Archi Science Assignment 1

Passive design strategies are decided based on the climate of the place.
Temperature and humidity mainly determine the type.
Passive cooling strategies

In general, for a cooling effect, the orientation of the building should be such that it
is not along the north-south axis as the longer sides are exposed to the sun. The
house should be well ventilated, both horizontally and vertically, so that heat is lost
by air movement and convection.
Trees placed adjacent to buildings reduce the heat gains of walls and admit
diffused light into the house. Having courtyards is advantageous as a part of it is
heated by the inclined direct sunlight, and the rest remains cool due to shade from
the adjacent wall, raising the hot air due to the stack effect.
Windows placed at the right positions along the wind direction pushes the cool air
into the house. Windows that open 100% like the casement windows with proper
vertical or horizontal sunshades are used in such regions. Apart from these, there
are also climate-specific strategies, as listed below.
Hot humid summer, warm winter

Climate characteristics
 Moderate to high temperatures year round

 Low to moderate temperature variation between seasons
 Low day–night (diurnal) temperature range
 High humidity year round, though there is a mild dry season during winter
Design considerations
 Orientate the building to take advantage of cooling breezes, and position

landscaping and outbuildings to funnel breezes over, under and through the
building.
 Make sure your design maximises night-time sleeping comfort. Locate sleeping
spaces in lower levels. Use low or no thermal mass in sleeping spaces to prevent
radiant heat. Consider sleep-out spaces.
 Locate cooking areas and heat-generating appliances (for example, fridges) on
external walls and away from sleeping areas.
 Provide shaded outdoor living areas.
 Locate pools and spas on the northern side of the building where they will be
shaded in the hot humid season and warmed during the dry season.
 Use light colours on roofs and walls.
 Maximise planted areas in landscapes.
In free-running buildings
 Use high or raked ceilings to promote convective air movement.

 Encourage natural air flow through the home with large, high level openings (for
example, shaded openable clerestory windows, roof vents or ridge vents).
 Funnel cool breezes through the building using larger openings on the leeward side (the
side that is sheltered from the wind) and smaller openings on the windward side (facing
the wind).
 Use only 100% openable windows (for example, louvre or casement).
 Maximise external wall areas (plans with 1-room depth are ideal) to encourage cross-
ventilation.
 Elevate the building to permit air flow beneath floors.
Windows and shading
 Shade all windows and walls, including those that are south facing. Include extended
eaves where possible or vertical shading where not.
 Use glazing with low U value and low solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) and thermally
broken window frames to avoid heat gain or cooling loss.
 Shade the home, especially windows, and outdoor spaces with planting and shade
structures.
 Consider shading the whole building with a fly roof.
Wind catchers
In hot and humid regions, where air movement is the most preferred method of
cooling, wind catchers are built. These are nothing but tower-like structures with
openings at the end facing the wind. They direct the wind down into the building,
creating air movement and a comfortable environment. The partition wall allows
the hot air to exit the building.
Solar chimney
Solar chimneys are used in a similar climate but to improve the stack ventilation.
These structures have openings at their ends made up of some heat-absorbing
material to increase the temperature and speed of the stack effect. It helps in
maintaining fresh air circulation within the building.
Evaporative cooling
This method of cooling is adopted in places where the air is very dry and hot. Here
the major problem is dryness, and so to increase the relative humidity level, water
ponds are placed. The space around a pond is cooled by the removal of latent heat
by the evaporating molecules, thus creating a comfortable space.
Thermal mass
In places where the nights are cold and days are hot, walls, floors or roofs with
high thermal capacity are used so that the heat absorbed during the day gets
released at night. This way, the interior is maintained at comfortable temperatures
day and night.
Thermal wall with night ventilation
In the case of hot summers, where both day and night require cooling, thermal
walls with night ventilation punctures are adopted. The open system at night allows
natural ventilation to take place.
Roof ponds
Roof ponds are similar to thermal walls. The roof pond is covered with a movable
insulated reflective surface, which during the day bounces off the sun rays and
maintains a cool temperature inside the house as the pond is filled with cold water.
At night, the pond is left uncovered and is naturally cooled.
Passive heating strategies
In cold regions, to utilize the sun’s heat to the fullest, buildings are placed such that
the longer side faces the sun. No windows are placed along the wind direction to
prevent the cold breeze from entering inside.
While designing sunshades, both summer and winter sun altitudes are to be
considered as the summer sun might heat the place too much. The material used
should be able to retain this heat inside however low the outside temperature is.
Direct solar gain
Wall apertures allow sunlight to directly enter the building and heat the interior
living space. Equator-facing windows are specially used for this purpose. In the
northern hemisphere, these are placed at 90deg, facing the south direction to admit
as maximum light as possible.
The glazing should be well insulated to prevent the leakage of heat into the
exterior. It is also essential to prevent glare and too much heat during summers.
Indirect solar gain
Indirect solar gain is used to heat spaces which or not the living spaces, but a
passage or space adjacent to them. The direct sunlight hits the outer wall and heats
the passage which acts as a thermal mass and heats the interior wall with less
intensity. This design is not preferred much as it blocks views and daylight.
Glass Trombe walls are typically used to heat a particular section and pass it on to
the interiors through a thermal wall that retains the heat. Window screens also act
as an indirect solar gain wall
Thermal mass
As already mentioned, the wall should be well insulated to retain within the
interior and absorb more heat. In places where there are large diurnal temperature
variations, high thermal mass walls are preferred. The color of the wall also plays a
major role in absorbing heat.
Vernacular passive design strategies
Before the invention of electricity, passive designing was the only choice to
achieve thermal comfort. Every vernacular architecture style had a reason behind
it.
In cold regions, the houses were small facing the sun, with less surface area, thick
stone walls, tightly sealed doors, and windows, a central hearth, and turf-roofed to
achieve a comfortable interior.
Whereas in warmer regions, the open-plan, clerestory openings, cooling ponds,
mud walls, lattice windows made from dry leaves, courtyard houses, shade from
trees, etc., have been used.
In windy regions, a dome-shaped roof is preferred to prevent overturning.

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Passive design strategies are decided based on the climate of the place.

Temperature and humidity mainly determine the type.

Passive cooling strategies

Hot humid summer, warm winter

 Moderate to high temperatures year round

 Orientate the building to take advantage of cooling breezes, and position

 Use high or raked ceilings to promote convective air movement.

Windows and shading

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