ENVELOPE DESIGN FOR AIR

CONDITIONING
BUILDING SERVICES -III
 CLIMATE
• Region with certain conditions of
temperature, dryness, wind ,light etc.
1. Temperature
2. Humidity
3. Precipitation
4. Vapour pressure
5. Wind
 Fundamentals of Psychrometric chart

• Measurement of gas – vapour in air is referred

to as psychometric.
• Several experiments were conducted to create
various thermal conditions and were plotted
on psychrometric charts were referred to as
thermal indices and thermal scales which
finally gives out an effective temperature.
Physiological effects of air conditioning

• Sudden changes in temperature and humidity

affect the respiratory system. ...
The air circulation can transmit infectious
respiratory diseases. Airborne dust and fungi
can cause allergic reactions. Air
conditioning is associated with chronic rhinitis
and pharyngitis, throat irritation
 What is building envelope
The building envelope is all of the elements of the
outer shell that maintain a dry, heated, or cooled
indoor environment and facilitate its climate
control.
 ADAPTIVE THERMAL COMFORT
• Adaptive thermal comfort is a theory that
suggests a human connection to the outdoors
and control over the immediate environment
allow them to adapt to (and even prefer) a
wider range of thermal conditions than is
generally considered comfortable.
CLIMATE AND REQUIREMENT OF SPACE
CONDITIONING
HOT AND DRY CLIMATE
has a very high radiation levels & temperatures………..desirable to keep the heat out of the building

The design objectives accordingly are:

Resist heat gain by:

• Decreasing the exposed surface
• Increasing the thermal resistance (i.e increasing the thickness of the material)
• Increasing the thermal conductivity(i.e the property of the material)
• Increasing the buffer spaces
• Decreasing the air-exchange rate during daytime
• Increasing the shading

Promote heat loss by:

•Increasing the air exchange rate during cooler parts of the day or night-time
•Evaporative cooling (e.g. roof surface evaporative cooling)
•Earth coupling (e.g. earth-air pipe system)
(1) Site
• (a) Landform:
• In case of an undulating site, constructing on the leeward side of the slope as cool air tends to
sink in valleys.

• (b) Waterbodies: Waterbodies such as ponds and lakes can be used for evaporative cooling.
• Hot air blowing over water gets cooled which can then be allowed to enter the building.
• (c) Street width and orientation: Streets must be narrow so that they cause mutual
shading of buildings .
• They need to be oriented in the north-south direction to block solar radiation.

• (d) Open spaces and built form: Open spaces such as courtyards and atria are
beneficial as they promote ventilation which can be provided with ponds and
fountains for evaporative cooling.
• Grass can be used as ground cover to absorb solar radiation and aid evaporative
cooling
• Earth-coupled building can help lower the temperature and also deflect hot summer
winds.
(2) Orientation and planform
• An east-west orientation (i.e. longer axis along the east-west), should be preferred.
• (3) Building envelope
• (a) Roof: The diurnal range of temperature being large, the ambient night temperatures are
about 10 ºC lower than the daytime values and are accompanied by cool breezes.
• The material of the roof should be massive; a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slab.
• External insulation in the form of mud phuska with inverted earthen pots.

• (b) Walls: In multi-storeyed buildings, walls and glazing account for most of the heat gain. a
wall with low U-value to reduce the heat gain
• in a conditioned building, autoclaved cellular concrete block wall is recommended;
(c) Fenestration: minimising the window area (in terms of glazing) can definitely lead to lower indoor
temperatures.
More windows should be provided in the north facade of the building as compared to the east, west and
south as it receives lesser radiation during the year.
All openings should be protected from the sun by using external shading devices such as chajjas and fins.
Moveable shading devices such as curtains and venetian blinds can also be used

The use of ‘jaalis’(lattice work) made of wood, stone or RCC may be considered as they allow ventilation. The
heat gain through windows can be reduced by using glass with low u-factor

(d) Colour and texture: Colours having low absorptivity should be used to paint the external surface.
Darker shades should be avoided for surfaces exposed to direct solar radiation.
The surface of the roof can be of white broken glazed tiles (china mosaic flooring).
The surface of the wall should preferably be textured.
• Warm and Humid Climate
• cross ventilation is both desirable and essential.
• Protection from direct solar radiation should also be ensured by shading.

• (A) Resist heat gain by:

• (a) Decreasing exposed surface area
• (b) Increasing thermal resistance
• (c) Increasing buffer spaces
• (d) Increasing shading
• (e) Increasing reflectivity

• (B) To promote heat loss by:

• (a) Ventilation of appliances
• (b) Increasing air exchange rate (ventilation) throughout the day
• (c) Decreasing humidity levels
• (1) Site
• (a) Landform: in slopes and depressions, the building should be located on the windward side to
take advantage of cool breezes.

• (b) Waterbodies: Since humidity is high in these regions, water bodies are not essential.
• (c) Open spaces and built form: Buildings should be spread out with large open spaces for
unrestricted air movement .
• In cities, buildings on stilts can promote ventilation and cause cooling at the ground level.
• (d) Street width and orientation: Major streets should be
oriented parallel to or within 30º of the prevailing wind
direction during summer months to encourage ventilation
in warm and humid regions.
• A north-south direction is ideal for blocking solar radiation.
• The width of the streets should be such that the intense
solar radiation during late morning and early afternoon is
avoided in summer.

• (2) Orientation and planform

• Since the temperatures are not excessive, free plans can be
evolved
• An unobstructed air path through the interiors is
important.
• The buildings could be long and narrow to allow cross-
ventilation.
• Heat and moisture producing areas must be ventilated
and separated from the rest of the structure.
• Since temperatures in the shade are not very high, semi-
open spaces such as balconies, verandahs and porches can
be used advantageously for daytime activities. Such spaces
also give protection from rainfall.
• In multi-storeyed buildings a central courtyard can be
provided with vents at higher levels to draw away the
rising hot air.
• (3) Building envelope
• (a) Roof: the form of the roof should be to promote air flow.
• Vents at the roof top effectively induce ventilation and draw hot air out
• A double roof with a ventilated space in between can also be used to promote air flow.

• (a) Walls: As with roofs, the walls must also be designed to promote air flow. Baffle walls, both inside
and outside the building can help to divert the flow of wind inside
• If adequately sheltered, exposed brick walls and mud plastered walls work very well by absorbing the
humidity and helping the building to breathe.
• (b) Fenestration: Cross-ventilation is important in the warm and humid regions.
• Openings of a comparatively smaller size can be placed on the windward side, while the corresponding
openings on the leeward side may be bigger for facilitating a plume effect for natural ventilation
• The openings should be shaded by external overhangs.
• Outlets at higher levels serve to vent hot air.
• (c) Colour and texture: The walls should be painted with light pastel shades or whitewashed,
while the surface of the roof can be of broken glazed tile (china mosaic flooring).
• Both techniques help to reflect the sunlight back to the ambient, and hence reduce heat gain
of the building.
• the surface finish should be protected from/ resistant to the effects of moisture, as this can
otherwise lead to growth of mould and result in the decay of building elements.
• Moderate Climate
• Temperatures are neither too high nor too low in regions with a moderate climate.
• simple techniques are normally adequate to take care of the heating and cooling
requirements of the building.
• Techniques such as shading, cross ventilation, orientation, reflective glazing, etc. should be
incorporated in the building.
• The thermal resistance and heat capacity of walls and roofs need not be high.

• (A) Resist heat gain by:

• (a) Decreasing the exposed surface area
• (b) Increasing the thermal resistance
• (c) Increasing the shading
• (B) Promote heat loss by:
• (a) Ventilation of appliances
• (b) Increasing the air exchange rate (ventilation)
• (1) Site
• (a) Landform: Building the structure on the windward slopes is preferable for getting cool
• Breezes

• (b) Open spaces and built form: An open and free layout of the buildings is preferred. Large
open spaces in the form of lawns can be provided to reduce reflected radiation.
• (2) Orientation and planform
• It is preferable to have a building oriented in the north-south direction.
• Bedrooms may be located on the eastern side, and an open porch on the south - southeast side,

• (3) Building envelope

• (a) Roof: Insulating the roof does not make much of a difference in the moderate climate.
• (b) Walls: Insulation of walls does not give significant improvement in the thermal performance of a
building. A brick wall of 230 mm thickness is good enough.
• (c) Fenestration: The arrangement of windows is important for reducing heat gain. Windows can be
larger in the north,
• while those on the east, west and south should be smaller.
• All the windows should be shaded with chajjas of appropriate lengths. Glazing of low transmissivity
should be used.
• (d) Colour and texture: Pale colours are preferable; dark colours may be used only in recessed places
protected from the summer sun.
• Cold and Cloudy, and Cold and Sunny Climates
• These regions experience very cold winters, hence, trapping and using the sun’s heat whenever it is
available, is of prime concern in building design.
• The internal heat should not be lost back to the ambient.
• The insulation of building elements and control of infiltration help in retaining the heat.
• Exposure to cold winds should also be minimized.

• (A) Resist heat loss by:

• (a) Decreasing the exposed surface area
• (b) Increasing the thermal resistance
• (c) Increasing the thermal capacity
• (d) Increasing the buffer spaces
• (e) Decreasing the air exchange rate

• (B) Promote heat gain by:

• (a) Avoiding excessive shading
• (b) Utilising the heat from appliances
• (c) Trapping the heat of the sun.
• (1) Site
• (a) Landform: In cold climates, heat gain is desirable.
• buildings should be located on the south slope of a hill or mountain for better access to solar radiation
• At the same time, the exposure to cold winds can be minimised by locating the building on the leeward
side.
• Parts of the site which offer natural wind barrier can be chosen for constructing a building.

(b) Open spaces and built forms: Buildings in cold

climates should be clustered together to minimise
exposure to cold winds
Open spaces must be such that they allow maximum
south sun.
They should be treated with a hard and reflective
surface so that they reflect solar radiation onto the
building
• (c) Street width and orientation: In cold climates, the street orientation should be east-west to allow for
maximum south sun to enter the building.
• The street should be wide enough to ensure that the buildings on one side do not shade those on the
other side (i.e. solar access should be ensured)

(2) Orientation and planform

In the cold zones, the buildings must be compact with small S/V ratios
This is because the lesser the surface area, the lower is the heat loss from the building.
Windows should preferably face south to encourage direct gain.
The north side of the building should be well-insulated. Living areas can be located on the southern side
while utility areas such as stores can be on the northern side.
Air-lock lobbies at the entrance and exit points of the building reduce heat loss.
the heat generated by appliances in rooms such as kitchens may be recycled to heat the other parts of the
building.
• (3) Building envelope
• (a) Roof: internal insulation such as polyurethane foam (PUF), thermocol, wood wool, etc.
• An aluminium foil is generally used between the insulation layer and the roof to reduce heat loss to
the exterior.
• A solar air collector can be incorporated on the south facing slope of the roof and hot air from it can
be used for space heating purposes.
• Skylights on the roofs admit heat as well as light in winters

• (b) Walls: Walls should be of low U-value to resist heat loss.

• The south-facing walls (exposed to solar radiation) could be of high thermal capacity (such as
Trombe wall) to store day time heat for later use.
• The insulation should have sufficient vapour barrier (such as two coats of bitumen, 300 to 600 gauge
polyethylene sheet or aluminium foil) on the warm side to avoid condensation. Hollow and
lightweight concrete blocks are also quite suitable. On the windward or north side, a cavity wall type
of construction may be adopted.
• (c) Fenestration: It is advisable to have the maximum window area on the southern side of the
building to facilitate direct heat gain.
• They should be sealed and preferably double glazed.
• Double glazing helps to avoid heat losses during winter nights. However, care should be taken to
prevent condensation in the air space between the panes.
• (d)Colour and texture: The external surfaces of the walls should be dark in colour for high
absorptivity to facilitate heat gains.
 Refers to the exterior façade and is comprised of
Building envelope opaque components and fenestration.

Opaque components-
walls, roofs, slabs,
basement walls and
opaque doors.

Fenestration-
windows, skylights,
ventilators and
doors(more than half
glazed)
 Heat movement fundamentals

Heat transfer takes place through walls, windows and roofs in

buildings from higher temperature to lower temperature in
three ways:
1. Conduction- the transfer of heat by direct contact of
particles of matter within a material or materials in physical
contact (through direct contact from warm to cold )
2. Convection- the transfer of heat by movement of a fluid(air,
gas or liquid)
3. radiation- the movement of heat through space without
relying on conduction through the air or by the movement of
air (no air is necessary it passes through a vaccum)
 ROOFS

Depending on the properties of the roof material, the roof reflects part of the solar radiation
back to the environment, and absorbs the heat in the roof. Finally, portion of the absorbed heat
in the roof is emitted back to the environment and remaining part of the absorbed heat is
conducted inside of the building.
This heat transfer process is governed by the solar reflectance and emissivity (thermal
emittance) properties of the roof material, apart from the thermal conductivity of the material
used in the roof.
 FENESTRATION
heat transfer majorly will
takes place
RADIATION
CONDUCTION

Direct and indirect SOLAR HEAT GAIN will happen. Thus, the ability to control this heat gain
is termed as
SOLAR HEAT GAIN COEFFICIENT

in hot climate a lower SHGC means that lesser heat can pass through the
glazing

And we need to take in account the U-factor of the glazing

Opaque construction
Heat transfer majorly takes place
Conduction
convection

Air leakage
Passage of air through a building envelope, wall, window joints etc.
 Efficient glazing system
• What is energy efficient glazing?
Energy efficient glazing is the term used to
describe glazing consisting of two or
more glass panes within a sealed unit. This
includes double and triple glazed windows
and similar units found within doors.