HOT DRY CLIMATE

1. ORIENTATION  Larger dimensions of a building should preferably face north and south, as these elevations
receive the lowest heat loads from solar radiation.
 Worst direction is west
 Main walls and windows should face the wind direction in order to allow maximum cross-
ventilation of the rooms.
 To reduce the effect of hot dusty winds, the leeward side of the house is better.
2. FORM AND PLANNING  buildings and the external living spaces need to be protected as much as possible from the
intense solar radiation and the hot, dusty winds.
 Enclosed, compact planned, Inward looking building.
 Sensible application of planning principles, such as accessibility of water, fuel and food
storage to points of use, easily cleaned surfaces, reduction of movement distances and
avoidance of unnecessary stairs will all benefit the occupants by reducing physical
movement, effort and fatigue.
 Non-habitable rooms (stores, toilets, etc.), can be effectively used as thermal barriers if
planned and placed on the east and, especially, the west end of the building.
 Courtyard planning along with some trees and small water body creates very good cool
microclimate as evaporative cooling effects occurs in this type of courtyard.
 Surface exposed to sun should be reduced as much as possible.

3. BUILT FORM  By aligning buildings close to each other, especially if east and west walls are placed close
together, mutual shading will decrease the heat gains on external walls.
 For this reason, in hot-dry climates the tendency is to have close groups of buildings.
4. STREET TYPE  narrow roads and, streets, arcades, colonnades and small enclosed courtyards, in order to get
the maximum amount of shade and coolness

5. EXTERNAL SPACE  The best external space in this type of climate is a courtyard.
 Adjacent buildings, pavements and dry ground heat up quickly, causing both a painful glare
and reflected heat radiation towards the building during the day, and at night they will
reradiate the heat stored during the day.
 Enclosure of out-door areas by walls which are themselves shaded will help to avoid such
effects, and at the same time keep out dust and hot winds.
 Trees, plants and water in the enclosed space will cool the air by evaporation, help to keep
 dust down and provide shade, visual and psychological relief.

 During the day-time openings should be closed and shaded.

6. VENTILATION  Internal courtyards provide cross ventilation & natural cooling. Most openings are to the
internal courtyard rather than exterior surface.
 Ventilation should be kept to the absolute minimum necessary for hygienic reasons, to
minimize the entry of hot and often dusty external air.
 Outlets at higher levels serve to vent hot air. Ventilators are preferred at higher levels.
7. ROOM ARRANGEMENT Non-habitable rooms (stores, toilets, etc.), can be effectively used as thermal barriers if planned
and placed on the east and, especially, the west end of the building.
 1. Bedrooms - on the east side.
 2. Living rooms - on the north or south side.

8. FOUNDATIONS, BASEMENTS AND FLOORS
 The ground is a valuable means of heat absorption; therefore, the building should have
maximum contact with the ground.
 Ground floors should be solid and built directly on to the ground or into the ground with heat
absorbing materials (stone, adobe, earth, high density burnt clay or cement products)
 Flooring materials should be of high thermal conductance.

 The ground near the building should be shaded during the day, but fully exposed to the night
sky, so that the emission of radiant heat is not obstructed.
9. WALLS  Walls of daytime living areas should be made of heat-storing materials.
 Double walls with insulation in between are a suitable solution.
 Thicker external walls with minimum windows should be used to avoid heat and solar
radiations.

 East and west walls should preferably be shaded, with trees or other suitable devices.
10. WINDOWS  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 throughout the year.
 Window sill should be higher to provide dust protection

 Large glass areas should be avoided.

 Deep sun shades are required to shade windows effectively.
 Use of orial windows and different type of louvered sun shades also reduce sun’s harshness.
 Use of deeper entrance door and broad eaves
11. SHADING TECHNIQUES
12. ROOFS
13. COULOUR AND TEXTURE
14. CONSTRUCTION TECHNIQUES
 All openings should be protected by using external shading devices like chhajjas, fins, jalli
screen, architectural projections.
 South- fixed horizontal device or window recessing.
 West and East Vertical device/louvres (possibly movable)
 East / West faces are difficult to shade with fixed shades as the sun is very low. Moveable
shades more effective than fixed shades.
 North side - vertical shade.
 Care must be taken to use low thermal capacity materials for shading devices close to
openings, to ensure their quick cooling after sunset.
 Double roof technique protect main structure from solar heat, shading of the roof is much
more difficult. The most effective method is to construct a second roof over the first. And use
a reflective surface on both roofs.
 Cost effective method is a simple ceiling, with a ventilated roof-space.
 Roof should be insulated form hot solar radiation.
 Thicker insulating materials should be used for this.
 A light coloured or totally white terrace surface will reduce effect of hot solar radiations.
 Roofs should be made higher so that radiations from ceiling is less harsh and there is enough
space for hot dissipated air.
 The flat roof is a good reflector and re-radiates heat.
 High solid parapet walls along the edge of the roof can on the one hand provide daytime
shade and privacy.
 Roof slopes should be orientated towards the prevailing breeze.
 Light cool colours should be used for interiors.
 Surfaces that may reflect radiations should be painted dark to reduce glaring effect.
 Provide as much green surface as possible as this will cool the surroundings.
 Water bodies outside or in courtyard for cooling the air. Water bodies should be shaded to
minimize evaporation losses.
 Central wind tower system with water spray on top. Useful for cooling double loaded
corridors.
 Using photovoltaic cells.
  Sun protection devices(pergolas) are used to protect front facades of hot dry region.
 Avoid hard paved surfaces.
 Heat producing areas separated from Others.
 Use of wind catchers or wind towers

15. CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS  The traditional shelter found in most desert regions has heavy walls of earth, brick or stone
and roofs of the same material, often supported by a few timbers where vaulting is not used.
 Hollow block construction technique also helps in thermal insulation of buildings.
 Ferro cement A versatile form of RCC possessing unique properties of strength and durability.
Made up of rich cement mortar and wire mesh reinforcement, it has a high ratio of strength
to weight. A cost effective material, it also enables faster construction and has lower
embodied energy in comparison to conventional RCC due to its thin section & minimization of
steel.
 AAC (aerated autoclaved concrete) blocks: blocks are air-cured lightweight concrete with fly-
ash as a major ingredient. The difference lies in the process of generation of air bubbles. In
CLC the air bubbles are generated in the form of a foam while in AAC they are produced from
a reaction that uses aluminum powder. These light-weight blocks reduce structural steel
requirement and provides higher thermal insulation. As it uses fly-ash which is a waste
material it leads to substantial material saving and has lower embodied energy.
 Perforated brick masonry: These are high strength hollow bricks with 50-60 percent
perforations. These perforations act as sound and heat insulators and saves materials.
 Sandstone roofing: an extensively used material, this consists of 25mm thick stone slabs on
pre-cast RCC beams or iron sections.
16. LANDSCAPE  Trees act as noise and dust barrier
 Less trees on north side let the daylight in
 Deciduous trees on the south side for shading in summer and solar access in winter
 Promote native species requires less water.
 Vegetation shading east west walls.