POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY OF THE

PHILIPPINES
STA. MESA, MANILA
COLLEGE OF ARCHITECTURE AND FINE ARTS

THEORY OF ARCHITECTURE

ENVIRONMENTAL AND ENERGY CONSERVATION

CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES

Submitted by:

DEONON, Carl Matthew J.

BS Architecture 2-1

Submitted by:

Ar. Angelito Soriano

Professor

1
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Environmental Concepts 4
Bio-architecture 4
Passive Cooling 5
Green Building 7
Green Roofing 8
Permaculture 9
Energy Conservation Concepts 10
Solar Shading 10
White Roof and Dessert Cooling 12
Passive Solar Planning 13
Natural Heating and Daylighting 14
Windowless Building 15
Conclusion 16
References 17

2
I. Introduction

Sustainable architecture and environmental issues are now a included in the

agendas of every businesses, locally or internationally. And people can’t get enough

of it. The word “sustainability” and the expression “sustainable architecture” are

disseminated in the field of design and architecture for two main reasons: functional

and formal. Any object that is considered sustainable must show ecological

awareness; therefore its functionality must be tied to its relationship with the

environment through its appearance.

In order to limit the impact to the environment, sustainable architecture is

practiced with the objectives of achieving energy efficiency, positive impacts on

health, comfort and improved livability for inhabitants; all of this can be achieved

through the implementation of appropriate technologies within the building.

Sustainable architecture means being able to satisfy consumers’ requests, taking

the time and natural resources needed into consideration from the very early

stages of the project, entering the context in the most natural way possible,

planning ahead by making the space and materials employed

completely reusable.

Designing sustainable architecture means taking a few fundamental

elements into consideration: orientation, shading and sunlight crated by pre-

existing elements, natural ventilation, as well as the use of biomass, ambient

assisted living or domotics and renewable energy systems, all created and

incorporated with materials studied specifically to interact with the environment

and its characteristics.

3
II. Environmental Concepts

1. Bio-Architecture

Bio – architecture is an idea

endorsed by Roger Green's

International Sacred Geometry and

Ecology conferences, held in

various locations for over 12 years.

The term was coined by Dan

Winter, who has inspired several eco-architects to follow the ways of nature

and integrate her principles into LIFE forming Architecture. We call it the

healing architecture of the future.

Excellent examples of its applications can be found at Michael Rice’s

websites. Michael Rice is an award winning architect and member of the

Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland. His 'Full Spectrum Architecture' is

starting the Irish Renaissance in the relationship of the built space, humanity

and the environment.

As an architect, he takes a holistic approach to design, based on the

understanding that everything is connected, alive and conscious. His

company, Holistic House Plans, is the world's largest online resource for

building and space designs based on the natural harmonic principles of

biological architecture, sacred geometry and feng shui. Each design is unique,

and has emerged from an expression of natural patterns, symmetries,

shapes, universal symbols and ratios.

Spiritual geometry is a universal language of truth, harmony, beauty,

proportion, rhythm and order. Architects and designers draw upon concepts of

4
 sacred geometry when they choose particular geometric forms to create

pleasing, harmonious, and spiritually uplifting spaces.

By studying and understanding the symmetry of electric fields causing

health versus disease we rediscover that an overwhelming simple and yet

compelling rule or pattern emerges. Applying this beautiful algorithm to

architecture - we now see exactly why the design of living space must be

exactly that - an electrically living space. An electrically alive space

(sometimes called 'sacred') is simply the space where charge/chi can breathe

efficiently and thus achieve the multiply connected / holographic and fractal-

distributed resonance called awareness - the thrust of all living systems.

'As nature uses shape to hold charge or life force, it makes complete

sense to use nature's shapes and proportions for the shape of our spaces and

buildings. In terms of architecture and design of space, I believe that by

creating spaces that are based on the pure principles of natural design we

provide a sacred environment that can nurture our bodies, minds and spirits.

We can literally design to raise the vibration of the inhabitants. We can use

our quantum consciousness to create the space, and to clear it of any

stresses that do not serve life.' - Michael Rice

2. Passive cooling

Passive cooling is a way of designing a building that focuses on improving

indoor heat to a comfortable level with minimal or zero energy consumption. This is

often done through non-mechanical conditioning solutions that involve preventing

heat from entering the building or by removing heat from the building. To be effective,

passive cooling, which is the least expensive means of cooling a building as it helps

to reduce the cost of air conditioning, needs to cool the building and the people in it. 

5
6
 The prevention of heat entering a building is known as solar heat gain

prevention, which refers to the increase in temperature in a building from the sun.

Almost half of all heat gain in a home is generated through windows that are

unshaded. External passive cooling techniques to help keep out the heat include

shading east or west facing windows hit by direct sunlight through the use of sun

screens, awnings, roll-up shades, or creating a trellis with vines for shading. Internal

techniques include applying window tint or installing blinds, shutters or drapes. 

Creating a living wall, also known as a vertical garden, can reduce heat gain

-- as is painting exterior walls a light color. Light colors help to reflect the sun and

prevent buildings from absorbing as much heat, thereby keeping the inside cooler.

Likewise, a reflective roof made of a highly reflective type of paint, sheet covering,

tiles or shingles stay cooler as it reflects more sunlight and absorbs less heat than a

standard roof. Proper insulation, which provides resistance to heat flow, also helps

with heat gain prevention and thereby helping to create a comfortable space. The

higher the insulation's R-value, which is the capacity of an insulating material such as

fiberglass or mineral wool to resist heat flow, the more effective the material is at

reducing heat transfer. It's important to insulate from the roof down to the building's

foundation.

Another solution to heat gain prevention is to install windows with passive and

solar control low-e coatings. This minimizes the amount of ultraviolet and infrared

light that passes through glass. Moveable reflectors reduce heat gain in the summer.

A curved reflector acts as a shade and reflects sunlight to prevent heat from reaching

the skylight and heating a space. However, it does so while still allowing daylight to

enter.

A continuous ventilation system known as a metal ridge vents or shingle-over

vents can be installed from end to end on the roof to remove excess heat and allows

condensation to escape. Not only does this method allow energy efficiency, but it

prolongs the life of your roof by preventing roof rot and mildew damage. Furthermore,

7
 the use of energy efficient ceiling fans help to circulate warm air evenly in rooms and

thereby creating cooler air.

3. Green Building

A ‘green’ building is a

building that, in its design,

construction or operation,

reduces or eliminates negative

impacts, and can create positive

impacts, on our climate and

natural environment. Green

buildings preserve precious natural resources and improve our quality of life.

Any building can be a green building, whether it’s a home, an office, a

school, a hospital, a community center, or any other type of structure,

provided it includes features listed above.

However, it is worth noting that not all green buildings are – and need

to be - the same. Different countries and regions have a variety of

characteristics such as distinctive climatic conditions, unique cultures and

traditions, diverse building types and ages, or wide-ranging environmental,

economic and social priorities – all of which shape their approach to green

building.

4. Green Roofing

A green roof system is

an addition made to the roof

8
 of an existing building for growing flora. Depending on the type of green roof

you install, the plants may be modular or have drainage layers. However, all

green roofs include a few important features, such as waterproofing and root

repellent, to keep the structure safe and undamaged.

There are two primary forms of green roofing: intensive and extensive. These

are differentiated by the amount of vegetation utilized. While extensive green

roofs can support up to 25 pounds of vegetation per square foot, intensive

green roofs can hold 150 pounds per square foot.

Another factor that differentiates these styles from one another is the

amount of labor required to maintain them. Intensive green roofs, as the name

suggests, take a lot more work to manage, as they involve keeping the

various types of plants separate and maintaining an actual garden. Extensive

green roofs, on the other hand, are left to grow naturally and without

restriction, taking care of themselves as they would in the wild, and thus only

requiring yearly weeding and fertilization.

For private homeowners, the intensive format allows you to pick and

choose which flowers you would like represented, enabling you to sculpt the

aesthetic you desire. Extensive green roofs are designed only to be entered

for their yearly maintenance, so they become more naturally overgrown than

their intensive counterpart. This makes extensive green roofs harder to

navigate, meaning individuals can't walk through the space to enjoy the flora.

Both green roofs utilize a layering system, which establishes a base for

the planters through the use of various soils, mats, and other materials to

retain the nutrients while forcing out any waste by-products. Through these

9
 layers, a soil profile is mimicked, thus creating a drainage process that allows

liquid to be filtered through safely while also nourishing the plants.

Recent studies and advancements have resulted in a new form of

green roofing, known as comprehensive roofing. This format is made to

support a wide variety of plants, which is commonly found in intensive roofing,

while allowing for a greater amount of vegetation to be supported, like

extensive roofing.

5. Permaculture

In 1978, Australian ecologists David Holmgren and Bill Mollison coined

for the first time the concept of permaculture as a systematic method. For

Mollison, "permaculture is the philosophy of working with and not against

nature, after a long and thoughtful observation." [1] Meanwhile, Holmgren

defines the term as "those consciously designed landscapes which simulate

or mimic the patterns and relationships observed in natural ecosystems." [2]

In 2002,

Holmgren published the

book Permaculture:

Principles and

Pathways Beyond

Sustainability, defining

12 design principles that can be used as a guide when generating sustainable

systems. These principles can be applied to all daily processes in order to

10
 humanize those processes, increase efficiency, and in the long term ensure

the survival of mankind.

III. Energy Conservation Concepts

1. Solar Shading

There are many different

reasons to want to control the

amount of sunlight that is

admitted into a building. In warm,

sunny climates excess solar gain

may result in high cooling energy

consumption; in cold and

temperate climates winter sun

entering south-facing windows can positively contribute to passive solar

heating; and in nearly all climates controlling and diffusing natural illumination

will improve daylighting.

Well-designed sun control and shading devices can dramatically

reduce building peak heat gain and cooling requirements and improve the

natural lighting quality of building interiors. Depending on the amount and

location of fenestration, reductions in annual cooling energy consumption of

5% to 15% have been reported. Sun control and shading devices can also

improve user visual comfort by controlling glare and reducing contrast ratios.

This often leads to increased satisfaction and productivity. Shading devices

11
 offer the opportunity of differentiating one building facade from another. This

can provide interest and human scale to an otherwise undistinguished design.

During cooling seasons, external window shading is an excellent way to

prevent unwanted solar heat gain from entering a conditioned space. Shading

can be provided by natural landscaping or by building elements such as

awnings, overhangs, and trellises. Some shading devices can also function as

reflectors, called light shelves, which bounce natural light for daylighting deep

into building interiors.

The design of effective shading devices will depend on the solar

orientation of a particular building facade. For example, simple fixed

overhangs are very effective at shading south-facing windows in the summer

when sun angles are high. However, the same horizontal device is ineffective

at blocking low afternoon sun from entering west-facing windows during peak

heat gain periods in the summer.

2. White Roofs and Dessert Cooling

The greenest roof is a white one. White-painted roofs are three times

more efficient than "green roofs" rooftops that are planted over with grass or

other greenery at countering global warming, a new analysis found. White and

green are both are much better for the environment than traditional black-

colored roofs, which heat up under the sun, drive up air conditioning bills, and

make cities and

towns a few

12
 degrees warmer than they would be otherwise. Cooler roofs can make a big

difference.

White roofs reflect sunlight and heat so well, they help counter global

warming, the team found. Green roofs don't reflect as well. However, both

kinds of roofs keep their own buildings cool on hot days. Green roofs actually

save owners more on their energy bills, because evaporation from the plants

makes them better at cooling buildings in the summertime, while in the winter,

they help hold in heat because they're more insulating.

3. Passive Solar Planning

Passive solar design

refers to the use of the

sun’s energy for the heating

and cooling of living spaces

by exposure to the sun.

When sunlight strikes a

building, the building

materials can reflect, transmit, or absorb the solar radiation. In addition, the

heat produced by the sun causes air movement that can be predictable in

designed spaces. These basic responses to solar heat lead to design

13
 elements, material choices and placements that can provide heating and

cooling effects in a home.

Unlike active solar heating systems, passive systems are simple and

do not involve substantial use of mechanical and electrical devices, such as

pumps, fans, or electrical controls to move the solar energy

The goal of passive solar heating systems is to capture the sun’s heat

within the building’s elements and to release that heat during periods when

the sun is absent, while also maintaining a comfortable room temperature.

The two primary elements of passive solar heating are south facing glass and

thermal mass to absorb, store, and distribute heat.

4. Natural Heating and Daylighting

What's Daylighting is the use

of windows and skylights to bring

sunlight into your home. Today's

highly energy-efficient windows, as

well as advances in lighting design,

reduce the need for artificial

lighting during daylight hours without

causing heating or cooling problems.

The best way to incorporate

daylighting in your home depends on your climate and home's design. The

14
 sizes and locations of windows should be based on the cardinal directions

rather than their effect on the street-side appearance of the house. 

If you're constructing a new house, consider daylighting as part of your

whole-house design -- an approach for building an energy-efficient home. You

may also want to incorporate passive solar home design techniques to take

advantage of the sun's rays.

5. Windowless Building

It is quite evident that glass is

frequently a problem, sometimes it can be

omitted. Buildings or large sections can be

closed by opaque walls. As an example,

the department store are often best

designed this way. Schools sometimes

are. Parameters including function,

aesthetics and thermal interchanges must

be examined. During daylight hours they

are densely occupied and well lighted. The space gains of people-load and

15
 lighting are usually sufficient to heat the building by day in winter (cold

months). Often they exceed this state and must be cooled; hopefully this is

done by the low energy method of circulating cool outdoor air.

Glass, no matter how well-handed in summer, would add additional

and instantaneous heat that is not needed. Quite differently, the transmission

of heat in through heavy masonry wall is minimal by comparison and usually

delayed by 8 to 10 hours. Merchant s do not need to have shoppers distracted

by views of the exterior. In schools, children at study can wait for relaxation, to

be enjoyed later in windowed recreational area.

16
Conclusion

As a result of the on going destruction of the environment. Various

people from different countries are taking steps towards environmental and

energy conservation. Each individual has its own contribution for the

protection and preservation of the environment. Therefore, being an architect

in the field inspires to practice and share the ways and style in preservation of

the environment and energy consumption.

17
References:

https://www.lifegate.com/people/lifestyle/sustainable-architecture-definition-concept-projects-

examples

http://www.theimploder.com/products/other-developments-fractal-technology/bio-architecture

https://www.modlar.com/news/143/passive-cooling-techniques/

https://www.worldgbc.org/what-green-building

http://www.roofingcompare.com/green-roofing.html

https://www.archdaily.com/tag/permaculture

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/sun-control-and-shading-devices

https://www.popsci.com/article/science/white-roofs-keep-cities-cooler-green-ones-

study-finds/

https://sustainability.williams.edu/green-building-basics/passive-solar-design

https://www.energy.gov/energysaver/save-electricity-and-fuel/lighting-choices-save-

you-money/daylighting

18