PASSIVE SOLAR

ARCHITECTURE

DR. BN COLLEGE OF
ARCHITECTURE, PUNE

SUBJECT: DISSERTATION

NAME: ANU OM ALREJA

CLASS: FOURTH YEAR B.ARCH

ROLL NO.: 2

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 Completion Certificate

This is to certify that Miss. Anu Om Alreja of Dr. BN College of

Architecture University Exam No.: Class: Fourth
Year B.Arch Roll No.: 2 has satisfactorily completed the required
amount of work for the Academic Year: as laid down
by the University/Institution.

Head of the External Examiner Internal Examiner

Department Subject Teacher

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to take this opportunity to extend my sincere thanks to my guide Ar. Arun Ogale,
Ar. Shekhar Garud, Ar. Anagha Paranjape, Ar. Nachiket Patwardhan and Ar. Vasudha Gokhale
for all help, support and guidance provided to complete my dissertation project.

I would also like to extend my sincere gratitude to our Principal Dr. Anurag Kashyap, Dr.
Bhanuben Nanavati College of Architecture, for being a source of inspiration and support.

Thank you.

Regards,

Anu Om Alreja

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 SYNOPSIS
Introduction
 The need
 Importance of energy conservation in buildings
 Pattern of energy consumption
Aim
Objective
Methodology
Solar Passive Techniques
 Passive heating
 Direct gain
 Indirect gain system
 Direct gain systems
 Windows
 Glazed Wall
 Glazed Atrium
 Indirect gain systems
 Roof-based air heating system
 Thermal storage wall system (Trombe wall)
 Water wall
 Sun spaces
 Transwall
 Passive cooling
 Passive cooling systems
 Ventilation & Operable Windows
 Wing Walls
 Thermal Chimney
 Other Ventilation Strategies
 Passive Downdraft Evaporative Cooling (PDEC) System
 Earth berming
 Earth air tunnel (EAT) system
 Cooling Tower / Wind catcher / Wind Tower
 Evaporative cooling
 Roof pond system
 Courtyard
Case Studies
 H.P. STATE CO-OPERATIVE BANK BUILDING, SHIMLA
 INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IGP) COMPLEX, GULBARGA
 THE RETREAT COMPLEX OF TERI AT GURGAON IN HARYANA
Conclusions

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References

Introduction
Passive solar architecture is an ancient concept. Modern science has provided quantitative
support to ascertain its effectiveness. Solar passive architecture has large potential for energy
conservation and can lead to a thermally comfortable indoor environment. It is defined as
collection, storage, distribution and control of energy flow by natural processes of heat and
mass transfer. Its working definition is - use of natural energy (sun, wind, etc.) to conserve
conventional energy for achieving thermal comfort. Thermal comfort refers to comfortable
indoor conditions (temperature, humidity, air movement).

The need
Buildings, as they are designed and used today, contribute to serious environmental problems
because of excessive consumption of energy and other natural resources to construct a
building & meet its demands for heating, cooling, ventilation & lighting which causes severe
depletion of invaluable environmental resources. Studies show that residential and commercial
sectors in India together account for 25% of the country’s total electricity consumption, a major
portion of which is used in buildings. However, buildings can be designed to meet occupant’s
need for thermal and visual comfort at reduced levels energy & resources consumption by
incorporating solar passive techniques in a building design to minimise load on conventional
systems (heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting). Thus in brief, an energy efficient building
balances all aspects of energy use in a building: lighting, space-conditioning and ventilation, by
providing passive solar design strategies.

Importance of energy conservation in buildings

 Many audits conducted by MEDA (Maharashtra Energy Development Agency) in buildings
show 30-40% saving potential with available technology in market.
 The annual energy consumption per square metre of floor area ranges from 200 kWh and
more, for residential sector.
 40% savings in energy consumption will result in saving 46.8 billion units out of 117 billion
units required for residential sector.

Pattern of energy consumption

Percentag Aim
Source
e
Industrial 38% To study different types of solar passive architectural and
Agriculture 20% constructional techniques for designing different buildings and
Domestic 24% conclude the results.
Commercial 10%
Railways 3% Objective
Streetlights 1%
Others 4%  To promote energy efficient building designs i.e. to minimize
Total 100% energy use and the negative environment effects of building.

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 To maximize use of renewable and natural resources in building environment.
 Building construction with optimum use of solar energy.
 Other forms of ambient energy in energy management.
 Thermal comfort for the inhabitants.
 To reduce maintenance cost.

Methodology
 Research on solar passive features.
 Case studies of buildings in different climatic zones to understand the importance and
usefulness of solar passive features.
 Conclusions

Solar Passive Techniques

Solar passive techniques are incorporated in building design to minimise load on conventional
systems (heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting). Passive systems provide thermal and visual
comfort by using natural energy sources and sinks e.g. solar radiation, outside air, sky, wet
surfaces, vegetation, internal gains etc. Energy flows in these systems are by natural means
such as by radiation, conduction, convection with minimal or no use of mechanical means. The
solar passive systems thus, vary from one climate to the other e.g. in a cold climate an
architect’s aim would be to design a building in such a way that solar gains are maximised, but
in a hot climate his primary aim would be to reduce solar gains, maximise natural ventilation
and so on. The orientation of the building, site selection, materials and design features allow
the home to collect, store and distribute the sun’s heat in winter, block the sun during summer,
and provide for air circulation and natural day lighting.

The passive energy system involves collecting, storing, distributing and controlling of thermal
energy flow through the natural principles of heat transfer. Various available options of passive
architectural features like shape and orientation of the building, shading devices, earth
berming, air movements etc., and developed passive concepts like trombe wall, water wall,
wind tower, solar chimney, evaporative cooling etc. can be adopted as per the building
requirements.

Passive solar systems rules of the thumb:

 The building should be elongated on East – West axis.
 The building’s south face should receive sunlight between the hours of 09.00 a.m through
03.00 p.m (sun time) during the heating season.
 Interior spaces requiring the most light and heating and cooling should be along the south
face of the building. Less used spaces should be located on the north.
 An open floor plan optimizes passive system operation.
 Use shading to prevent summer sun entering the interior.

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Passive heating
Advanced passive heating techniques are used by architects in building design to achieve
thermal comfort conditions in cold climate.
Passive solar heating systems can be broadly classified as:
1. Direct gain systems
2. Indirect gain systems

Direct gain
Direct gain is the most common passive solar
system. In this system, sunlight enters rooms
through windows, warming the interior space.
The glazing system is generally located on the
southern side to receive maximum sunlight
during winter (in the northern hemisphere). The
glazing system is usually double-glazed, with
insulating curtains to reduce heat loss during
night. South-facing glass admits solar energy
into the building, where it strikes thermal
storage materials such as floors or walls made
of adobe, brick, concrete, stone, or water. The
direct gain system uses 60-75% of the sun’s
Direct
energy striking the windows. The interior thermal mass tempers thegain application
intensity of heat during the
day by absorbing heat. At night, the thermal mass radiates heat into the living space, thus
warming the spaces.

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Direct gain can be achieved by various forms of openings such as clerestories, skylight
windows, etc. designed for the required heating. Direct gain systems have been used for day-
use rooms by architect Sanjay Prakash in the residence for Mohini Mullick at Bhowali. The user
is extremely satisfied with the thermal performance of the direct gain system in this residence.

Direct gain systems have some

limitations. They cause large
temperature savings (typically 10
°C) because of large variations in
input of solar energy. Strong
sunlight, glare, and ultraviolet
degradation of the house material
are some disadvantages of direct
gain systems. However, being
relatively simple to construct and
inexpensive, they are by far the
most common systems used
worldwide.
The direct gain system of the Bhowali house. The picture
highlights the fully glazed walls for the day use rooms
from inside.

Indirect gain system

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 30-45% of the sun’s energy striking the glass adjoining the thermal mass.

Direct gain systems

Windows

The direct gain strategy is that sunlight enters the building

through a large south-facing window (the collector) (in the
Northern hemisphere) and is incident upon the floor and
walls of the structure. 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, bifold interior insulation
shutters, shades, etc.). Generally, Equator-facing windows
should not employ glazing coatings that inhibit solar gain.
Selection of different spectrally-selective window coating
depends on the ratio of heating versus cooling degree days
for the design location. Direct-gain systems are more
dependent on double or triple glazing to reduce heat loss.
In cold regions thermal glazing should be equivalent to or
higher than, double glazing. Windows and roof lights Typical double glazed
provides direct path for admitting daylight. aluminium window

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Depending on climate, the total direct gain glass should not exceed about 12% of the house's
floor area. Beyond that, problems with glare or fading of fabrics are likely to occur, and it
becomes more difficult to provide enough thermal mass for year-round comfort.

Glazed Wall
Buildings with rectangular floor plans are elongated on an east-west axis and have a glazed
south-facing wall; a thermal storage media exposed to the solar radiation which penetrates the
south-facing glazing in winters.
There is storage of solar energy in
thermal mass followed by the natural
distribution of this stored solar
energy back to the living space,
when required, through the
mechanisms of natural convection
and radiation. Overhangs or other
shading devices sufficiently shade
the south-facing glazing from the
summer sun. There are windows on
the east and west walls, and
preferably none on the north walls.

Disadvantages: Some glazed wall

variants may still be at a
disadvantage in cloudy or very cold
climate. Glazed Wall

Glazed Atrium

This is a northern climate variant of the open courtyard -a building form with a long
architectural tradition in most parts of the world. The addition of roof glazing provides protection
from rain and wind, and a moderate resistance to heat flow. Usually located centrally within a
building, with the glazing mainly confined
to its roof. The large area of glazing on the
envelope of these structures entails the
admission of considerable amounts of
solar. The atrium temperature is higher
than those of the adjoining indoor spaces
but within the comfort range; heat can flow
naturally to adjoining rooms by opening
doors or windows. Where the parent
building is mechanically heated such heat
flow can be expected to displace
conventional heating thus saving energy.

Indirect gainGlazed Atrium

systems
Roof-based air heating system

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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 can be variations in the detailing
of the roof air heating systems. In the Himachal Pradesh State Cooperative Bank building, the
south glazing is in the form of solar collectors warming the air and a blower fan circulating the
air to the interior spaces.

Advantages:
 It can have better exposure to sun and thus collect more energy.
 It does not interfere with elevations of the building.

Glazed wall and roof space collector are ingenious device for capturing incident solar radiation
that would otherwise be lost, without exposing indoor space to temperature and sunshine
fluctuations.

Roof space collector

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Thermal storage wall system (Trombe wall)

A trombe wall is a thermally massive wall with vents

provided at the top and bottom. It may be made of
concrete, masonry, adobe, and is usually located on the
southern side (in the northern hemisphere) of a building
in order to maximize solar gains. The outer surface of the
wall is usually painted black for maximizing absorption
and the wall is directly placed behind glazing with an air
gap in between. Solar radiation is absorbed by the wall
during the day and stored as sensible heat. The air in the
space between the glazing and the wall gets heated up
and enters the living spaces by convection through the
vents. Cool air from the rooms replaces this air, thus
setting up convection current. The vents are closed
during night, and heat stored in the wall during the day
heats up the living space by conduction and radiation.
Trombe walls have been extensively used in the cold
regions of Leh. Various forms of Trombe walls have been
tried and tested in the Ledeg hostel at Leh. It is
noteworthy that in buildings with thermal storage walls, indoor temperature can be maintained
at about 15oC when the outside temperature is as low as -11 oC. Generally, thickness of the
storage wall is between 200 mm and 450 mm, the air gap between the wall and glazing is 50-
150mm, and the total area of each row of vent is about 1% of the storage wall area. The
trombe wall should be adequately shaded for reducing summer gains.

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, distribution of heat needs to be
controlled if it is not immediately required for heating the building. Buildings that work during
the daytime, such as schools and offices, benefit from the rapid heat transfer in the water wall.
Overheating during summer may be prevented by using suitable shading devices.

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Sun spaces

A sun space or solarium is the combination of direct and indirect gain systems. The solar
radiation heats up the sun space directly, which in turn heats up the living space (separated
from the sun space by a mass wall) by convection and conduction through the mass wall. In
the northern hemisphere, the basic requirements of buildings heated by sun space are (a) a
glazed south facing collector space attached yet
separated from the building and (b) living space
separated from the sun space by a thermal
storage wall. Sunspaces may be used as winter
gardens adjacent to the living space. The
Himurja building in Shimla has well designed
solarium as integral part of south wall to
maximise solar gain.

Sun Space
Transwall

Transwall is a thermal storage wall that is semitransparent in nature. It partly absorbs and
partly transmits the solar radiation. The transmitted radiation causes direct heating and
illumination of the living space. The absorbed heat is transferred to the living space at a later
time. Heat loss through the glazing is low, as much of the heat is deposited at the centre of the
transwall ensuring that its exterior surface does not become too hot. Thus, the system
combines the attractive features of both direct gain and Trombe wall systems.

A transwall has three main components:

• Container made of parallel glass walls set in metal frame
• Thermal storage liquid, which is generally water
• A partially absorbing plate set at the centre of the transwall, parallel to the glass walls

It is installed on the south side of the building (in the northern hemisphere), located directly
behind double glazing. To prevent the growth of micro-organisms in the storage, an inhibiting
agent may be added.

Passive cooling
In this type of cooling solar thermal energy is not used directly to create a cold environment or
drive any direct cooling processes. Instead, passive solar building design aims at slowing the
rate of heat transfer into a building in the summer, and improving the removal of unwanted
heat. There are many design specifics involved in passive solar cooling. It is a primary element
of designing a zero energy building in a hot climate.

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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. The applicability of each system depends on the climatic
conditions.

The relatively simple techniques that can be adopted to provide natural cooling in the building
are reduction of solar and connective heat import by:
 orientation of building
 shading by adjoining building
 landscaping
 window shading devices
 surface finishes

Reduction of heat transmission in the building by:

 thermal insulation
 air cavities

Passive cooling systems

Ventilation & Operable Windows

A primary strategy for cooling buildings without mechanical assistance (passive cooling) in hot
humid climates is to employ natural ventilation. In the Austin area, prevailing summer breezes
are from the south and southeast. This matches nicely with the increased glazing on the south
side needed for passive heating, making it possible to achieve helpful solar gain and ventilation
with the following strategies:
 Place operable windows on the south exposure.
 Casement windows offer the best airflow. Awning (or hopper) windows should be fully
opened or air will be directed to ceiling. Awning windows offer the best rain protection
and perform better than double hung windows.
 If a room can have windows on only one side, use two widely spaced windows instead
of one window.

Wing Walls

Wing walls are vertical solid panels placed

alongside of windows perpendicular to the wall on
the windward side of the house. Wing walls will
accelerate the natural wind speed due to pressure
differences created by the wing wall.
Top View of Wing Walls
Airflow Pattern

Thermal Chimney

A thermal chimney employs convective currents to

draw air out of a building. By creating a warm or
hot zone with an exterior exhaust outlet, air can
be drawn into the house ventilating the structure.

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 Sunrooms can be designed to perform this function. The excessive heat generated in a south
facing sunroom during the summer can be vented at the top. With the connecting lower vents
to the living space open along with windows on the north side, air is drawn through the living
space to be exhausted through the sunroom upper vents. (The upper vents from the sunroom
to the living space and any side operable windows must be closed and the thermal mass wall
in the sunroom must be shaded.)

Thermal chimneys can be constructed in a

narrow configuration (like a chimney) with an
Summer Venting Sunroom
easily heated black metal absorber on the
inside behind a glazed front that can reach
high temperatures and be insulated from the
house. The chimney must terminate above
the roof level. A rotating metal scoop at the
top which opens opposite the wind will allow
heated air to exhaust without being overcome
by the prevailing wind. Thermal chimney
effects can be integrated into the house with
open stairwells and atria.

Thermal Chimney
Other Ventilation Strategies
 Make the outlet openings slightly larger than the inlet openings.
 Place the inlets at low to medium heights to provide airflow at occupant levels in the
room.
 Inlets close to a wall result in air “washing” along the wall. Be certain to have centrally
located inlets for air movement in the center areas of the room.
 Window insect screens decrease the velocity
of slow breezes more than stronger breezes.
Screening a porch will not reduce air speeds
as much as screening the windows.
 High mass houses can be cooled with night
ventilation providing that fabric furnishings are
minimized in the house.
 Keep a high mass house closed during the
day and opened at night.

Passive Downdraft Evaporative Cooling (PDEC) System
Thermal Chimney Effect
Built into Home

 A system of inlet and outlet

shafts.
 Locations, sizes and heights :
generate required air
movement.
 A fine spray of water cools
the air at entry.

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  6-9 air change rates per hour observed.
 Strategy:
o Hot season: evaporative cooling.
o Monsoon: cooling off, induce ventilation by fans.
o Winter:ventilation minimised(inlets closed by
shutters)

Design of PDEC System

Ambient hot-dry air is trapped, cooled by evaporation of water and then introduced in the
building. Simple system based on shower spray system developed by B. Givoni. PDEC system
works very well in the summer months. For example, in May, the temperature of cooled air
leaving the tower is about 25°C while the corresponding ambient temperature is about 38 °C.
Thus, the drop in day-time temperature is significantly high in May, i.e. about 13 °C.

Implications of PDEC system:

Advantages:
•Low cost single pass system
•Easy to maintain
•Entry of birds and pests prevented
•Charcoal tray to filter out dust
•Sophisticated water treatment is not required
•Single tower serving multiple floors
•Can be used for pre-cooling the building at night

Disadvantages:
•High humidity
•Noise due to spraying of water

Earth berming

Earth is piled up against exterior walls and packed, sloping down away from the house. The
roof may, or may not be, fully earth covered, and windows/openings may occur on one or more
sides of the shelter. Due to the building being above ground, fewer moisture problems are
associated with earth berming in comparison to underground/fully recessed construction.

This technique is used both for passive cooling as well as heating of buildings, a feat which is
made possible by the earth acting as a massive heat sink. Summer as well as winter variations
die out rapidly with increasing depth from the earth's surface. This temperature at a depth of a
few meters remains almost stable throughout the year. Thus, the underground or partially sunk
buildings would provide both cooling (in the summer) and heating (in the winter) to the living
space. Besides, load fluctuations are reduced by the addition of earth mass to the thermal
mass of the building. The infiltration of air from outside is reduced.

The earth sheltered structure has to be heavier and stronger to withstand the load of the earth
and the vegetation above. Besides, it should be suitably waterproofed and insulated to avoid
ground moisture.

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Additional cooling if required can be provided by circulating air through ducts built underground
(where the temperature is low). The same ducts can provide some degree of preheating for the
fresh outside air during the cold periods.

Earth air tunnel (EAT) system

Earth berming
Daily and annual temperature
fluctuations decrease with the
increase in depth below the ground
surface. At a depth of about 4 m 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. Earth air tunnel
has been used in the composite
climate of Gurgaon in the RETREAT building. The living quarters (the south block of the
RETREAT) are maintained at comfortable temperatures (approximately between 20 °C and 30
°C) round the year by the earth air tunnel system, supplemented, whenever required, with a
system of absorption chillers powered by LPG during monsoons and with an air washer during
dry summer. However, the cooler air underground needs to be circulated in the living space.
Each room in the Earth
Southair tunnel
Block has a ‘solar chimney’; warm air rises and escapes through the
chimney, which creates an air current for the cooler air from the underground tunnels to
replace the warm air. Two blowers installed in the tunnels speed up the process. The same
mechanism supplies warm air from the tunnel during winter.

Cooling Tower / Wind catcher / Wind Tower

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This system can work effectively in hot and dry climate, where daily variations in temperatures
are high with high temperature during day time and low temperature during night time. The
openings of the wind catcher are provided in the direction of the wind , and outlets on the side
take advantage of the pressure difference created by wind speed and direction.

The principle of the wind catcher :

•Day time
The hot air enters the tower through the openings and cooled when it comes in
contact with the cool tower and thus becomes heavier and turns down.
When an inlets is provided to the rooms with an outlet on other side there is a draft
of cool air. The wind tower becomes warm in the evening, after a whole day of heat
exchange.

•Night time
During night the reverse happens: the cooler air comes in contact with the bottom of
the tower through the rooms; it gets heated up by the warm surface of wind tower
and thus an air flow is maintained in the reverse direction.

A combination of sensible cooling in the ground and evaporative cooling with the flow of
air induced by the wind catcher. Wind towers with indirect evaporative cooling systems have
been integrated with HVAC system for pre-cooling fresh air.

Limitations
1.Concepts of wind catcher can work well an
individual units of house and not in multi-storeyed
building.
2.In a dense urban area the wind tower has to be
very high to be able to catch enough air.
3.The surface of the wind tower accumulates dust
and heat transfer from the surface of wind tower
to the air becomes slower.
4.If the wind direction is unpredictable, it is better
made openings of the inlet wind catcher on all
four sides.
Wind Tower Evaporative Cooling

Evaporative Cooling Tower

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Evaporative cooling

Evaporative cooling lowers indoor air temperature by evaporating water. It is effective in hot-
dry climate where the atmospheric humidity is low. In evaporative 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 rate of evaporation. The
presence of a water body such as a pond, lake, sea etc. 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 of water, evaporative pads, a fan, and pump. Evaporative cooling has been
tried as a roof-top installation solar energy centre, Gurgaon. However, the system has now
become defunct due to poor water supply in the area.

Roof pond system

This system can provide both heating and cooling. 6-12 inches of water are contained on a flat
roof, usually stored in large plastic or fiberglass containers covered by glazing. During the
cooling season, an insulated cover is removed at night to expose the water to cool night air.
The water absorbs heat from below during the day, and radiates it out at night. The
temperature within the space falls as the ceiling acts as a radiant cooling panel for the space,
without increasing indoor humidity levels. During the heating season, the insulated cover is
removed during the day. The water absorbs heat from the sun, and radiates it in to the building
below. In cold climates such as ours, an attic pond beneath pitched glazing is more effective
than a flat roof pond.

The limitation of this technique is that it is confined only to single storey structure with flat,
concrete roof and also the capital cost is quite high. Roof ponds require somewhat elaborate
drainage systems, movable insulation to cover and uncover the water at appropriate times, and
a structural system to support up to 65lbs/sq ft dead load.

Roof pond Roof pond

cooling heating

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Courtyard
Principle of the courtyard:
Due to the incident solar radiation in the courtyard, the air in the courtyard becomes warmer
and rises up. To replace it, cool air from the ground level flows through the openings of the
room, thus producing the air flow. During the night, the process id reversed. The cooled
surface air of the roof sinks down to the court and this cooled air enters the living spaces
through the low level openings and leaves through higher level openings. This system can
work effectively in hot and dry climates, where day time ventilation is undesirable, as it brings
heat inside and at night the air temperature becomes cooler and it can ventilate the building.

Limitations
1.When the courtyard receive intense solar radiation, much heat will Model be conducted and
of courtyard
radiated into the rooms as against the induced draft of air which may be problematic.
house
2.The intense solar radiation can produce glare for the inside room.
The best way is to keep the courtyard shaded and only partially open to sky.
Case Studies
H.P. STATE CO-OPERATIVE BANK BUILDING,
SHIMLA

Location : Shimla, Himachal Pradesh

Climate : Cold and Cloudy

Brief description of building :

This building is a ground and three-storeyed structure with

its longer axis facing the east-west direction. The smaller
northern wall faces the prevailing winter winds from the
north-eastern direction. The building shares a common
east wall with an adjoining structure. Its west façade
overlooks a small street from which the building draws its
main requirements of ventilation and daylighting. A plan
and section of the building showing the various passive
techniques incorporated is given below.

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Energy conscious features:
Section and plan of H. P. state co-operative bank, Shimla
 South-facing Trombe wall and sunspace heats up the interior.
 South-facing solar collectors on the roof provide warm air, which is circulated by means
of ducts.
 North face is protected by a cavity wall that insulates the building from prevailing winter
winds
 Western wall is provided with insulation as well as double glazing.
 Daylighting is enhanced by providing light shelves. Skylight on the terrace also provides
daylighting.
 Air lock lobbies are provided to reduce air exchange.

Performance of the building:

The predictions of the energy savings of the building (component-wise) per
annum, as compared to a conventional building are as follows:
West wall (double glazing and insulation) = 43248 kWh
Roof insulation = 23796 kWh
Roof top solar collector = 10278 kWh
Trombe wall = 7398 kWh
Total = 84720 kWh

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INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE (IGP) COMPLEX, GULBARGA

Location : Gulbarga, Karnataka

Climate : Hot and dry
Brief description of the building:
This building is a ground and two-storeyed structure designed by Kembhavi Architecture
Foundation to house the offices of the Inspector General of Police, Gulbarga. The building is
constructed using innovative materials. For example, the external walls are composite walls
(i.e. granite blocks on the outer side and rat-trap bond brick walls on the inner side) and the
roof is made of filler slab. The U-values of the walls and roof are 1.53 W/m2-K and 2.15 W/m2-
K respectively. The building is roughly rectangular with the longer axis along the north-south
direction. Most windows face east or west. A layout plan of the building is given. As the building
is located in a hot and dry climate, evaporative cooling has been used for providing comfort.
Most of the offices are cooled by passive downdraft evaporative cooling (PDEC) tower system.
Figure below shows a photograph of the building as well as a sketch section of a typical PDEC
tower to explain its principle.

Energy conscious features: Layout plan of I.G.P. Complex, Gulbarga

 Passive downdraft evaporative cooling (PDEC) towers for providing comfort.
 Tinted glasses to reduce glare.
 Alternative building materials such as composite walls to reduce heat gain and filler slabs to
reduce the quantity of concrete in the structure.
 A central atrium to enhance cross ventilation and provide daylighting.
 Solar PV lighting and pumps, rainfall harvesting and water conservation facilities incorporated.

Performance of the PDEC system:

The building is in the final stage of construction. The PDEC system’s design is based on the
“shower tower” concept developed by Givoni. Preliminary measurements taken in May and
September, 2005 showed that the temperature of the air exiting from the tower is lower by
about 10°C and 4°C respectively, compared to that of ambient air. Figure below presents the
hourly values of the temperature of air exiting from the tower on a typical day in September.
The corresponding measured values of ambient temperature are also plotted for comparison.
Additionally, the figure shows the theoretically calculated values based on Givoni’s model of
the shower tower. It is seen that the measurements agree reasonably well with the predictions.
Figure below shows the estimated performance of a tower in various months during daytime. It
presents the results of exit temperature of air leaving the tower and the corresponding ambient

21
dry bulb temperature. It is seen from the figure that the performance of the cooling tower is
quite satisfactory in the summer months. The drop in temperature is about 12 - 13 °C in March,
April and May. Considering that the PDEC system is used in these months, the predictions of
the energy savings of the building per annum, as compared to an air-conditioned building
maintained at 27.5 °C, are as follows:
Estimated Cost of PDEC system = Rs. 17,50,000
Estimated savings per annum = Rs. 3,52,000
Simple payback period = 5 years (approximately)

Photographs of IGP Complex, Gulbarga and sketch

showing the principle of a PDEC tower

Comparison of measured and predicted temperature of air exiting PDEC

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 Monthly prediction of the temperature of air exiting the PDEC tower

The RETREAT (Resources Efficient TERI Retreat for Environment

Awareness and Training) complex of TERI (The Energy and Resources
Institute) at Gurgaon in Haryana

Site Address / Location: Gual Pahari,

Gurgaon
Climatic Zone: Composite
Building Type: Institutional
Architect(s): Sanjay Prakash and TERI
Client/ Owner: The Energy and Resources
Institute

Introduction:
RETREAT is a part of the 36-hectare TERI
campus at Gual Pahari, about 30 km south of
Delhi, in the northern state of Haryana. It is a
30-room training hostel with conference facilities for 100 people, dining space and a kitchen,
recreational area, computer room, and a library. The basic design process is to minimize
energy demand in the building through passive concepts such as solar orientation, latticework
for shading, insulation, and landscaping.

Key Sustainable Features

Orientation, insulation, and design of the building.

 Wall insulation with 40-mm thick expanded polystyrene and roof insulation using
vermiculite concrete (vermiculite, a porous material, is mixed with concrete to form a
homogenous mix) topped with China mosaic for heat reflection.
 Building oriented to face south for winter gains; summer gains offset using deciduous
trees and shading.
 South side partially sunk into the ground to reduce heat gains and losses.
 East and west walls devoid of openings and are shaded.

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Earth air tunnel for the south block
 Four tunnels of 70m length and 70cm diameter each laid at a depth of 4 m below the ground to
supply conditioned air to the rooms.
 At a depth of 4 m below ground, temperature remains 26 °C (in Gurgaon) throughout the year.
 Four fans of 2 HP each force the air in and solar chimneys force the air out of rooms.
 Assisted cooling by air washer in dry summer and a 10 TR dehumidifier in monsoon.

Solar hot water system

 24 solar water heating panels (inclined at 70 degrees instead of 45 degrees) integrated
with parapet wall.

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Lighting
 Innovative daylighting by means of skylights.

Building management system

 Monitors building parameters (temperatures, humidity, consumption, etc.)

Performance
 The winter temperature in the rooms heated by solar gains and earth air tunnel systems
was recorded to be 22 °C (average night-time condition) when the ambient temperature
was about 10 °C.
 In the dry summer month of May, a room temperature (in the rooms cooled by earth-air
tunnels combined with evaporative cooling system) of 28 °C (average daytime condition)
with 45%-50% relative humidity was recorded when the ambient temperature and
relative humidity were 40 °C and 30%, respectively.
 In the humid summer months, a room temperature (in rooms cooled by the earth-air
tunnel supplemented by ammonia absorption chillers) of 30 °C and 65% relative
humidity were recorded with the ambient condition being 38 °C at 70% relative humidity.
 The conference rooms cooled by ammonia absorption chillers maintain an average
temperature of 25 °C at 55% relative humidity.
 The building being only partially loaded as yet now consumes a maximum of 40 units of
electricity per hour. The PV system generates an average of 55 units per day on a
sunny day.

Conclusions:
 From the above case studies it can be concluded that solar passive techniques are
really effective in controlling the temperature, day light, etc within a building as per the
users comfort, location and climate of the area in which the building is located.
 Solar passive architecture is a very helpful and a very cost effective technique to control
the climatic conditions within a building.

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  Since it uses the non conventional solar energy source, use of solar passive
architecture can also save the limited conventional energy sources, which are
traditionally used as energy sources for a building, from getting depleted.
 Hence the use of solar passive architecture systems can prove to be a more effective
method than the conventional methods for temperature control in a building.

Advantages of solar passive architecture:

1. Environmental friendly
2. Low energy bills
3. Comfortable living conditions
4. Low maintenance
5. Clean and hygienic
6. Durable
7. No operating noise

 A maximum saving of 60 – 70% on conventional fuels required for space heating during
winters and cooling during summers can be achieved.
 Large windows and views, sunny interiors, open floor spaces, warmer in winters and
cooler in summers resulting in comfortable living conditions even during power failures,
durable reduced operational cost, independent from future rises of fuel costs, clean
environment to combat growing concern over global warming and ozone depletion are
the main features.
 Winter room temperature: 22oC (when ambient temperature is about 10oC)
 Summer room temperature: 28oC and humidity at 45 – 50% (when the ambient
temperature is about 10oC and humidity 30%)

Economics:
The incorporation of passive solar features in a new house will not normally require extra
expenditure. The houses under consideration can be divided in three main categories:
1. Houses where choice of proper orientation and site planning and efficient functional
planning is possible, energy efficiency can be achieved at no major extra cost.
2. Houses for which there is less availability of sunlight, less independence in selecting the
site and orientation, there is an increase of only 5-10% in cost which may be required for
greater levels of insulation, special heating and cooling requirements. However, due to
lesser fuel / electricity consumption year round, this incremental cost can be recovered
in 5 – 7 years.
3. Houses which are to be retrofitted with space heating solar passive systems like Trombe
wall, sun space, space for heating of green houses, adding insulations will require extra
funds.

Unlike fossil fuels, solar energy is available just about anywhere on earth. And this source of
energy is free, immune to rising energy prices. Solar energy can be used in many ways – to
provide heat, lighting, mechanical power and electricity.

Passive house

The dark colours on this thermogram of a passive house

(right) show how little heat is escaping compared to a
traditional building (left).

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References:
Manual on solar passive architecture: energy systems engineering IIT Delhi and Solar Energy
Centre, Ministry of Non-conventional Energy Sources, Government of India, New Delhi)

Bansal N K, Hauser G, Minke G. Passive building design: A handbook of Natural climatic

control.

Nayak J K, Hazra R. Development of design guidelines by laws.

Thomas A Fisher. 1992

AIA, November 1992

TERI report 96RT__ Window design optimisation

Mazria E. 1979
The Passive Solar Energy book, Rodale Press, Pennsylvania

Levy M. E., Evans D., and Gardstein C., The Passive Solar Construction Handbook, Rodale
Press, Pennsylvania, 1983).

http://www.tt.fh-koeln.de/semesterprojects/lake%20nasser%2003_04/House
%20Plan/Ventilation%20and%20cooling.pdf

http://www.ese.iitb.ac.in/events/other/renet_files/21-9/Session%203/passive%20solar
%20architecture(J.K.Nayak).pdf

http://www.ese.iitb.ac.in/events/other/renet_files/21-9/Session%204/Design%20guidelines
%20for%20energy%20effcient%20building(%20J.A.Prajapati).pdf

http://bookstore.teriin.org/docs/books/Introduction-%20energy%20eff%20biuldings.pdf

http://www.techno-preneur.net/technology/New-technologies/Energy/buildings.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive_solar_building_design#Direct_solar_gain

http://mhathwar.tripod.com/thesis/solar/solar_architecture.htm

http://www.nmsea.org/Education/Homeowners/passiv2.gif

http://www.smarterhomes.org.nz/design/glazing/double-glazing-glass-options/

http://www.wbdg.org/resources/psheating.php

http://www.azsolarcenter.org/tech-science/solar-architecture/passive-solar-design-
manual/passive-solar-design-manual-heating.html

http://www.building.co.uk/Pictures/web/n/l/m/43prodsTECHNAL_TANATORI_MXS.jpg

http://www.reidsteel.com/images/dsc01144.jpg

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http://www.sustainable-buildings.org/index.php?option=com_cstudy&task=details&sid=24

http://www.learn.londonmet.ac.uk/packages/clear/interactive/matrix/c/cool_period.html

http://mnes.nic.in/booklets/solar-energy/ch7.pdf

http://www.azsolarcenter.com/design/images/fig7.gif

http://www.engineering.com/portals/0/images/sunspace.gif

http://www.cenerg.ensmp.fr/english/themes/cycle/images/Image17.gif

http://www.sustainable-buildings.org/wiki/index.php/Transwall

http://passivesolar.sustainablesources.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_air_conditioning#Passive_solar_cooling
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_sheltering

http://www.learn.londonmet.ac.uk/packages/clear/thermal/buildings/passive_system/earth_ber
ming.html

http://www.yourhome.gov.au/technical/fs46.html

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