CHAPTER 1

Prepared by: AR. JEYCARTER A. TILOY

Tropical Design
A main purpose of buildings is to give shelter – for privacy
and for thermal comfort. Privacy includes elements of social,
psychological and religious character, but is physically
created by en closing a space by an envelope, sizing and
positioning the openings to wards the surroundings, and providing
acoustic insulation. For thermal comfort, the building must act as a
barrier, transforming the outdoor climate
to conditions suitable for in door activities. However the
border between outside and inside is not always clear: interaction
takes place through many kinds of semi-closed
spaces, such as urban spaces, streets and court yards, which
make the climatic transition successive rather than abrupt
The typical design process is a weighing of conflicting
demands, such as between passive and active climatization,
between privacy and solar access, between cross-ventilation and
noise reduction, etc., to reach a sat is factory compromise.
Applying a systems approach means to optimize
the whole system (a building with its surroundings and
components) not sub-optimizing its parts. In a process of
modernization there are a lot of contradictions, most clearly
seen in the ‘grey zone’ of buildings between active and
passive climatization, between traditional and modern
forms, and between formal and in formal sectors of the
Economy.
Many different systems of climate classification are in use for different
purposes. Climatic zones such as tropical, arid, temperature and cool
are commonly found for representing climatic conditions. For the
purposes of building design a simple system based on the nature of the
thermal problem in the particular location is often used.
• Cold climates, where the main problem is the lack of heat (under
heating), or an excessive heat dissipation for all or most parts of the
year.
• Temperate climates, where there is a seasonal variation between
under heating and overheating, but neither is very severe.
• Hot-dry (arid) climates, where the main problem is overheating, but
the air is dry, so the evaporative cooling mechanism of the body is
not restricted. There is usually a large diurnal (day - night)
temperature variation.
• Warm-humid climates, where the overheating is not as great as in hot-
dry areas, but it is aggravated by very high humidity, restricting the
evaporation potential. The diurnal temperature variation is small.
The general climate (macroclimate) is influenced by the
topography, the vegetation and the nature of the environment on
a regional scale (mesoclimate) or at a local level within the site
itself (microclimate).
Climate has a major effect on building performance and energy
consumption. The process of identifying, understanding and
controlling climatic influences at the building site is perhaps the
most critical part of building design. The key objectives of climatic
design include.

• To reduce energy cost of a building

• To use “natural energy” instead of mechanical system and
power
• To provide comfortable and healthy environment for people
The important site-related factors should be considered when making
the climate analysis:
Topography – elevation, slopes, hills and valleys, ground surface
conditions
Vegetation – height, mass, silhouette, texture, location, growth patterns
Built forms – nearby buildings, surface conditions

Major thermal design factors to be studied include: solar heat gain,

conduction heat flow and ventilation heat flow. The design variables in
architectural expression that are important will include:
Shape – surface-to-volume ratio, orientation, building height
Building fabric – materials and construction, thermal insulation, surface
qualities, shading and sun control
Fenestration – the size, position and orientation of windows, window
glass materials, external and internal shading devices
Ventilation – air-tightnes, outdoor fresh air, cross ventilation and natural
ventilaton.
CLIMATE ANALYSIS
3.1 Use of Climatic Data
Different design situations will require different weather data for
the study. Climate analysis carried out at initial design stage may
be used for:
• develop design strategies
• check condensation problems in some cases
• optimization of insulation
• Load and energy calculation carried out at outline and detail
design stages will require weather data for: calculation of
cooling and heating requirements
• design of heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC)
systems
• energy estimation of buildings
3.2 Sunshade Analysis
EXAMPLE OF SUNSHADE ANALYSIS
1. Solar paths requiring shade
Studying the sun path diagram for each climatic zone, the
shaded areas represent the periods of overheating, related to
undesirable solar gain. In the lower latitudes there is total
overheating, whereas in the higher latitudes overheating only
occurs during the summer months.

2. Sunshade analysis (vertical and horizontal)

The diagrams show the optimum location of vertical sun shading,
shielding the building from low sun angles in the morning and
evening, and horizontal sun shading blocking the high midday sun.
Tropical regions need both vertical and horizontal shading
throughout the year. In higher latitudes, horizontal and vertical
shading is only needed during the summer on the south-facing
sides of buildings.
3. Insolation
The sunpath becomes more southerly as we move north, changing
from a 'bow-tie' pattern near the equator to a heart-shape
pattern in the temperate zones.

4. Sun requirements during winter

There are obviously seasonal variations near the equator. Solar
heating becomes more important than in the upper latitudes.
Beginning at the equator and moving north, the need for solar
heating increases while the need for solar shading diminishes.
 Wind direction
3.3 Wind Analysis Desirable and undesirable winds in each the climatic
zones depend largely on local conditions. Any breeze
in the lower latitude (tropical and arid climates) is
beneficial for most of the year whereas in higher
latitudes most wind is detrimental and has to be
screened. There is also a small percentage of the time
in a year (spring and/or autumn) when comfortable
conditions can be achieved naturally, without any need
for wind screening or additional breezes.
Cross ventilation
Cross ventilation is far more important in the tropics
than in temperate zones. The theoretical strategy for
blocking or inducing wind flow into a building is based
on local prevailing wind conditions. Generally, for the
tropical zones as much ventilation as possible is
desired. For the arid zone cross ventilation is required,
but care has to be taken to filter out high-velocity
winds. In the temperate zone, cross ventilation and
shielding are both necessary (for summer and winter,
respectively). In the cool region, the building should be
protected from cold, high-veolcity winds, although cross
ventilation is still required
3.4 Humidity, Rainfall and Seasonal Variations
• Annual Average Relative Humidity
The curve on the left represents the annual average relative
humidity in the four climatic zones. In the arid zone, the low level
of humidity can be beneficial for evaporative cooling. In the
tropical zone the high level of humidity can be very
uncomfortable.
• Annual Average Rainfall
The middle curve represents the annual average rainfall in the
four climatic zones. Rainfall level can be seen to have a direct
relationship with humidity levels.
• Annual Seasonal Variations
The distance of the angled line from the vertical represents the
annual seasonal variations in the four climatic zones. Higher
latitudes, the cold and temperate zones, have pronounced
seasonal variations. The lower latitudes have constant climates
throughout the year.
3.5 Influences on Built Form
1. Zoning for transitional spaces
The black areas represent the traditional spaces used for
lobbies, stairs, utility spaces, circulation, balconies and any
other areas where movement take place. These areas do not
require total climatic control and natural ventilation is
sufficient. For the tropical and arid zones, the transitional
spaces are located on the north and south sides of the
building where the sun's penetration is not as great. An atrium
can also be used a transitional space. In temperate and cool
zones the transitional spaces should be located on the south
side of the building to maximize solar gain.
2. Zoning for solar gain
The black areas are spaces that can be used for solar heat gain.
They follow the varying path of the sun in each of the climatic
zones: in the tropical and arid zones the east and west sides; in
the temperate and cool zones the south side
3. Use of atrium
The diagram show the optimum position for atrium spaces in each
building form in each of the climatic zones. in the tropical zone the
atrium should be located so as to provide ventilation within the
built form. In the arid zone the atrium should be located at the
center of the building for cooling and shading purposes. For the
cool and temperate zones the atrium should be at the center of
the building form for heat and light.
4. Potential of roof/ground floor as useable exterior space
The distance of the angled line from the vertical represents the
potential of each zone's roof and ground planes to be used a
exterior spaces. In tropical and arid climates there is a high
potential to make use of all external spaces, whereas moving
towards the northern latitudes the external spaces have to be
covered to be used.
1. Form
The diagrams show the optimum
building form for each climatic zone. Building's main Directional
Zone
Research has shown that the preferred orientations emphasis
length of the sides of the building,
where the sides are of length x:y, are:
tropical zone - 1:3 On an axis
arid zone - 1:2 Tropical 5o north of north-south
temperate zone - 1: 1.6 east
cool zone - 1:1 On an axis
Analysis of these ratios shows that an Arid 25o north of south-east
elongated form to minimize east and east
west exposure is needed at the lower On an axis
latitudes. This form slowly transforms to south-south-
Temperate 18o north of
a ratio of 1:1 (cylindrical) at the higher east
east
latitudes. This is a direct response to the
varying solar angles in the various On an axis
Cool facing south
latitudes. facing south
2. Orientation
Orientation as well as directional
emphasis changes with latitude in
response to solar angles.
• 3. Vertical cores and structure
The arrangement of primary mass can be used as a factor in
climatic design as its position can help to shade or retain heat
within the building form. For the tropical zone, the cores are
located on the east and west sides of the building form, so as to
help shade the building from the low angles of the sun during
the major part of the day. In arid zone, the cores should also be
located on the east and west sides, but with major shading only
needed during the summer. Therefore, the cores are located on
the east and west sides, but primarily on the south side.
The arrangement of the primary mass in the temperate zone is on
the north face, so as to leave the south face available for solar
heat gain during the winter. The cool zone requires the maximum
perimeter of the building to be open to the sun for heat
penetration. Therefore the primary mass is placed in the center of
the building so as not to block out the sun‘s rays and to retain heat
within the building.
CONCLUSION
A building may be considered as a 'climate modifier' which shields
the indoor environment from the external climate. Before
designing a building in once place, the changes of weather from
season to season (i.e. the climate) must be well understood so that
the building can be built to shelter people all the year round. To
assess the climate in a certain location, one must study the climatic
data and, sometimes, make use of them for evaluating design
options and determining design strategies. Knowledge about
climatology and engineering design is required to achieve better
understanding of the information and climatic properties.
Architects and building designers are, perhaps, also "part-time"
climatologists.
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