Building Science I [BLD60803]

Project 1 - Case Study: Analyzing Passive Design Strategies

 

INTRODUCTION

 

Passive design does not require mechanical heating or cooling. Buildings that are passively designed take advantage of natural climate to maintain thermal comfort. Incorporating the principles of passive design in building:

• Significantly improves comfort

• Reduces or eliminates heating and cooling bills

• Reduces greenhouse gas emissions from heating, cooling, mechanical ventilation and lighting.

   

Building envelope is a term used to describe the roof, walls, windows, floors and internal walls of a building. In a tropical climate, the envelope should controls heat gain and exclusion of rainwater. Well-designed envelopes maximize cooling through air movement and exclude the solar radiation. The fundamental principles of passive design are relatively simple and can be applied to various climate zones, house types and construction systems. 

 

 

OBJECTIVES

 

• To identify and define the principles of heat transfer in relation to building and people

• To understand what is thermal comfort and discuss factors relating to thermal comfort

• To analyze the effect of thermal comfort factors in a person and in a space

• To be able to criticize design of the space in terms of thermal comfort by referring to MS1525 , UBBL, GBI and Green Mark standards. 

 

 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

 

• Identify environmental conditions related to site conditions, climate, etc.

• Explain the effects of the sun on the thermal performance of buildings

• Explain the effect of insulation, thermal mass and air movement on thermal performance of buildings. 

 

 

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

 

• Research Poster to be placed in 2A3 Paper neatly compiled. All components must be presented in a well-organized and logical manner.

• Must include name, id, module, intake

• Observe standard margins, font size, spacing and organization.

• More visuals are expected in this poster. Pictures, images, tables, charts and diagrams should be properly labelled, clear and presentable.

• Avoid and double check spelling & grammatical errors.

• Observe and use proper referencing. 

 

 

ACQUIRED TAYLOR'S GRADUATE CAPABILITIES (TGC)

 

Lifelong Learning

2.1 Learn independently

2.2 Locate, extract, synthesise and utilise information effectively

2.3 Be intellectually engaged

 

Thiking and Problem Solving Skills

3.1 Think critically and creatively

3.2 Define and analyse problems to arrive at effective solutions

 

Interpersonal Skills

5.1 Understand team dynamics and mobilise the power of teams

5.2 Understand and assume leadership

 

Intrapersonal Skills

6.1 Manage one self and be self-reliant

6.2 Reflect on one's action and learning

6.3 Embody Taylor's core values

 

In this project, we are divided into group of 6 where we are required to find buildings whether in Malaysia/Singapore that fulfilled the green building criteria. Before choosing our building, we learnt that passive design means : 
 

• based upon climate considerations

• attempts to control comfort (heating and cooling) without the need of consueming extra energy

• uses the orientation of the building to control heat gain and heat loss

• uses the shape of the building (in the matter of plan, section) to control the air flow

• maximizes the use of free solar energy and free ventilation

• utilizes shade to control heat gain

 

With these understanding, we are obliged to choose buildings that not only uses passive design strategies to achive maximum comfort, best if the building fulfilled the criteria according to GBI MS1525. In this case, my groupmates and I are assigned to NTU Learning Hub which is located in Nan Yang University Of Technology of Singapore.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

REFLECTION

 

Passive design does not require mechanical heating or cooling. NTU Learning Hub is specially designed to counter its hot and humid weather. So Incorporating the principles of passive design, NTU Learning Hub has : 

 

• Overhangs - The overhang is specially designed to be part of the building rather than just a add on of extension.

• Greenery - Use of the internal vertical greening and roof top greenery to further reduce the ETTV.

• Stripped Windows - The concrete wall is with 300mm thick of stripped windows. It has a good ratio between them and able to decrease the direct sunlight.

• Interior shading

• Ventilation - Cross Ventilation - The building is designed where openings are facing empty spaces instead of buildings as wind                                               travels across the open space.

                     -Stack ventilation  - The building is designed with void on the centre of the building from bottom to top.The hot                                                        air rises and escape from the higher levels and to the outside.

 

To properly identify and explore the potential of these passive designs that we chose, we have used the software Ecotect and Revit to come up with the appropriate informations like wind analysis, sunpath diagram and also thermal measurement through countless research and site visit of measurig solar radiation, building orientation and others. 

 

In the process of forming the wind, sun and thermal analysis, we have to used the newly introduced software to get the satisfying results.  In our first passive design - Overhangs,we are to show the sun analysis which in here we used the Revit software to test the solar distribution. With the combination of building mass built in Revit and sun diagram in Ecotect, we produced diagrams and datas showing how much sun was on that specific time and place. This result could tell the success or failure of the input of shading device outside the building. In the second passive design - Ventilation, we created the wind analysis by using the weather data created by the Singapore Weather Station.From there,we can have a better understanding on how the weather operate in the country. Thus,making our analysis more accurate.

 

These new softwares were quite a puzzle to figure out how to use in the first place and so we even did some research on learning how to use these software via Youtube and other official websites. So after the building science project we finally get a better understanding of how the programmes are work and in the future I will definitely push myself forward and use more of these softwares because its really important for us architects to gain these kind of skill sets.

 

After this project, learning passive design strategies and softwares, I think that this project really aid me thinking how to build a more appropriate building in real life with all the criterias like building orientation, the local climate and also the sun, wind datas because all of these aspects can really influence a building. I learnt that different sizes of opening and different ventilation could affect the thermal comfort within a building. Shading device that are done and place appropriately can also aid in keeping the building in hot climate like Malaysia to keep cool and windy inside. A good building should provide the best thermal comfort with the least electrical energy should be used in order to achive the green building state to avoid creating global warming.