TRADITIONAL BUILDINGS

OF
WARM HUMID & MODERATE CLIMATE

SUBMITTED BY
ADITYA PANDE (16) DINESH NIMBALKAR (20)
BISHAL GOSWAMI (2) GOURI SHANKAR AGARWAL (18)
BISWA JYOTI LAHON (17) SAPNA BHURA (7)
 Contents
Introduction
Shelter for warm-humid climates
 Nature of climate
 physiological objectives
 form and planning
External spaces
Roofs and walls
Air flow and openings
Ventilation
Traditional shelter
Warm-humid island climates

Examples
Nisha’s Play School, Goa
La Cuisine Solaire, Auroville
Shelter for moderate climate

 Nature of climate

 General features

Examples
 Residence for Mary Mathew , Bangalore

Conclusion
Bibliography
Webography
 Indian subcontinent comprises of various
climatic backdrops.
 Average temperature ranges from 27˚ to
35˚C.
 The various climatic zones in India are---
Hot and Dry
Warm and Humid
Composite
Moderate
Cold and Sunny
Cold and Cloudy
 Based on the various climatic zones the
architecture of a place varies.
 The Traditional Architecture scenario of
India has also evolved a lot due to the
climatic factor.
 The Traditional buildings in the country has
a lot to say in its form, ventilation and other
things.
 From the various climatic regions we are
going to have a detailed study of the WARM-HUMID
Traditional Buildings of the warm-humid and
moderate climate . and moderate
 Nature of climate
 Prominent features of this type of
climate are the hot, sticky
conditions and continual
presence of dampness.
 Temp. ranges from 21 to 32 ˚C in
these regions.
 The average annual rainfall is
350mm.
 Humidity is high during all HUMIDITY DIAGRAM
seasons.
 The average humidity is 70%.
 Vegetation is influenced by
moisture in air with moderate
heat and high rainfall.
 Wind are constant in direction but
generally low with variable
speed.

VEGETATION
 Physiological objectives
 Because the air temperature is
continually very near to skin
temp. heat loss by convection or
conduction is negligible.
 As there is high humidity so the
air in the atmosphere is in a
saturated state.
 The saturated air envelope can
be can be removed by air TERRACOTTA ROOFING
movement.
 As there is cooling effect at night
the wall and roof surface
temperature tend to even out
and settle at the same level as
air temperature.
 Radiant heat gain from the sun
and sky must be prevented.
GUNA TILE ROOFING
 Form and planning
The building will have to be opened upto breezed and orientated to catch whatever air
movement there is .
 there should be Open elongated plan shapes with single row of rooms to allow cross-
ventilation.
 it should be Accessible from open verandahs or galleries ,which also provide shading
door and window openings are ,or should be, as large as possible ,allowing a free
passage of air.
Groups of buildings also tend to be spread out .
If several rows of buildings follow, the air movement through buildings in the down-
wind row will be substantially reduced by the first row.
Plant cover of the ground tends to create a steeper wind gradient than an open
surface.
It restricts the movement of air near the ground , and it is often necessary to elevate
the building on stilts.
The shading devices should provide a greater coverage .

Shading of all vertical surfaces, of both openings and solid walls will be beneficial.

Preferably the building height should be kept down.

Very often the roof will extend far beyond the line of walls, with broad overhanging
eaves, providing the necessary shading to both openings and wall surfaces
Orientation of the buildings should be along the longer axes in east-west direction
according to the point of view of solar heat gain .
With low rise buildings, where the walls would not get much radiation , orientation
for wind is more advisable .
 External spaces
Shading and free passage for air movement are the two basic requirements.

Trees and planting can be relied on for shading, as plans carry full foliage all year
round .
Pergolas and light framing to be covered by climbing plants can be provided quite
cheaply and they can be very effective .

Open spaces left under buildings elevated on stilts can also be put to use as shaded
outdoor spaces.

It is difficult to provide privacy as well as allowing for the passage of air , but various
systems of paling fences and screen walls have been devised which do not permit direct
view but allow the breeze to penetrate.

Most of these consist of louvered timber boards or some overlapping arrangements of

boards or planks .
Density of development in warm–humid regions is always less for three reasons :

1-to allow free movement of air through buildings and through spaces between
buildings.

2-to provide privacy by distance ,as walls and screens cannot be use for this purpose
( they would prohibit air movement ) .

3-many activities are carried on out-of-doors .

 Roofs and walls
It is advisable to construct buildings of low thermal capacity materials , using
lightweight construction.
By opening up the building to air movements , thus to outside conditions, the influence
of structure upon indoor conditions in lessened considerably .
The roof is practically the only element which has a very great significant .
It cannot improve the conditions, i.e. it will not produce temperatures cooler than the
outdoor air.
If well designed, it can prevent the indoor temperature increasing above the outdoor air
temperature, and keep the ceiling temperature around the same level as other surfaces.
This will be achieved by a reflective upper surface, a double roof construction with roof
space ventilated, a ceiling with its upper surface highly reflective, and having a good
resistive insulation.
A pitched roof will most often be used covered by corrugated iron, asbestos cement or
bright aluminium due to high rainfall.
For solid vertical walls insulation is not necessary if they are shaded.
 Air flow and openings
The air flow should not pass over hot surfaces before reaching the building.

A ,designer should provide large openings, but at the same time give protection from
driving rain, insects, smells and noise, without radically reducing air movement.

Ceiling mounted or other electric fans may be used when there is little or no breeze,
but these will normally only provide an air movement ( thus assist evaporative cooling ),
not induce the exchange of air.
 Ventilation
Without the exchange of air, both the temperature and the humidity of room air will
increase above the outdoor values, due to the heat and moisture output of human
bodies and of various human activities (e.g. washing and cooking).

Thus in this climate there is a need for both a frequent change of air (ventilation) and
for a sensible air movement across the body surface.

Ventilation will also be necessary to the space between the roof and ceiling, and
adequate openings must be provided for this purpose.
 Traditional shelter
Two basic types of traditional shelters are found in warm-humid climates .

Where timber is scarce, single storey, earth-walled houses are typical, with the roof
framed in timber , bamboo or palm frond and covered with thatch.

Broad overhanging eaves shade the walls.

In regions more favoured with timber or where earth is unsuitable for building; the
traditional shelter is often elevated on stilts and is constructed from local timber or a
bamboo frame with open-weave matting, timber or split bamboo walls, floors, doors and
shutters .

Thatch or built up layers of leaves cover a bamboo or timber roof-frame , which usually
has broad overhanging eaves.

The broad eaves shade the walls and openings, provide protection from driving rain
and sky glare and permit the openings to be kept open most of the time.
The thatched roof is an excellent thermal insulator, although it may not be quite
waterproof resulting in breeding ground for insects, and the entirely wood and vegetable
matter structure gives food and easy passage to termites.

Both types of shelter perform reasonably well in their traditional rural context but not in
densely built up areas .
 Warm-humid island climates
It is more favorable than the former.

Temperatures are slightly lower, but there is a steady wind of constant direction.

The orientation and construction of the building to catch the maximum amount
of air movement will be even more imperative than in the warm-humid climate

Most of these islands lie in the tropical cyclone belt.

Construction and structure must be designed to withstand strong winds.

 Residence for Mary Mathew , Bangalore

This residence-cum-office building in the moderate climate of Bangalore uses

solar energy to optimize comfort and heat water.

Project Details:
Building / Project name : Residence for Mary Mathew
Site address : 2 Temple Trees Row, Viveknagar Post,
Bangalore – 560 047
Building type : Residence-cum-office
Climate : Moderate
Architects : Nisha Mathew and Soumitro Ghosh
Design Features:
Natural lighting is extensively used in the north-east and north-west by hollowing
out courtyards, which become permanent sources of light and ventilation.

Roof insulation was provided by using a roof system of precast hollow terracotta
curved panels with nominal GI reinforcement.

A nominal layer of concrete of only 2-inch thick at the crown of panel was poured
into place.

The hollow terracotta layer works as heat-resisting layer.

A thick ‘wall’ on the southern / south-western side, which comprised largely

masonry surface within which were located the services such as toilets, pantry,
kitchen work space, and servant’s room.

The depth of the south-west wall was used to shield the heat and provide pockets
for openings located in this ‘wall’ to pull in south-west breeze.
Nisha’s Play School, Goa

An innovative school design with low embodied energy and maximized use of natural
ventilation and day lighting.

Project Details :

Name of the project : Nisha’s Play School

Address : Nisha’s Play School, Torda, Savador Do Mundo, Bardez, Goa

Climate : Warm and Humid

Design team : Gerand Da Cunha, Annabel Mascarenhas, Lisa Thomas,

Nirmala D’Mello

Structural consultant : Madhav Kamat and Associates

Design Features :

The building design and form evolved out of demand to maximize day lighting and
induce natural ventilation.

Use of locally available materials, waste materials, and materials with low embodied
energy.
Materials and Construction Techniques :

Structure and building material : Load-bearing structure with vertical and horizontal RCC
bands for earthquake protection.

Foundation / Retaining walls : Random rubble laterite masonry in cement mortar.

Superstructure : Exposed 9-inch brickwork to maximize space and

random rubble masonry where space was not a
constraint.

Roofing / Intermediate floors : RCC with various fillers – bottles, thermocole

packaging, etc.

Doors and windows : Mostly recycled old doors and windows, steel grills,
brick jalis.

Flooring : Red oxide with inlay in black in classrooms / circulation

space, China mosaic in doll houses and open area.

Dado’s / toilet floors : China mosaic waste with inlay of waste mirrors.
Shelving : Polished Cadappa embedded in brick wall.
La Cuisine Solaire, Auroville
A collective solar kitchen demonstrating use of demonstrates that a

Project Details :

La Cuisine Solaire demonstrates that a solar concentrator can produce enough steam
to cook for 1000 people a day.

Architects : Suhasini Ayer Guigan and Anita Gaur

Consultant for the bowl : Chamanlal Gupta, Sri Aurobindo Ashram

Contractor / Builder : Local labour trained and managed by the architect.

Construction techniques for the building :
Composite foundation comprising three layers.

All pillars and walls are of compressed earth blocks stabilized with five per cent
cement.

The roof over the main kitchen area is a 10 m long-span Ferro cement channel
prefabricated on site.

The dining hall has a doubly-curved shell roof where the prefabricated Ferro cement
shells are used as lost shuttering.

The store rooms and auxiliary areas have the normal Ferro cement channels.

Solar chimneys have been incorporated in the kitchen and dining hall to enhance
natural ventilation.

Openings are cast in situ RCC using prefabricated Ferro cement elements as lost
shuttering thus saving on finishing plaster.

Thermal insulation is in broken fired bricks mixed with lime treated with a fermented
solution of jaggery and local nuts.

Waterproofing is done with reject tiles in cement screed.

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plan
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External view
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Interior spaces
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Nature of climate

Mean
Mean Mean No. of clear
Monthly Plac
Monthly Monthly days in a
Precipitatio es
Temp. (°C) R.H. (%) month
n
Ban
galo
Mod
25-30 <75 <5 <20 re,
erate
Dec
can
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General features

 This is a climate which is generally comfortable; neither too hot, nor too cold.

 The houses generally remain shaded and insulated from direct sun.

 Little breezes are developed during stuffy and warm conditions. Woolens are
required during chilly winters for shorter duration.

 In this climate, the ideal comfortable house is built of heavy walls with high ceiling
rooms, with windows that you can shut and open, surrounded by a shade giving
verandah.

 High ceilings reduce the effect of heat that would radiate down from the roof which
would get hot under the sun.

 This will also allow the warm air to rise and escape through ventilators, high up in
the walls.
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