Professional Documents
Culture Documents
OF AN ARCHITECT
CASE STUDY
ARC 111
TROPICAL DESIGN
Passive design
Passive design is design that works with the environment to
exclude unwanted heat or cold and take advantage of sun and
breezes, therefore avoiding or minimising the need for mechanical
heating or cooling.
Passive design in the tropics means designing a building to make
the most of natural light and cooling breezes, and using shading,
orientation and appropriate building materials to reduce heat gain
and storage.
The use of passive design principles in the tropics results in a
building that is comfortable, energy efficient and results in
substantial savings in running costs of both cooling and lighting.
INTERIORS
A HOUSE INSPIRED BY TROPICAL
DESIGN AND
GREEN ARCHITECTURE
Living Pati
Living Pat
Living Roo
Living Roo
Dining Patio Ne
The Pool Ar
Sleeping Pat
Pool Are
PASSIVE VENTILATION:
Designing a building in a way that maximises natural
ventilation will greatly reduce the need for energy-intensive
air conditioning.
Air movement over the body, even if the air is not much
cooler, creates a feeling of cool due to the evaporation of
moisture from the skin.
The following methods of passive ventilation are most
effective in the tropics.
Maximising breezes:
Orient the building to make the most of prevailing winds.
Align vents, windows and doors to allow air flow through the
building these should be aligned in a reasonably straight line
for maximum effectiveness.
Minimise internal obstacles or blockages such as internal
walls in major flow through areas to allow for unimpeded
ventilation.
Raise the building off the ground to
catch breezes.
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