TROPICAL DESIGN

=
Minimize SUN
+
Maximize WIND

TROPICAL DESIGN
TROPICAL DESIGN = passive cooling
PASSIVE COOLING: design with no mechanical equipment
used to induce comfort conditions in building interior
PASSIVE COOLING = inducing air movements
INDUCING AIR MOVEMENTS: relevant for areas with
temperature variations of 10 and with high humidity
INDUCING AIR MOVEMENTS: can improve thermal
comfort up to building interiors 15 meters deep

Passive
Passive Systems
Systems for
for Various
Various Climates
Climates
HOT-HUMID CLIMATE: maximize wind exposure
maximize internal airflow
minimize radiant heat gain

HOT-DRY CLIMATE: minimize radiant heat gain

moderate wind resistance
moderate internal airflow

COOL CLIMATE: maximize thermal retention

maximize radiant heat gain
minimize wind resistance

TEMPERATE CLIMATE: moderate thermal retention

moderate radiant heat gain
slight wind exposure (for humidity control)
moderate internal airflow

AIR MOVEMENT wind

Principles of Air Movement
1. Air flows from a high-pressure to a low-pressure area.

INERTIA. Once set in motion, air tends to continue to

flow in its initial direction until some intervening force is
met.

3. Air flows through the path of least resistance.

GLOBAL AIR MOVEMENT

General Conditions
1. Equator receives more radiation than do polar regions.

Heat from equator move towards polar regions.

Hot air moves upwards going to polar regions.

Cold air moves to equator close to earths surface.

GLOBAL AIR MOVEMENT

Specific Conditions
1. Rotation of earth deflects the air = Coriolis Force

Wind flows due to heat exchange.

Air temperature changes faster than ground temperature
Daily fluctuations of air temperature caused by
physical conduction up to 3 meters above the ground
Marked differences of air temperature between night and day

GEOGRAPHICAL AIR MOVEMENT

Land and Sea Breezes
1. Daytime Heating: land warms more rapidly than water
SEA BREEZE wind from the sea directed toward land
Strongest in the afternoon when heating variance is greatest

Night Time Cooling: land cools faster than water

LAND BREEZE wind from land directed to sea

MONSOONS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Monsoon: large-scale seasonal currents
1. Northeast Monsoon = AMIHAN = the winter monsoon
Appears in October
Attains maximum strength in January
Gradually weakens in March
Disappears in April

Southwest Monsoon = HABAGAT = the summer monsoon

Appears early May
Maximum flows during August
Disappears gradually in October
Persists from November to December

AIR MOVEMENT IN BUILDINGS

Windward side = positive pressure
Leeward side = negative pressure
Air enters through openings located in the positive pressure zone
Air exits through openings located at the negative pressure zone
Air enters through lower level openings
Air exits at higher level openings
4. Window width wall width = 50% to increase indoor air speed
5. Window heights = 1.10 meters for effective indoor air movement
6. Wind deflectors, horizontal and vertical, to redirect air flow
7. Prevent wind shadows by placing openings

EFFECT OF LANDSCAPE ELEMENTS

Hedges/shrubs should not be more than 3 meters from building

Tree foliage above openings promote air motion into openings

Combine tree, hedge and building to achieve air flow control

4. Lateral air channels to direct air flow

5. Arrange trees to determine wind shadow
6. Make use of earth mounds to achieve better air movement

SOLAR GEOMETRY

Rays of the sun vary with time and place (latitude)

Celestial Sphere: earth is static; sun moves from east to west

The sun moves across the sky at a rate of 15.04 per hour

4. The earths polar axis is inclined at 2347 from the vertical

5. June 21 is considered the longest day = summer solstice

December 21 is the shortest day = winter solstice

SUN PATH

Solar Altitude Angle = the angle with height above the horizon.
Ranges from 0 when on horizon
to 90 when directly above (noon)

Solar Azimuth Angle = the suns position as projected on a

horizontal plane.

The two solar angles change with Latitude (location on Earth)

4. Metro Manila is located at 14.5 N Latitude

Two Methods for Calculating Solar Angles

Using graphs
By mathematical calculation

Solar Chart = Sun Path Diagrams

Different Solar Charts for Different Latitudes

40

50

60
70

12

60
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40
30
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10

1
110 120 30

70

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80

11

90

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80

0
14