CLIMATE RESPONSIVE ARCHITECTURE

Vernacular architecture as the source for energy efficiency and thermal comfort
 

RESEARCH in ARCHITECTURE - I
Final Research Seminar: 7 Oct 2019
Academic Year : 2019 – 2020

N D M V P’ S College of Ar c hi t e c tu r e , Nashik

SUSTAINABILITY – 06. Chinmai Selvam, Climate responsive Architecture

Vernacular architecture as the source for energy efficiency
and thermal comfort

Class: Fourth Year B.Arch Division: B Roll No: 22

1. BROADER ASPECT 2. FOCUS AREA
i. Introduction
 Climate responsive design is a concept that would provide a comfortable indoor environment in
ii. Vernacular architecture as the basic
response to the seasonal variations of the climate, that integrates the micro-climate and architecture
principle of climate responsive architecture
with human thermal comfort conditions.
iii. Major climatic zones of India
 This fact is well supported by various studies on vernacular architecture as well as on modern
and their climate responsive strategies
architecture throughout the world.
Hot & Dry Climate
 The application of climate responsive architecture is a strategy that can meet both issues energy
Warm & Humid Climate
efficiency and thermal comfort.
Cold & Sunny
Cold & Cloudy
Composite
iv. Energy efficiency & comfort
v. Responsiveness of building elements

i. Introduction
 The concept of climate responsive architecture takes
into account the micro-climatic conditions and
thermal comfort conditions that improves the
buildings energy efficiency.
 Vernacular architecture acts as the basic principle to
climate responsive architecture, also how it
contributes for thermal comfort and energy
efficiency.
ii. Vernacular architecture as the basic principle of climate responsive architecture
 Vernacular architecture is the source of essential knowledge for energy efficient and climate responsive architectural design principles.
Understanding vernacular architecture should be not as the study of past tradition but as a contribution to new methods, solutions and achievements
for the future built environment.
 It expresses a higher degree of design sensitivity through their modest structures, more powerfully explored in domestic architecture, the local
climate constraints and shows maximum adaptability and flexibility. It is a direct response to context and resource including materials and
techniques using available potentials such as the indigenous skills of the local passed on from generations
  iii. Major Climatic Zones Of India and Their
Climate Responsive Strategies 1. Hot & Dry Climate
 The orientation, placement, form and shape of building should be kept to
minimize sun exposure in summer to reduce surface areas of heat gain.
Structure should allow adequate heat gain in winter by movable shading
devices. Ventilation should be provided for regulation of air movement.
 A small courtyard is excellent as a thermal regulator. Courtyard, white
colored walls (“cool” colors reduce heat reflection). 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.

2. Warm & Humid Climate

 The building should be located on the windward side or crest to take advantage of
cool breezes. Since the humidity level is quite high (uncomfortable range) throughout
the year; water bodies should be kept out of design considerations as far as possible.
 Building should be spread out with large open spaces for unrestricted air movement.
The buildings are preferably oriented along an east-west direction to minimize the
solar radiation on external surfaces to reduce heat gain.
 3. Cold & Sunny
 In this climatic zone the building structure on the windward slopes is preferred for
getting cool breezes because the humidity level is very high throughout the year.
An open and free layout of the buildings is preferred.
 It is preferable to have the building orientation in the north-south, while the
western side should ideally be well-shaded.
 Sunlight is desirable except in summer, so the depth of the interiors may not be
excessive. Tilted roof is preferred as like warm and humid climatic zone.
4. Cold & Cloudy
 In cold climates, heat gain is desirable. Hence, building should be located on the
south slope of a hill or mountain for better access to solar radiation.
 At the same time, the exposure to cold winds can be minimized by locating the
building on the leeward side. Buildings in cold climates should be clustered
together to minimize the exposure to cold winds.
 Windows should preferably face south to encourage direct solar heat gain. A solar
air collector can be incorporated on the south facing slope of the roof for hot air and
it can be used for space heating purpose. Skylights on the roof admit heat as well as
5. Composite light in winters.
 In composite climate air exchange should be at a higher rate, increase in humidity level in dry summers, decrease humidity in Monsoon is
necessary. Courtyards or Wind towers are required; trees & water ponds for evaporative cooling are some of the design elements. In composite
climate the orientation of the buildings is preferable in North-East & South-West Directions.
 This helps in receiving less radiation which results in lesser heat gain & reduces the overall air conditioning requirement & thus saves energy.
Proper orientation also helps in receiving natural light & ventilation. Open spaces such as courtyards are beneficial. Buildings should be
grouped in such a way as to take advantage of prevailing breezes during the short periods when air movement is necessary.
iv. Energy efficiency & comfort
 The use of climate-responsive building elements more or less reverts to the original combined role of a building structure to meet both the
function it was created for and to provide comfort.
 For optimal performance on both comfort and energy issues, a potential design solution is an integrated building concept where climate-
responsive building elements are combined with passive energy strategies, and sustainable building systems for climate control.
 The increasing concern to environmental performance of buildings has activated innovation of new techniques and strategies of climate
responsive concepts. Earth coupling 1. Earth coupling systems
systems  Earth coupling systems use the earth's large thermal
storage ability to provide heating or cooling.
Thermal mass
systems  The ground source is able to supply the system with an
ENERGY
all-year round constant temperature.
EFFICIENCY &
THERMAL
COMFORT CAN BE 2. Thermal mass systems
Dynamic
ACHIEVED FROM insulation  Thermal mass is defined as the mass of a building that is
actively used for the storage of thermal energy.
Phase change  This storage ability can be used for both heating and
materials cooling purposes.

3. Dynamic insulation
4. Phase Change Materials  Dynamic insulation is the concept of the combined use of conventional
 Phase Change Materials are defined as materials that insulation and heat exchange characteristics of an outer wall in order to
encounter a phase change at a certain constant temperature. preheat fresh ventilation air.
 The idea is to take advantage or their ability to accumulate  An air flow can be led through special constructed cavities within the wall or
heat during their melting phase. by leading it to a permeable insulation layer.
v. Responsiveness of building elements
 Responsive means that a building (through climate-responsive
building elements) reacts to a certain stimulus with some kind of
rational or logical behaviour.
 In the case of climate responsive building elements, the dynamic
conditions of external and internal climatic conditions and human
intervention are the stimulus.
 The exchange of energy between the building and its environment is
treated with respect with to supply and demand. 3. CASE STUDIES
1. A Vernacular Dwelling of Thanjavur (Warm & Humid)
 The settlements in this region show a moderately dense, low rise
development with courtyard type of dwelling. The planning shows a grid
iron pattern with each street in east west orientation.
 The exposure of building surfaces to direct solar heat is reduced to a
maximum by planning the shorter side of the linear form facing the street.
 The inner walls are constructed with exclusive indigenous technique
adopted in this region.
  The roof is made of country wood or bamboo rafters and battens covered
with two to three layers of pan tiles. The doors and windows are the only
openings in the vernacular dwellings and they are minimum in numbers.
 The heat gain from the sun will be more in the upper part of the courtyard
and induces air movement from outside through surrounding spaces. The
passage around the courtyard space for household activities with proper
sunlight and air movement.

2. A Settlement Study in Kullu (Cold & Sunny)

 In the cool climate, the main function of the shelter should be to provide
thermal comfort to the occupants by reducing heat loss from the buildings.
 The dwellings are of two storeys high with linear arrangement of rooms,
connected by verandah / balcony, in both the floors. Normally in the
ground floor/level, cattle-shed and storage areas are provided.
 All the habitable rooms, verandah and balconies are oriented towards the
south, east and west to receive the maximum solar heat gain during day
time.
 Mostly the height of the rooms was kept lower (2.1 - 2.4 m).
Small size openings are provided in the rooms of the dwellings
with operable timber and glass shutters.
 No openings are provided in the northern side to avoid the cool
winter air. The walls are made of stone masonry and timber
having thickness of 45-60 cm. This traditional style of wall
construction is known as ‘Kath-Khuni’ or ‘Dhajji-wall’.

5. LITERATURE REFERENCES
 Vernacular architecture as a model for contemporary design
 Climate responsive design living in warm-humid climate: the need
for a comprehensive investigation of Kerala vernacular architecture
and its present status
 A study on sustainable design principles: a case study of vernacular
dwelling in Tanjavur region of Tamil Nadu.
4. CONCLUSION  Design strategy for integration of climate responsive building
 One of the major upcoming problems is architecture affecting the climate
elements in dwellings
in a negative impact.
 Climate-responsive building design in north-east India
 Therefore, it is necessary to understand the importance of climate
 Climate-responsive residential buildings in India. Just a drop in the
responsive architecture and how it could balance the need of growing
ocean?”
infrastructure and the surrounding also helping attain a better thermal
 Adaptive climate responsive vernacular construction in high
comfort and increasing energy efficiency.
altitude