GROUP II: ESTENOR, VIRGILIO JR. T. CRUZ, RICARDO III L. VISTA, JOHN VINSON S.

Hot and dry climatic regions are characterised by very high radiation levels, ambient temperatures and relatively low humidity. Hot and dry climates tend to have summers that are hot to very hot, experience low precipitation, and very dry air.

The general characteristics of climate plateau plains are as follows:

hot dry weather in summer and cold in winter and dry very little rainfall very low humidity in the very low vegetation cover high temperature difference between night and day the desert and desert areas , combined with wind and dust

The design objectives in such a climate should be aimed at: (A) Resisting heat gain: Heat gain can be resisted by: Decreasing the surface of the building exposed to the outside. Using materials that take a longer time to heat up. Providing buffer spaces between the living areas and the outside. Decreasing ventilation during daytime in the summers. Providing adequate shading devices. (B) Promoting heat loss: Some measures to promote heat loss are: Providing for ventilation of various appliances used. Increasing ventilation during cooler parts of the day or night time. Providing for evaporative cooling (e.g. roof surface evaporative cooling). Using earth coupling systems like earth-air pipes. General recommendations for the climate are: (1) Site (a) Landform: Regions in this zone are generally flat and heat up uniformly. In case of an undulating site, constructing on the leeward side of the slope is preferred. This protects the building from direct impact of hot winds which can be quite uncomfortable.

Building in a depression is preferable in cases where ventilation is assured.

(b) Waterbodies Waterbodies like ponds and lakes act as heat sinks and can also be used for evaporative cooling. They humidify the air and make it comfortable inside.

Fountains and water cascades in the vicinity of a building also aid in cooling.

(c) Street width and orientation Streets must be narrow so that they cause mutually shade the buildings. Streets need to be oriented in the north-south direction to block solar radiation.

(d) Open spaces and built form: Open spaces such as courtyards and atria promote ventilation. They can be provided with ponds and fountains for evaporative cooling. Courtyards act as heat sinks during the day and radiate the heat back at night. Grass can be used as ground cover to absorb solar radiation and aid evaporative cooling. Earth berming can help lower the temperature and also deflect hot summer winds.

(2) Orientation and planform An east-west orientation is preferred in hot and dry climatic regions.

South and north facing walls are easier to shade than east and west walls. During summer, the south wall with significant exposure to solar radiation in most parts of India, leads to very high temperatures in south-west rooms. Hence, shading of the south wall is imperative. The surface to volume (S/V) ratio should be kept as minimum as possible to reduce heat gains.

Cross-ventilation must be ensured at night as ambient temperatures during this period are low. (3) Building Envelope (a) Roof Flat roofs or vaulted roofs are ideal in this climate. Nonetheless, a vaulted roof provides a larger surface area for heat loss compared to a flat roof.

The material of the roof should be massive; a reinforced cement concrete (RCC) slab is preferred to asbestos cement (AC) sheet roof. External insulation in the form of mud phuska with inverted earthen pots is also suitable. A false ceiling in rooms having exposed roofs is favourable as the space between the two acts as a heat buffer. Thermal insulation over false ceiling further increases the buffer action. Insulation of roofs makes the buildings more energy efficient than insulating the walls. Evaporative cooling of the roof surface and night time radiative cooling can also be employed. Incase of evaporative cooling, it is better to use a roof having high thermal transmittance. (b) Walls In multi-storeyed buildings, walls and glazing account for most of the heat gain. The control of heat gain through the walls by shading, thus, becomes an important design consideration. A wall that transmits less heat is hence feasible. (c) Fenestration In hot and dry climates, reducing the window area leads to lower indoor temperatures. More windows should be provided in the north facade of the building as compared to the east, west and south as it receives lesser radiation throughout the year All openings should be protected from the sun by using external shading devices such as chhajjas and fins.

Design tips for a hot dry climate

Because of the intense sunshine we need: Pale surfaces (especially the roof) to reflect the sun; Double roof; Reflective foil insulation in the roof and walls is essential; Small north-facing windows, set high under wide eaves. The hotter the summer, the smaller the windows and the wider the eaves. There is a tradeoff, however: small windows reduce night ventilation. No windows on eastern or western side of the house; Shading for any south-facing windows, if house site is north of 23.5 degrees S; Vegetation and/or verandahs around the house, if water supply permits, to provide shade; Earth-sheltered and underground housing are ideally suited to this climate; This is the perfect climate for solar power.