Assignment 1 (Text Vers.
) - another effective way to reduce energy
RUFINO, Jericho R.
ARC-2105
TROPICAL DESIGN Topic 1
– Roof Ventilation, Façade Design and Building
Envelope “Wood, metal or concrete?”
Roof Ventilation
- ventilating the ceiling cavity of a building is
an effective way of replacing accumulated hot
air with cool air from outside, using
convection (heat transfer)
- it also reduces heat radiated from the ceiling
cavity to the inner parts of the building
- controls can be installed to stop ventilation
during the cooler months if necessary
Two components:
- ridge vents (allow hot air out)
- eave vents (cool air in)
Other elements:
- roof covering (provides insulation from solar
gain)
- low thermal mass materials (for roof and
external wall)
- ventilated roof void
- air flow via roof joints
- shading from overhang eaves
- large windows
- void
Façade Design
- double layered façade – operates on the
principle of using a ventilated double skin with
an intermediate shading device
- perforated aluminum composite
- low emissivity glass – glass that transmits
visible light while selectively reflecting the
longer wavelengths of radiant heat
Insulation
consumption in the building, particularly in
temperate and cold climates is to increase
external wall insulation to reduce leakages
and to lower the ratio of solid glass area
Solar Control Devices
- Horizontal type (generally used on the north
and south facing sides of a building)
- Vertical type (generally used on the east and
west facing sides of a building)
- Egg Crate type (generally used for horizontal
and vertical types)
Building Envelope Materials
- reflected and transmitted glass
- polished surface (reflects: 100%, transmits:
15%)
- clear glass (reflects: 15%, transmits: 85%)
- black surface (reflects: 5%-10%, absorbs:
90%-95%)
- matte surface
_____________________________________
Topic 2 – Site Planning and Layout “Trees or
structures?”
Passive Cooling System & Site Planning &
Layout
Landscape - a building can be protected from
direct sunlight by placing it on a location
within the site that utilizes existing features
such as trees, terrain, etc.
Rule
- 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 - lateral air channels to direct
air flow

- arrange trees to determine wind shadow

- make use of earth mounds to achieve better

air movement

_____________________________________

Topic 3 – Building Orientation to Maximum

Breeze

“Is it now possible to live without the help of

any mechanical ventilation?”

Passive Cooling System / Building Orientation

- in the tropics, a building should be oriented

so that the majority of walls and windows can
easily be shaded from direct sun, while
allowing maximum airflow and input of
natural light
- in tropical countries such as the Philippines,
it is best to place service areas in the west and
east facing sides of the building, because
these sides are exposed to direct sunlight

Orientation for minimal solar heat gain

- the path of the sun changes gradually

throughout the year between summer and
winter

Orientation to maximize air flow

- the lack of breeze during the hottest days

can pose challenges for achieving effective
natural ventilation, and designing to
encourage convection flow is very effective at
these times

Maximize breezes

- orient the building to make the most of

prevailing winds

- align vents, windows and doors to allow air

flow through the building – these should be
aligned in a reasonably straight line for
maximum effectiveness - minimize internal
obstacles or blockages such as internal walls in
major flow through areas to allow for
unimpeded ventilation

- raise the building off the ground to catch

breezes
- Venturi effect – the rate of the flow of air
inside the building will be increased by making
the outlet opening bigger than the inlet

_____________________________________

Topic 4 –

Removing Hot Air to Air Behavior Removing

hot air

- design for convection air flow to remove hot

air from the building

- convection air flow is created by hot air

rising and exiting at the highest point, which
naturally draws in cool air from outside

- this natural cycling of air can be created by

placing low window openings across a space
from high window openings
- this will be even more effective at cooling if
incoming air is being drawn from a shaded
area where plants are growing
Key Strategies for Passive Cooling Principles:
1. Air is created by differentials. Air flows from
a high pressure to a low pressure area
2. Air possesses inertia. Once set in motion,
air tends to continue to flow in its initial
direction until some intervening force is met.
- air will flow through an opening if another
opening is provided and travel within the
building in the same direction as the exterior
air movement until the interior airflow
encounters an obstruction
3. Air flows through the path of least
resistance.
- Air traveling in a given direction will continue
in that direction until it is diverted by an
element such as a building or a tree.
4. Air movement is affected by directional
changes.
- A change in the direction of airflow
consumes energy from the airflow and
reduces its velocity.
- The greater the velocity of the airflow when
the change of direction occurs, the larger is
the loss of energy and velocity.
5. Optimum airflow is relative to size of
openings.

- Inlet openings and outlet openings should be

as large as possible in order to optimize
airflow.

7. The airflow pattern is dependent to

opening locations.

- The airflow pattern within a building is

determined by the placement of the inlet
opening as well as by the initial airflow
direction and the location of positive and
negative
_____________________________________

6. Air velocity is dependent to inlet – outlet Topic 5 – Solar Devices to Building Envelope
opening ration. The maximum velocity of air
“How do you balance modernism or
movement is obtained when the outlet
aesthetics to tropical considerations?”
opening is larger than the inlet opening.

Solar Control Devices


Building Envelope Color
_____________________________________
Topic 6 – Energy Efficiency
“As designers, can you think of a way to
separate light and heat in our building?”
Water and Wastewater
- Buildings should be designed to maximize
the amount of natural light that enters the
building, particularly workplaces.
- This can lead to significant energy
savings by reducing the need for artificial
lighting and has been shown to improve
productivity.
- The effectiveness of natural light can be
improved by using light colors on walls,
floors and horizontal surfaces, and by
aligning internal walls and ceilings to
maximise light reflection from light sources.
- The benefits of natural light must be
balanced with strategies to manage glare
and heat gain. For this reason, all glass
should be shaded from direct sun or
incorporate glazing technologies that reduce
heat transfer.
Skylight
- can provide good quality light to work
spaces that are away from windows. As
mentioned above, they need to be shaded
and glazed to prevent heat transfer. Some
skylights are also vented to allow hot air
to escape.
Atria
- is a large open space, often several
stories high and having a glazed roof
and/or large windows.
- Atria are popular in commercial spaces
because they give a sense of spaciousness and
allow natural light to enter the building.
- The benefit of an atrium is that hot air
can be vented at the top rather than
accumulating near the building users.
Light Shelves
- is an architectural element that allows
daylight to penetrate deeper into a
building.
- A light shelf is a horizontal light-reflecting
overhang which is placed above eye-level and
has a high-reflectance upper surface.
Clerestory Window
- Another important element in natural
lighting is the use of clerestory windows.
- These are high, vertically placed windows
that are ideally north facing.
- The benefit of clerestory windows can be
enhanced by using light-colored interior
walls to further reflect light into interior
areas.
Energy Efficiency
- In fitting out the building, efforts should be
made to install the most energy efficient
systems and appliances available to reduce
operating costs of the building.
- Air-conditioning, lighting and hot water
systems will have particularly significant
implications for reducing a building’s energy
requirement.

Efficient Air-conditioning

- Wherever possible air-conditioning systems

should incorporate zoning controls which
enable the system to be adjusted to
different heat loads in different parts of
the building and to be shut off when areas
are not in use.

- This reduces the amount of energy used in

cooling or heating air unnecessarily and
improves the comfort of building users.

- High insulation levels in walls, ceiling and

floors.

- Glass is shaded and glazed/treated for

reduced heat exchange.

- Total volume of air space is reduced (e.g. low

ceilings).

- Cracks and gaps are sealed to minimize

external air infiltration.

Building Envelope Color
_____________________________________
____ Topic 6 – Energy Efficiency “As
designers, can you think of a way to
separate light and heat in our building?”
Water and Wastewater - Buildings should be
designed to maximize the amount of natural
light that enters the building, particularly
workplaces. - This can lead to significant
energy savings by reducing the need for
artificial lighting and has been shown to
improve productivity. - The effectiveness of
natural light can be improved by using light
colors on walls, floors and horizontal
surfaces, and by aligning internal walls and
ceilings to maximise light reflection from
light sources. - The benefits of natural light
must be balanced with strategies to
manage glare and heat gain. For this
reason, all glass should be shaded from
direct sun or incorporate glazing
technologies that reduce heat transfer.
Skylight - can provide good quality light to
work spaces that are away from windows.
As mentioned above, they need to be shaded
and glazed to prevent heat transfer. Some
skylights are also vented to allow hot air
to escape. Atria - is a large open space,
often several stories high and having a
glazed roof and/or large windows. - Atria
are popular in commercial spaces because
they give a sense of spaciousness and allow
natural light to enter the building. - The
benefit of an atrium is that hot air can be
vented at the top rather than accumulating
near the building users. Light Shelves - is an
architectural element that allows daylight to
penetrate deeper into a building. - A light
shelf is a horizontal light-reflecting overhang
which is placed above eye-level and has a
high-reflectance upper surface. Clerestory
Window - Another important element in
natural lighting is the use of clerestory
windows. - These are high, vertically
placed windows that are ideally north facing.
- The benefit of clerestory windows can be
enhanced by using light-colored interior
walls to further reflect light into interior
areas. Energy Efficiency - In fitting out the
building, efforts should be made to install
the most energy efficient systems and
appliances available to reduce operating costs
of the
TROPI
building.
CAL
DESIGN
Topic 1 –
Roof
Ventilation, accumulated
Façade hot air with
Design and cool air from
Building outside, using
Envelope convection
“Wood, metal (heat transfer)
or concrete?” - it also
reduces heat
Roof radiated from
Ventilation the
- ventilating ceiling cavity
the ceiling to the inner
cavity of a parts of the
building building
is an - controls
effective way can be
of replacing
installed to - roof
stop covering
ventilation (provides
during the insulation
cooler from
months if solar gain)
necessary - low thermal
Two mass
components: materials (for
- ridge vents roof and
(allow hot air external wall)
out) - ventilated
- eave vents roof void
(cool air in) - air flow via
roof joints
Other
elements:
- shading ventilated
from double skin
overhang with an
eaves intermediate
- large shading
windows device
- void - perforated
Façade aluminum
Design composite
- double - low
layered emissivity
façade – glass –
operates on glass that
the transmits
principle of visible light
using a
while in temperate
selectively and cold
reflecting the climates is
longer to
wavelengths increase
of external wall
radiant heat insulation to
Insulation reduce
- another leakages and
effective way to lower the
to reduce ratio of solid
energy glass area
consumption Solar Control
in the Devices
building, - Horizontal
particularly type
(generally (generally
used on the used for
north and horizontal and
south facing vertical types)
sides of a Building
building) Envelope
- Vertical Materials
type - reflected
(generally and
used on the transmitted
east glass
and west - polished
facing sides surface
of a building) (reflects:
- Egg Crate 100%,
type
transmits: ___________
15%) ___________
- clear glass ___________
(reflects: _________
15%, Topic 2 – Site
transmits: Planning and
85%) Layout
- black “Trees or
surface structures?”
(reflects: 5%- Passive
10%, Cooling
absorbs: 90%- System &
95%) Site Planning
- matte & Layout
surface
Landscape
- a building -
can be hedges/shrubs
protected should not be
from direct more than
sunlight by 3 meters from
placing it on a building
location - tree foliage
within above
the site that openings
utilizes promote air
existing motion into
features such openi
as trees,
terrain, etc.
Rule