Effect of Weather or Climate

on Design
I love learning
about climate
factors

The climate
information
is best to
learn
 Weather vs. Climate
Weather-
The state of the atmosphere with respect to heat or
cold, wetness or dryness, calm or storm, clearness
or cloudiness”.
“The conditions of the atmosphere at a particular
place and time”.

• Climate
Average conditions of a certain place over a long
period of time
Elements of Weather or Climate
Weather is the day to day changes in the atmosphere.

temperature precipitation

wind speed humidity

wind direction cloud cover

air pressure sunshine
 Elements of Climate
Three most significant climate elements used to determine
climate are;
♦ temperature
♦ precipitation
♦ wind
The other parameters are;
♦ humidity,
♦ vapor or air pressure
♦ vegetation
♦ solar radiation or sunshine
♦ sky condition
♦ Cloud cover
 1. Temperature
Measured in degree Celsius (ºC) with a
mercury thermometer.
• The dry-bulb temperature or ‘True Air
Temperature’
– value taken in the shade
– thermometer being mounted inside
a louvered wooden box – Stevenson
Screen at a height of 1.2 to 1.8m
– place at open area or space
 1. Temperature
STEVENSON SCREEN

Louvered Wooden
Box

1.20 m to 1.80 meter

high from ground
1. Temperature
 2. Humidity
 Defined as the mass of water vapor present in unit
volume of air or space, and is expressed in g/kg or
g/m3

1. Absolute Humidity (AH)

The actual amount of moisture present in unit
mass of air
2. Saturation-point Humidity (SH)
The amount of moisture the air can hold
3. Relative Humidity (RH)
The ratio of the actual amount of moisture present
to the amount of moisture the air could hold at the
given temperature
RH = AH/SH x 100%
 2. Humidity
• Measured with wet and dry-bulb hygrometer
• Hygrometer consists of 2 ordinary mercury
thermometer mounted side by side.

• The first one measured the air (dry-bulb)

temperature (DBT) and the other one is
covered with a gauze or wick and is kept wet
which measures the wet-bulb temperature
(WBT).
Dry and wet bulb hygrometer

Whirling sling
hygrometer
 3. Precipitation
• The collective term used for rain, snow,
hail, dew and frost – all forms of water
deposited from the atmosphere
• Measured by rain gauges and expressed
in millimeters per time.

Unit = mm/month,
mm/day.
3. Precipitation
Rain gauges
 3. Precipitation
• Convectional rain
- results from the heating of the earth’s
surface that causes
air to rise rapidly
- as the air rises,
it will condenses
into clouds and
precipitation
 3. Precipitation
• Orographic rain

it results when warm moist air of the ocean is

forced to rise by large mountains
- as the air rises it cools, moisture in the air
condenses and clouds and precipitation result on
the windward side of the
mountain while the leeward
side receives very little
- common in British Columbia
 4. Vapor pressure
The partial pressure of water present in the
air varies in different places from time to
time temperatures gives the main
influence to vapour pressure

• Measured in the standard

SI pressure unit, N/m2
or milibar (mb)
measured with Barometer
 5. Wind / Air movement
Resulting from the differences of two vapour
pressures.

There are wind systems known as

the monsoons\ which are the result
of annual differences in heating
of land and sea areas
 6. Vegetation
• can influence the local or site climate
• it is an important element in the design of
outdoor spaces, providing sun shading and
protection from glare their shape and color,
also their preferred orientation and situation
will give the influence to the climate
 7. Solar radiation
An electromagnetic radiation emitted from the
sun.
The solar spectrum is broadly divided into three
regions : ultra violet (uv), visible light and infra
red (IR)
The solar energy at upper limit of the atmosphere
varies from 1.8 – 2.0 cal/cm2/min according to
the earth’s distance from the sun and the solar
activity selectively absorbed in the atmosphere
according to the wavelength
7. Solar radiation (cont’d)
 8. Sky condition
• usually described in terms of presence or
absence of clouds
• the sky conditions between morning and
afternoon are different and this will affect
the design of roofs, overhangs and shading
devices
• sky luminance values are needed if
daylighting in buildings is to be predicted
 9. Cloud Formation

• can be differentiate by its shape and height

• can be divided into 3 categories :
i) Low cloud – ground level to 6000 feet,
made of water drops.
ii) High cloud – 200 00 to and above, made
of ice crystal.
iii) Intermediate cloud –6000 to 20000 feet,
made of water drops and ice crystal.
 Factors affecting Climate
I. Latitude IV. Mountain Barriers

II. Altitude V. Distance from the

sea
III. Land - Water VI. Winds
Relationship
VII. Aspect
 Latitude
Temperature range increases with distance
from the equator. Also, temperatures
decrease as you move away from the
equator.
This is because the suns rays are dispersed
over a larger area of land as you move
away from the equator. This is due to the
curved surface of the earth. In addition
Polar Regions are colder because the
suns rays have further to travel compared
to place on the equator.
 *Latitude impacts EVERY PLACE on
the Earth*
I. Distance north or south of the equator

A. Low - Warm to hot

B. Middle - Seasonal

C. High - Polar (cool to cold)

 Altitude
Temperatures decrease with height. The
air is less dense and cannot hold heat
as easily.
Height above sea level

A. In mountain areas, there are major

climatic differences from the bottom to
the top.
B. As air rises, it loses the ability to hold
heat. It gets 1F colder for every 300-400
ft. you go up.
 Altitude

Snow Cap

Tree Line
Sea Level

* Altitude impacts if over 5,000 ft*

 Land-Water Relationship

A. A large body of water tends to cause a

mild or moderate climate. (Very little
change)
B. A body of water heats up and cools
down slower than a land mass.
C. Wind assumes the temperature of the
surface it passes over and carries that
temp. with it.
Land-Water Relationship

LAND
OCEAN
 Mountain
Cause different climates on opposite sides
of mountain.

A. Moisture carrying winds must rise to get

over mountains.
B. Air cools as it rises, losing ability to hold
water causing rain on the windward side
C. This leaves no moisture for the leeward
side creating a desert.
 Mountain Barriers
NO
RAIN

WINDWARD SIDE Less

rain
LEEWARD SIDE
Less
Rain
Rain
WIND
Cascade Mts
5,000 ft.
Dry

12 in. Rain per Year

Ocean (80 in. Rain per Year)
 Distance from the sea
(Continentality)

Land heats and cools faster than the sea.

Therefore coastal areas have a lower
temperature range than those areas
inland. On the coast winters are mild
and summers are cool. In inland areas
temperatures are high in the summer
and cold in the winter.
 Winds
If winds are warm - they have been
blown from a hot area - they will raise
temperatures. If winds have been blown
from cold areas they will lower
temperatures.
Winds that blow most often in different parts
of the Earth.
A. Wind blows because:
1. Air over warm land rises
2. Cooler air moves in from surrounding areas to
replace rising air
3. The cool air is heated and process repeats
* Wind impacts EVERY
PLACE on the Earth*
 Prevailing Winds
Low Pressure High Pressure
L H
Cool Air Descends

Warm Air Rises

Warm Land Mass Cool Land Mass or Water

 Slopes:
Slopes facing the sun are warmer than
those that are not. Thus south facing
slopes in the northern hemisphere are
usually warm. However, slopes facing north
in the southern hemisphere are warmest.
TOPOGRAPHY AND
BUILDING DESIGN
 TOPOGRAPHY

Topography is concerned with

local detail in general, including
not only relief but also
vegetative and human-made
features, and even local history
and culture.
 TOPOGRAPHIC MAPPING
In its contemporary definition, topographic
mapping shows relief. In the United States,
USGS topographic maps show relief using
contour lines.
These maps show not only the contours, but
also any significant streams or other bodies of
water, forest cover, built-up areas or individual
buildings (depending on scale), and other
features and points of interest
ARCHITECTURAL CLIMATOLOGY
Architecture is all about ART and TECHNOLOGY.
It includes public services, water supply and
drainage, air conditioning, ventilation, lighting,
etc.
it is the basic science a designer is concerned
about.
It involves majorly on:-
climatic elements how they are behaving on
us how to be benefited by these climatic
elements how to protect ourselves from the
adverse effect of climatic elements
ARCHITECTURAL CLIMATOLOGY

The major steps in architectural climatology

are:-
climatology-study of climatic elements
biology-study of human comfort level with
respect to climatology
technology-creating of built environment
architecture
-the combination of the above and the final
product
 Site planning in landscape architecture and architecture
refers to the organizational stage of the design process.
It involves the organization of land use zoning, access,
circulation, privacy, security, shelter, land drainage, and
other factors.
This is done by arranging the compositional elements of
landform, planting, water, buildings and paving and
building.
Site planning generally begins by assessing a potential
site for development through
site analysis. Information
slope, soils, hydrology, vegetation,
parcel ownership, orientation,
etc. are assessed and mapped
By determining areas that are poor /better for
development, the Designer can assess optimal
location and design a structure that works there.

So the major concerns of planning are:-

Topography
Air temperature
Humidity
Precipitation
Air movement
Vegetation and local factors
Climate Elements in Planning &
Designing

A LOCAL FACTORS
IN PLANNING &
DESIGNING
i) Wind Direction

Should be recognize to make sure other

building are not obstructed.

House House House House

1 2 1 2
House House House
3 3 4

A good of
building Poor of building
arrangement arrangement
i) Wind Direction (cont’d)

~ It is also influenced by the roof shape of

the building.

Wind
direction

Wind direction

Pitch roof Flat roof

ii) Selection of building material
~ Depends on climate.
~ In example, used of cavity brick to reduce
heat loss from buildings.

iii) The Direction of sunrise & sunset

(Radiation)
~ The balcony is built to prevent radiation
from entering the buildings.
~ Built a window hood.
THE END