note that wind direction is usually

almost parallel to isobars (and not perpendicular, as one might expect), due to Earth's

rotation.

Since warm air rises, a building can be cooled by designing for stack ventilation by

drawing cooler air from openings low in the building, while carrying heat away through

openings in the top of the space. Provide larger windows for ventilation or fenestration.

In the Philippines the usual window type is Jalousie and louver for it allows 90% of air

flow and also the sunlight.

Wind speed also varies across the

region, mostly those areas along coastal

areas experienced stronger winds and

even storms. One of these is in Batanes,

they have Ivatan Houses that are designed

to with stand strong winds and typhoons.

The Ivatan people, an ethnolinguistic group

of the Batanes province in the

northernmost part of the country, built the

now-famous stone houses for a very good

reason: to protect them against the harsh environmental conditions.

SOIL TEMPERATURE

The distribution of temperatures in soil under buildings is currently relatively

little examined field of civil engineering physics, even though it is closely related to

accurate calculations of heat technology. Despite being different from air temperature,

soil temperature reflects long-term trends in air temperature, and the temperature

differences on the surface are then transferred deeper. Soil has relatively low heat

conductivity, reacts slower to climatic conditions, and its underground reaction to changes

in external effects is also slow.

Soil type affects what building materials to use and how the building should

be erected, its base, the footings, foundations and walls. With the traditional bahay-kubo

it is elevated, floor not touching the ground which allows cool air to pass through even

through floors which is usually made of bamboos.

SUNSHINE/SUN PATH

Knowing the sun path is important to determine the orientation, placement and layout of

a building. The use of overhangs for penetration of sunlight. Sun and therefore heat is

one of the most important climate components. Solar orientation is the positioning of a

site, building, or space in relation to cardinal directions and, more importantly, the sun’s

path. Whether it’s your site, your home, or even a specific room in your home, everything

has a specific orientation and relationship to the sun’s movement across the sky

The azimuth angle is the horizontal angle measured from due south. The greatest angle
would be on the horizon at sunrise/sunset.

The altitude is the vertical angle above the horizon. The highest angle would be due
south at midday.

The generally used indicator of climatic comfort is air temperature and relative

Humidity. Sun is the most important energy source in lighting and heating forms

And surfaces in architecture. The sun is not only a heat source but also a significant light

source whose quality varies during the day and according to the seasons. While applying
architectural solutions in order to utilize the sun at the maximum level in winter, refraction

components are needed in order to be protected

From the torrid heat of the sun in summer.

Passive solar design is about collecting, storing, distributing, and/or controlling solar
energy (both heat and light) so that you can reduce your demand on fossil fuels.
This passive approach means that through the basic elements of the house–its walls,
windows, floors, and roof–and through its relationship with the surrounding site, the house
is able to inherently respond and optimize solar energy, whereby increasing the energy
efficiency of your home, making it more comfortable to live in, and being cheaper to run.

Passive solar design works in three ways:

1. Direct gain systems: heat spaces via direct solar gain through glass

2. Indirect gain systems: heat a part of a building like a thick wall or concrete floor then
rely on conduction to slowly transfer heat to space over time, aka thermal mass
3. Isolated indirect gain systems: heat an adjacent space then rely on convection to
transfer heat to other spaces, aka sunrooms

RAINFALL

The amount, direction and intensity of rainfall on a site will affect aspects of a

building design, such as roof form, flashings, stormwater drainage, rainwater harvesting

and cladding type. Obtaining rainfall data for the region should be part of the preliminary

design brief. Heavy rainfall at periods of the year and high temperatures increased the
relative humidity. The concern of the openings design in tropical climate is also to avoid

the penetration of rain and strong wind. Heavy and frequent rainfall in urban areas would

cause to flash flood and other environmental problem.

Rainfall intensity varies throughout the year and from season to season, so
average rainfall figures can be misleading. Some parts of the country get periods of
intense rainfall that can be far higher than the average (taken over a longer period of time)
would suggest. Building design should be able to cope with the maximum expected
rainfall.

When assessing a site or designing a building, check the degree and frequency of
past extreme weather events. Consider also flood risk and climate change forecasts for
the region. In some regions, more rainfall or more extreme events are projected.

Different parts of a building may require different levels of weathertightness detailing

against wind and rain Development of a site typically means larger volumes of rainwater
surface runoff. In some areas, new homes cannot simply connect to a local authority
stormwater system to deal with stormwater, but must manage it on site through the use
of soak pits and other methods. Where this is the case, site analysis should include
consideration of where a soak pit may be located on the site.

Conclusion

The climatic design factors show that there are really a lot of things we need to

consider in designing a sustainable building. In tropical countries like Philippines, this

should be put on the first considerations during the analysis and the design process.

Climatic design factors greatly influence almost everything the building should be

designed. But because of climate change another challenge is set for architects for the

years to come. This also means that designs and solutions will always be developed no

matter how many problems may arise.