SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE-SEM IX

ASSIGNMENT-2

SUBMITTED BY: TEJASI GADKARI 30/08

Q1. Explain the various solar passive design concepts in architecture.

Passive solar design integrates a combination of building features to reduce or even eliminate the need for mechanical cooling and heating and daytime artificial lighting. In passive solar building architecture, windows, walls, and floors are made to collect, store, and distribute solar energy in the form of heat in the winter and reject solar heat in the summer. This is called passive solar design or climatic design because, unlike active solar heating systems, it doesn't involve the use of mechanical and electrical devices. The key to designing a passive solar building is to best take advantage of the local climate. Elements to be considered include window placement and glazing type, thermal insulation, thermal mass, and shading. Passive solar design techniques can be applied most easily to new buildings, but existing buildings can be adapted or "retrofitted".

PASSIVE SOLAR ENERGY

DIRECT GAIN

INDIRECT GAIN

ISOLATED GAIN

Direct gain is solar radiation that directly penetrates and is stored in the living space. Indirect gain collects, stores, and distributes solar radiation using some thermal storage material (e.g., Tromb wall). Conduction, radiation, or convection then transfers the energy indoors. Isolated gain systems (e.g., sunspace) collect solar radiation in an area that can be selectively closed off or opened to the rest of the house.

The scientific basis for passive solar building design has been developed from a combination of: Climatology Thermodynamics (particularly heat transfer), Human thermal comfort (for buildings to be inhabited by humans and animals). Site and location of the dwelling Prevailing level of rain Design and construction Solar orientation Placement of walls Incorporation of biomass. Various climatic factors that affect the solar passive design are: wind velocity, ambient temperature, relative humidity and solar radiation. For a particular climate suitable combination of solar passive techniques are required to be selected to obtain the highest possible comfort at the lowest possible expenditure for material and energy.

KEY PASSIVE SOLAR CONCEPTS

DIRECT SOLAR GAIN INDIRECT SOLAR GAIN ISOLATED SOLAR GAIN HEAT STORAGE INSULATION AND GLAZING PASSIVE COOLING 1.DIRECT GAIN: Direct gain attempts to control the amount of direct solar radiation reaching the living space. This direct solar gain is a critical part of passive solar house design as it imparts to a direct gain.

DAY
2.INDIRECT GAIN attempts to control solar radiation reaching an area adjacent but not part of the living space. Heat enters the building through windows and is captured and stored in thermal mass (e.g. water tank, masonry wall) and slowly transmitted indirectly to the building through conduction and convection. Efficiency can suffer from slow response (thermal lag) and heat losses at night. Other issues include the cost of insulated glazing and developing effective systems to redistribute heat throughout the living area.

NIGHT

3.ISOLATED SOLAR GAIN: Isolated gain involves utilizing solar energy to passively move heat from or to the living space using a fluid, such as water or air by natural convection or forced convection. Heat gain can occur through a sunspace, solarium or solar closet. These areas may also be employed usefully as a greenhouse or drying cabinet. Glass placement and overhangs prevent solar gain during the summer. Earth cooling tubes or other passive cooling techniques can keep a solarium cool in the summer. Measures should be taken to reduce heat loss at night by providing window coverings or movable window insulation. 4.HEAT STORAGE The sun does not shine all the time. Heat storage, or thermal mass keeps the building warm when the sun cannot heat it. In buildings in warm regions, the storage is designed for one or a few days. The usual method is a custom-constructed thermal mass. These include a Trombe wall, a ventilated concrete floor, a cistern, water wall or roof pond. In subarctic areas, or areas that have long terms without solar gain (e.g. weeks of freezing fog), the ground is used as thermal mass large enough for annualised heat storage by running an isolated thermosiphon under the building. 5.INSULATION AND GLAZING a.Special glazing systems and window coverings The effectiveness of direct solar gain systems is significantly enhanced by insulative (e.g. double glazing), spectrally selective glazing (low-e), or movable window insulation (window quilts, interior insulation shutters, shades, etc.). Generally, Equator-facing windows should not employ glazing coatings that inhibit solar gain. b.Equator facing glass The requirement for vertical equator-facing glass is different from the other three sides of a building. Reflective window coatings and multiple panes of glass can reduce useful solar gain. However, direct-gain systems are more dependent on double or triple glazing to reduce heat loss. Indirect-gain and isolated-gain configurations may still be able to function effectively with only single-pane glazing. Nevertheless, the optimal cost-effective solution is both location and system dependent.

c.Roof-angle glass / Skylights Skylights admit sunlight either horizontally (a flat roof) or pitched at the same angle as the roof slope. In most cases, horizontal skylights are used with reflectors to increase the intensity of solar radiation depending on the angle of incidence. Large skylights should be provided with shading devices to prevent heat loss at night and heat gain during the summer months. d.Angle of incident radiation The amount of solar gain transmitted through glass is also affected by the angle of the incident solar radiation. Sunlight striking glass within 20 degrees of perpendicular is mostly transmitted through the glass, whereas sunlight at more than 35 degrees from perpendicular is mostly reflected. e. Operable shading and insulation devices A design with too much equator-facing glass can result in excessive winter, spring, or fall day heating, uncomfortably bright living spaces at certain times of the year, and excessive heat transfer on winter nights and summer days. Variable cloud cover influences solar gain potential. This means that besides latitudespecific fixed window overhangs, other seasonal solar gain control solutions are required. Control mechanisms (such as manual-or-motorized interior insulated drapes, shutters, exterior roll-down shade screens, or retractable awnings) can compensate for differences caused by thermal lag or cloud cover, and help control daily / hourly solar gain requirement variations.

PASSIVE COOLING
a.Exterior colours reflecting - absorbing Materials and colours can be chosen to reflect or absorb solar thermal energy. The thermal radiation properties of reflection or absorption of a colour can assist the choices of cool colours.

b.Landscaping and gardens Energy-efficient landscaping materials for careful passive solar choices include hardscape building material and "softscape" plants. Trees, hedges, and trellis-pergola features with vines; all can be used to create summer shading. For winter solar gain it is desirable to use deciduous plants that give year round passive solar benefits. Nondeciduous evergreen shrubs and trees can be windbreaks, at variable heights and distances, to create protection and shelter from winter wind chill.

SOLAR PASSIVE HEATING TECHNIQUES

1.Direct system gain Direct heat gain technique is generally used in cold climates. Double glazed windows are located facing South to receive maximum sunlight during winter. An overhang above the windows or at the roof level is provided to give shade, during summer when the elevation of the sun is high. Insulating curtains are provided to cover the windows to reduce heat loss during night. Massive flooring and walls are used to increase the thermal mass to store heat during day time; heat is released during the night to warm the interior. 2.INDIRECT GAIN SYSTEM(THERMAL STORAGE WALL) In an indirect gain system, thermal mass is located between the sun and the living space. The thermal mass absorbs the sunlight that strikes it and transfers it to the living space. The indirect gain system uses 30%-40% of the suns energy striking the glass adjoining the thermal mass. A few commonly used indirect gain systems are discussed below. A.TROMBE WALL The entire south-facing wall is double glazed by two sheets of glass or plastic with an air-gap between the wall and the inner glazing. Hot air flows from bottom to top through the air gap owing to natural convection. A large blackened thermal storage wall is constructed with the outer side facing the sun. Sunlight after penetration through the glazing is absorbed by the wall and the wall is thus heated. Accordingly, the air between the glazing and the wall gets heated and flows into the room through the top vent. This circulation process continues and the cool air from the room enters into the gap through the bottom vent. In addition, the room is also heated by radiation and convection from the inner surface of the wall facing the room. During night both vents are closed and heat transfer takes place only by radiation.

WORKING During summer the vent A at the top of the south-facing wall is kept closed while the vents B, C and D are opened. The hot air between the glazing and the wall then flows out through the vent C and the air from room flows in to fill this space. Simultaneously, the air is pulled into the room through the vent D which is located in the shaded cool area. The construction of the building is such that the overhanging roof prevents direct sun rays to heat the glazing during summer

Generally, thickness of storage wall is between 200 mm to 450 mm, the air gap between the wall and glazing is 50-150 mm, and the total area of each row of vent is about one percent of the storage wall area. The Trombe wall should be adequately shaded for reducing summer gains.

B.WATER WALL Water walls are based on the same principle as that for Trombe walls, except that they employ water as the thermal storage material. A water wall is a thermal storage wall made up of drums of water stacked up behind glazing. It is usually painted black to increase heat absorption. It is more effective in reducing temperature swings but the time lag is less. Heat transfer through water walls is much faster than that for Trombe walls. Therefore, the distribution of heat needs to be controlled if it is not immediately required for heating the building. Buildings that work during daytime, such as schools and offices, benefit from the heat transfer in the water wall. Overheating during summer may be prevented by using suitable shading devices.

Direct gain interior - A direct gain design with an interior water wall for heat storage. Heat stored in the water wall is radiated into the living space at night.

C. ROOF-BASED AIR HEATING SYSTEM In this technique, incident solar radiation is trapped by the roof and is used for heating interior spaces. In the northern hemisphere, the system usually consists of an inclined south-facing glazing and a north-sloping insulated surface on the roof. Between the roof and the insulation , an air pocket is formed , which is heated by solar radiation. A moveable insulation can be used to reduce heat loss through glazed panes during nights. There could be variations in detailing of roof air heating systems.

D.SOLARIUM A sunspace or solarium is the combination of direct and indirect gain systems. Solar radiation heats up the sunspace directly, which, in turn, heats up the living space (separated from the sunspace by a mass wall) by convection and conduction through the mass wall.

The basic requirements of buildings heated by sunspace are: (1) a glazed-south facing collector space attached yet separated from the building
(2) living space separated from the sunspace by a thermal storage wall. Sunspaces may be used as winter gardens adjacent to the building space.

E. SOLAR CHIMNEY Solar chimney is an air-heating solar collector attached to the south wall of the building. As the air in the solar collector is heated, it expands rises and enters the house. Cooler house air is drawn into the collector to take its place. Solar chimneys avoid many of the problems of direct gain systems, such as glare and heat loss. But the disadvantage is that like direct gain, too large a system may result in higher than normal temperature within the rooms. Careful construction is required to ensure proper efficiency and durability.

ADVANCED PASSIVE COOLING TECHNIQUES

Passive cooling systems rely on natural heat-sinks to remove heat from the building. They derive cooling directly from evaporation, convection, and radiation without using any intermediate electrical devices. All passive cooling strategies rely on daily changes in temperature and relative humidity.

1. VENTILATION Outdoor breezes create air movement through the house interior by the pushpull effect of positive air pressure on the windward side and negative pressure (suction) on the leeward side.
Good natural ventilation requires locating openings in opposite pressure zones. Also, designers often choose to enhance natural ventilation using tall spaces called stacks in buildings. With openings near the top of stacks, warm air can escape whereas cooler air enters the building from openings near the ground.

2. WIND TOWER In a wind tower, the hot air enters the tower through the openings in the tower, gets cooled, and thus becomes heavier and sinks down. The inlet and outlet of rooms induce cool air movement. In the presence of wind,air is cooled more effectively and flows faster down the tower and into the living area. After the whole day of air exchanges, the tower becomes warm in the evenings.During the night, cooled ambient air comes in contact with the bottom of the tower through the rooms. The tower walls absorb heat during day time and release it at night, warming the cool night air in the tower. Warm air moves up , creating an upward draft , and draws cool night air through the doors and windows into the building. The system works effectively in hot and dry climates where diurnal variations are high.

A wind tower works well for individual units but not for multistoreyed apartments. In dense urban areas, the wind tower has to be long enough to be able to catch enough air. 3.COURTYARD EFFECT Due to incident solar radiation in a courtyard, the air gets warmer and rises. Cool air from the ground level flows through the louvered openings of rooms surrounding a courtyard, thus producing air flow. At night, the warm roof surfaces get cooled by convection and radiation. If this heat exchange reduces roof surface temperature to wet bulb temperature of air, condensation of atmospheric moisture occurs on the roof and the gain due to condensation limits further cooling. If the roof surfaces are sloped towards the internal courtyard, the cooled air sinks into the court and enters the living space through low-level openings. However, care should be taken that the courtyard does not receive intense solar radiation, which would lead to conduction and radiation heat gains into the building. Intensive solar radiation in the courtyard also produces immense glare.

4 .EARTH AIR TUNNELS Daily and annual temperature fluctuations decrease with the increase in depth below the ground surface. At a depth of about 4m below ground, the temperature inside the earth remains nearly constant round the year and is nearly equal to the annual average temperature of the place. A tunnel in the form of a pipe or otherwise embedded at a depth of about 4 m below the ground will acquire the same temperature as the surrounding earth at its surface and, therefore, the ambient air ventilated though this tunnel will get cooled in summer and warmed in winter and this air can be used for cooling in summer and heating in winter.

5.EVAPORATIVE COOLING Evaporative cooling lowers indoor air temperature by evaporating water. It is effective in hot and dry climate where the atmospheric humidity is low. In evaporating cooling,the sensible heat of air is used to evaporate water, thereby cooling the air, which,in turn, cools the living space of the building. Increase in contact between water and air increases the rate of evaporation. The presence of a water body such as a pond, lake and a sea near the building or a fountain in a courtyard can provide a cooling effect. The most commonly used system is a desert cooler, which comprises water, evaporative pads, a fan, and pump.

6.PASSIVE DOWNDRAUGHT COOLING Evaporative cooling has been used for many centuries in parts of the Middle East, notably Iran and Turkey. In this system, wind catchers guide outside air over waterfilled pots, inducing evaporation and causing a significant drop in temperature before the air enters the interior. Such wind catchers become primary elements of the architectural form also. Passive downdraught evaporative cooling is particularly effective in hot and dry climates.

7. EARTH BERMING Since the ground is nearly always cooler than the air, in the month when cooling is required, the more a house is in contact with the ground, the cooler it will be.

8. ROOF PONDS Roof ponds can be used both for heating during the winter months and for cooling during the summer months. The roof ponds of contained water are the heating (and cooling) unit. The movable insulation above the ponds is the weather protection, winter time heating is comprised of daytime opening the insulating roof layer to allow solar radiation to heat the water bed; water bed warming heats the supporting structure which is also the ceiling for spaces below; heated support structure radiates heat to the space. At night the insulated roof panels close to contain heat gathered by the ponds to continue heating the spaces below. Cooling strategies are the opposite operation.

Q2.What is the role of sustainable architecture in conserving natural resources?

Buildings produce half of all greenhouse gases and account for one-sixth of the world's freshwater withdrawals, one-quarter of its wood harvest and two fifths of its material and energy flows. By several estimates, we will double the size of the built environment over the next twenty to forty years. For these reasons there is a critical and immediate need to shift thinking on how the built environment is designed. Building principles have to be changed To reduce environmental impact, To protect public health To improve environmental equity and Justice OBEJECTIVES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT Preserving, protecting and improving the quality of the environment. Rational utilization of natural resources. Protecting human health. Promoting measures at international level to deal with environmental problems. Sustainable architecture should be seen and perceives as a process and a vehicle towards achieving sustainable development. This process is governed by set of principles and patterns, which form a more comprehensive design matrix for architects and planners. PRINCIPLES OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE Design for low environmental impact (locally, regionally and globally). Continuous learning from vernacular and primitive architecture The use of local materials and indigenous building sources. Regulation of energy efficient design principals. The use of labor-intensive rather than energy-intensive construction techniques. Standards that would discourage construction in ecologically inappropriate areas. Exploration of methods to encourage and facilitate the recycling and reuse of building materials, especially those requiring intensive energy consumption in their manufacture. The use of clean technologies. The use of appropriate building technologies (ABT). Use of environment-friendly materials and processes which seek to have the minimum impact upon the environment throughout their life-cycle (manufacture, use, disposal).

BENEFITS OF SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE

1.STRONGER SOCIAL NETWORKS Development of sustainable buildings restores the nations resources, revitalizing the towns and states. Local transportation of materials reduces air emissions and petroleum consumption, therefore reducing ones dependence on foreign oil. Besides, locally produced and purchased materials result in decreased transportation costs and yield financial as well as environmental benefits.

2.HIGH PERFORMANCE BUILDINGS REDUCE OPERATING AND MAINTENANCE COST High efficiency water fixtures dramatically cut water consumption levels. Additionally, gray water systems filter and reuse water (in toilets and for landscaping). Fewer light fixtures and the use of motion sensors and timing devices decreases energy consumption.
Also, installing compact fluorescent light bulbs is useful as they last longer and they do not need regular bulb changes. Increased use of daylight improves employee morale and reduces energy operating costs. 3.REDUCE THE IMPACT ON THE NATURAL ENVIRONMENT:Reuse of land for an infill development project reduces the impact of additional roads and sewers on the environment and promotes walking and transit use. Conscientious construction methods divert tons of waste materials from landfills and minimize site disturbance. Informed choice of building materials reduces the demand on natural resources and can improve the quality of the building.

Storm water reuse reduces the demand for potable water and municipal groundwater withdrawals. Smart growth helps protect green and open spaces as well as reduce sprawl which results in occupants not commuting as far, in turn reducing vehicle emissions. The use of renewable wood and recycled content materials is encouraged. Reduced energy consumption means fewer power plant emissions.
Land infill development in North Camden ,New Jersey

SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE-TECHNIQUES
SITE: The layout and design of a building and grounds has an impact on energy and water consumption. A well-planned site will preserve much of the natural vegetation, increase the energy efciency of the building, and reduce the amount of storm water leaving the site. EXCAVATION: In addition the amount of excavation required can be reduced, thus reducing construction costs and environmental impacts of the construction process. A comprehensive site design can save money and increase the appeal of a property. CARBON EMISSION: By implementing efcient technologies that save water and energy, developers, homeowners, and businesses can protect the environment while saving money. Every kilowatt (kW) of power that is not consumed reduces energy bills and decreases the amount of carbon dioxide and other pollutants released into the environment during the generation process. WATER CONSERVATION: Because toilets represent a homes largest water consuming device, installing water-efcient toilets (about 1.6 gallons per ush) can yield signicant economic savings. Significant quantities of water can be saved by using recycling n waste water treaments like gray water recycling.

GREEN BUILDING: refers to a structure and using process that is environmentally responsible and resource-efficient throughout a building's life-cycle: from siting to design, construction, operation, maintenance, renovation, and demolition. This requires close cooperation of the design team, the architects, the engineers, and the client at all project stages.[The Green Building practice expands and complements the classical building design concerns of economy, utility, durability, and comfort. OBJECTIVE The common objective is that green buildings are designed to reduce the overall impact of the built environment on human health and the natural environment by: Efficiently using energy, water, and other resources Protecting occupant health and improving employee productivity Reducing waste, pollution and environmental degradation Sustainability presents itself as a unique challenge in the field of Architecture Construction projects typically consume large amounts of materials, produce tons of waste, and often involve weighing the preservation of buildings that have historical significance against the desire for the development of newer, more modern designs. Sustainable construction is defined as the creation and responsible management of a healthy built environment based on resource efficient and ecological principles. Sustainably designed buildings aim to lessen their impact on our environment through energy and resource efficiency.

METHODS TO CONSERVE NATURAL RESOURCES BY ADOPTING SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE A building cannot be sustainable unless its interior design is not in tandem with it. Solar and Wind energy should be made use of and the orientation and placement of a site should be looked into. Positioning of windows should be such that they allow cross ventilation, thus creating climate sensitive design. Day lighting is an important factor that has considerable importance in case of any design. Day lighting reduces the need for artificial lighting thus saving energy. For furniture, instead of hardwoods, renewable materials like rubber wood, bamboo and cane can be used. Glass can be used as facade cladding with opaque insulation thus helping in keeping the building cool. Special venetian blinds further cool the rooms. Landscaping should be done on roofs to minimize solar gain. Innovative construction techniques for roofing such as domes, arches and precast brick panels should be used as they reduce energy consumption of a building. Rainwater harvesting is an important aspect of sustainability.

Sustainable design is the thoughtful integration of architecture with electrical, mechanical, and structural engineering. In addition to concern for the traditionalism, aesthetics, massing, proportion, scale, texture, shadow and light, the design team needs to be concerned with long term costs: environmental, economic and human. All in all, a sustainable design is more a practical philosophy of the building than perspective building style.

CASE STUDY T ZED HOMES,BANGALORE

T-ZED stands for zero energy development LOCATION-Whitefield road,Bangalore SITE-5 acre

CONCEPT: The total number of homes is based on the carrying capacity of the land:
To ensure the autonomy in water the amount of water harvested from the annual rainfall is calculated and gives the feeding capacity of the land which is divided by the annual average consumption of a modern family, giving at last the maximum figures for settlement. The master plan consists in two parallel four-floor buildings containing a street for pedestrian and vehicles movements along it. The south-facing buildings are segmented into blocks in order to provide maximum natural light to the street and homes located in the second row of buildings. These cavities called e-zone are treated as garden for recreation. MATERIALS: TZed uses building technologies and materials (like stone and mud) that reduces carbon emission through savings on resources and embodied energies. BCIL has used filler slabs, incorporating fly ash blocks, to save the amount of steel and cement used. External walls are built using soil-stabilised blocks (around five lakhs have been used), laterite blocks and finishing treated with fine waterproof coating. This ensures that surfaces are non-erodable, need no external paint applications and are thermally efficient.

Sky bridges have been used to connect two building blocks which reduces travel distance and hence elevator travel.

Green roofs or sky gardens also contribute to the thermal comfort of the dwellings. These provide a planting space for every home while serving as thermal insulation for adjoining and lower built spaces. Each sky garden uses lightweight mulch and coir pith instead of heavier soil, and is irrigated via a drip method. Rubberwood, a non-forest timber, is used for door shutters and as flooring. Palm wood has been used for external walkway decking. They have also used compressed coir door panels for the door shutters, while bamboo composites provide roofing for part of the club and the interior woodwork in places. These are local resources that use less energy to produce, thus reducing carbon emissions. WATER CONSERVATION A self sufficient and secure water supply system is also provided, using the rainwater collected from the roofs, which is stored in shallow aquifers, through a system of drains, percolation pits, trenches and wells. Around 44 recharge wells are dug to help water percolation through the ground into the shallow zone. Shading devices have been provided to give shade.It protects from harsh sunlight entering the building, reducing air conditioning Four bore wells act as backup for water in extreme conditions of shortage of harvested water, these wells are equipped with sand filters and ozonation systems. Solar water pumps draw this water from the shallow aquifers into a transit tanks from where it is sent for ozonizing thereby making it potable. Then it is sent to small overhead tanks for daily storage before it reaches the homes. Hot water is always available as solar water heaters have been installed.

Filler slabs to save material, use of laterite stone which is locally available and a thermal insulator

Use of eco friendly and locally available bamboo in the lower part of the structure

Through this project, an effort has been made to provide modern comfortable housing and at the same time, minimize the environmental impact. The various technologies and design techniques used in the construction are all well known and have been successfully implemented.