Climate and Architecture

Unit I:
Study of effect of orientation, topography, vegetation,
form, building materials and surfaces n the building
design in response to the climate.
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Orientation
• Orientation is the positioning
of a building in relation to
seasonal variations in the
sun’s path as well as
prevailing wind patterns.

• Massing is the overall shape

and size of the building

• Climate-appropriate building massing and orientation helps

harness daylight, solar and wind energy for our comfort, reducing
the building’s energy dependence

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Orientation
Role of good orientation and massing

• Minimize amount of solar radiation when it is hot

• Maximize amount of solar radiation in when it is cold
• Maximize wind access when cooling through natural ventilation is
possible
• Maximize daylight – without glare – during the day

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete Source: Orientation of Building and
Guide] Rooms [A Complete Guide]
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Orientation

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Orientation

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete Guide]

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Orientation

Sun path diagram of Nagpur on 3d Sun path diagram of Nagpur on

Dt:12/12/2023 at 12:47 PM Dt:12/12/2023 at 12:47 PM

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Orientation

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Orientation

Buildings must be responsive to solar orientation on the site. The sun is at a low angle during
the winters and to the south of east-west axis. During summer, its path is at a high angle and
slightly north to the east west axis. The alteration in path affects solar radiation penetration
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete
Guide]
patterns during different seasons and consequently, heat gain and loss in a building.
 Unit:1

• Form and orientation constitute two of the most important passive

Orientation design strategies for reducing energy consumption and improving
thermal comfort for occupants of a building.

• It affects the amount of sun falling on surfaces, daylighting and

direction of winds.

• Towards net zero energy goals, form and orientation have significant
impact on building’s energy efficiency, by harnessing sun and
prevailing winds to our advantage.

• Thus they play a pivotal role in NZEB design approach as these

strategies are one time interventions and their potential benefits
should not be missed.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
 Unit:1

• Building designs vary according to context of its location and climate.

Orientation However, the underlying principle remains the same, maximizing
amount of solar radiation in winter and minimizing the amount in
summers.

• In predominantly hot regions, buildings should be ideally oriented to

minimize solar gains, the reverse is applicable for cold regions.

• Orientation also plays an important role with regard to wind direction.

• The building form determines the volume of space inside a building that
needs to be heated or cooled.

• Thus, more compact the shape, the less wasteful it is in gaining/losing

heat. In hot & dry regions and cold climates, building’s shape needs to
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete be compact to reduce heat gain and losses, respectively.
Guide]
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Form
• Building form influences airflow, solar exposure, and internal thermal
comfort.
• Compact building forms minimize surface area, reducing heat loss in
cold climates and heat gain in hot climates.
• Awnings, balconies, and overhangs can be designed to control solar
gain and glare while maintaining day lighting.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Form • In India, north and south is the

preferred orientation, with
respect to the sun path.

• Longer facades, fenestration

and habitable spaces ideally
located toward north and south-
less solar radiation BUT great for
daylight access

• East and west facades kept small

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Surface area-to-Volume (S/V) and Perimeter-to-Area (P/A) Ratio

Form
• In extremely hot and extremely
cold climates, the importance of
less day-time heat gain and less
night-time heat loss respectively
is more amplified

• Here, more compact the shape, the less heat is gained / lost Low S/V
Ratio recommended in extreme climate Low P/A Ratio recommended
in extreme climate

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Surface area-to-Volume (S/V) and Perimeter-to-Area (P/A) Ratio

Form

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
 Unit:1

Surface area-to-Volume (S/V) and Perimeter-to-Area (P/A) Ratio

Form
• Planforms with greater P/A ratio (like the
courtyard form) is applied in hot
climates

• But they are shaded or have natural

cooling features (vegetation or water
bodies) that modify the micro-climate

• Also helps with natural ventilation when

required and allow better daylight
access

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
 Unit:1

How to maximize the daylighting of my building design?

Form
• To maximize the day lighting of a building design, the building must
be incorrect alignment with the sun.
• Sunshine entering the rooms in the autumn and winter, and in the
morning is preferable.
• Sunshine at midday and in the afternoon in the summer is not
preferable.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Studying the effect of topography on building design in response to

Topography climate is crucial for creating sustainable and comfortable living
environments. Here's an outline of how topography influences building
design:

Drainage and
Solar
Water Site Stability
Orientation
Management

Aesthetics
Temperature
Wind Patterns and
Variations
Integration

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Topography Solar Orientation

The orientation of a building with respect to the sun is influenced
by topography. Understanding the path of the sun throughout the
day and throughout the year helps to design buildings that
maximize or minimize solar gain based on climate needs.

Wind Patterns
Topography can significantly affect local wind patterns. Buildings
need to be designed to either harness or mitigate these winds
depending on the climate. For instance, in hot climates, capturing
prevailing winds for natural ventilation can reduce the need for
mechanical cooling.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
 Unit:1

Topography Drainage and Water Management

Topography dictates how water flows across the landscape.
Buildings must be designed to manage storm water runoff
effectively, especially in regions prone to heavy rainfall or flooding.
This can include features like rain gardens, swales, and permeable
pavement.

Temperature Variations
Elevation changes can lead to temperature variations within a site.
Low-lying areas may be cooler, while higher elevations might
experience more exposure to sunlight. Designers need to account
for these microclimates when planning building layouts and
choosing materials for insulation and shading.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Topography
Site Stability
Topography influences the stability of the ground beneath a
building. Steep slopes, for example, may require additional
foundation support or stabilization measures. Understanding the
geotechnical aspects of the site is essential for safe and durable
construction.

Aesthetics and Integration

Topography can enhance the aesthetic appeal of a building site and
influence architectural design. Buildings can be nestled into
hillsides or designed to complement the natural contours of the
land, creating visually striking and harmonious environments.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Vegetation Trees and shrubs create different air flow patterns, provide shading
and keep the surroundings cooler in warm weather. Vegetation can
be used for energy conservation in buildings in the following ways:

• Shading of buildings and open spaces through landscaping

• Roof gardens (or green roofs)
• Shading of vertical and horizontal surfaces (green walls)
• Buffer against cold and hot winds
• Changing direction of wind

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Vegetation • Vegetation is a flexible controller of solar and wind penetration in

buildings. It reduces direct sun from striking and heating up
building surfaces and lowers the outside air temperature which in
turn effects the heat transfer from outside to building envelope
and interior.
• It can also be used as internal shading element. Used as such,
plants increase the shading coefficient, a measure of the
efficiency of shading devices, without compromising on external
views.
• Plants moreover grow in the direction of sunlight and the growth
varies with seasons and when used keeping in mind seasonal
variations at the building location, can be cost effective, flexible
shading elements.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Vegetation • Vegetation also alters the micro-climate of a site and has been
used as micro-climate manager for as long as buildings have been
built. This is possible through evapotranspiration.

• Plantation also shades building surfaces and open ground, thus

inducing lower surface temperatures.

• Since this shading is almost permanent, the low temperatures do

not vary much even when exposed to harsh radiation occasionally
during hot seasons.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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• Green roofs or roof gardens can also be used as they help to reduce
Vegetation heat loads in a building. The additional thickness of the growing
medium provides extra thermal insulation.

• These also retain moisture from rainwater further cooling the roof
surface. The green cover lowers ambient temperatures through
evapotranspiration.

• Green roofs can be categorized as intensive, extensive and modular

bocks. The biggest difference is with respect to the depth of soil and
resultantly, the type of vegetation that can be supported in each of
the types.

• Soil depth in intensive green roofs is at least 300mm, in extensive

roofs about 25 to 125 mm, and in modular blocks about 100mm. Roof
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete
structures have to be sturdy for supporting green roofs as these
Guide]
impose greater dead weights than normal roofs.
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Vegetation

Vegetation can be used for shading, altering the microclimate and modifying the wind
direction. Selecting the appropriate variety of plantation and its placement are key factors
that determine how well the vegetation will serve its intended purpose.
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete
Guide]
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Vegetation • It is preferable that architects should work with existing terrain of the
site, natural topography and local species for appropriate landscaping.

• Use of local species for vegetation is highly recommended as they are

accustomed to the variations in temperature, rainfall patterns and soil
conditions for that region. They are relatively low maintenance in
terms of water usage, and are resistant against local pests. In addition,
that also support birds and insects that thrive naturally in the region
and help maintain the balance of natural flora and fauna.

• It is recommended that exotic species should cover no more than 25%

of the landscaped area of a building.

• Reduce lawn area in the garden to a minimum to reduce the amount of

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete
water that is needed for irrigation.
Guide]
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Vegetation

Creepers are flexible shading devices for verandahs and interior spaces. Depending on the
seasonal growth patterns of creepers and timely manual pruning, these can be used
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete
Guide] effectively for controlling sun penetration.
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• Reduce the area of hard paved surfaces through the use of

Vegetation polypropylene grass pavers. Absence of hard surfaces also ensures
lower ambient temperature.

• It is also more pleasant for pedestrians to walk on a green, soft surface

that does not radiate heat.

• Evaluate the possibility of creating “structural shading” using recycled

and otherwise discarded components.

• Green roofs often require regular maintenance and involve high first
costs; thus these have to be designed and installed carefully. The
growing medium and other components add load to the roof and this
extra weight has to be considered while designing the roof structure.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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• On existing buildings, it is more feasible to either use modular blocks or

Vegetation extensive roof systems as these are lighter. Engineered soil that is
lightweight, and has better water retention capacity and low organic
content is more suitable for green roofs.

• Waterproofing must be installed carefully in green roofs. It is extremely

difficult and expensive to repair waterproofing layers once the layers of
a green roof are laid.

• Moreover, the waterproofing in green roofs must be elastic to

withstand building movement and non-biodegradable. Plant native
trees and shrubs as they are usually low maintenance.

• Deciduous vegetation can be considered as flexible shading devices.

During winter, the vegetation will shed leaves to allow penetration of
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete sunlight to the same occupied space which it would shade in summer.
Guide]
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Vegetation

Deciduous trees are best for shading parts of the building that need sun in the winter and
shade in the summer. They allow sun penetration in winter and block sun access during the
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete summer. In the northern hemisphere, deciduous trees are best for south facing facades.
Guide]
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Building • Selection of building materials affects thermal performance,

Materials durability, and embodied energy.

• High thermal mass materials like concrete can help stabilize indoor
temperatures by absorbing and releasing heat slowly.

• Insulation materials and reflective surfaces reduce heat transfer

through walls and roofs, improving energy efficiency.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Building
Materials

Thermal mass can be used with nocturnal convective cooling or ‘night cooling’ for cooling
buildings passively. Diurnal swing, i.e., the difference between daytime and nighttime outdoor
temperatures, must be high for thermal mass to be an effective passive cooling and heating
Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete strategy.
Guide]
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Building • Thermal mass helps to store heat within the building structure and
Materials moderate fluctuations in the indoor temperature. This heat storing
capacity of building material helps in achieving thermal comfort for
occupants by providing time delay.

• Mass and density of a building material affects this heat storing

capacity in buildings. High density materials such as concrete, bricks
and stone have high thermal mass, while materials such as wood or
plastics have low thermal mass. The efficacy depends on the
placements of these elements with respect to direct irradiation of
the sun.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Building • Denser thermal mass materials are more effective passive solar
Materials materials. Thus denser the material the better it stores and releases
heat.
• Use thermal mass in climates with large diurnal temperature range.
• Integrate thermal mass with an efficient passive solar design, by
considering the placement of added mass. Effectively locate and
distribute thermal mass.
• Select appropriate mass color with low reflectivity. Dark, matt or
textured surfaces absorb and re-radiate more energy than light,
smooth, reflective surfaces.
• Do not substitute thermal mass for insulation. It should be used in
conjunction with insulation.
• For heating and cooling requirements, the ground floor is the most
ideal place for thermal efficiency in winter and summer.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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Surfaces • Surface materials impact heat absorption, reflection, and radiation.

• Light-colored surfaces reflect solar radiation, reducing heat

absorption and urban heat island effects.

• Permeable surfaces allow rainwater infiltration, reducing runoff and

supporting groundwater recharge.

• By considering the holistic interaction of these factors, architects and

designers can create buildings that are responsive to their climate,
energy-efficient, and conducive to occupant comfort and well-being.
This integrated approach promotes sustainability and resilience in the
built environment.

Source: Orientation of Building and Rooms [A Complete

Guide]
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