thermal resistance or Rvalue
The reciprocal of thermal conductance - see above m2.K W-1 . thermal resistivity The reciprocal of thermal conductivity m.KW-1 . thermal transmittance The thermal transmission through 1 m2 area of a given structure e.g. a wall consisting of bricks, thermal insulation, cavities, etc. divided by the difference between the environmental temperature on either side of the structure. Usually called 'U-value' W m-2 K . thermosiphon The convective circulation of a fluid that occurs in a closed system...
Embodied Energy And The Materials Used In Houses
As noted above, it is difficult to find accurate published figures for the embodied energy of materials. Generally, if an up-to-date database has been assembled, it will be used commercially. The Building Research Establishment BRE has set up an Table 2.1. Embodied energy of building materials. Range of published figures Table 2.1. Embodied energy of building materials. Range of published figures GJ giga joule, a unit of energy, 1 GJ 278 kWh. Source Building Research Establishment, 1994. GJ...
Windscaping Buildings
There are many ways to sculpt a building into the landscape and Nestle the building into the landscape. This simple device of hiding a building behind a feature of the landscape is very effective. However, bear in mind that if the wind is needed to cool the building, siting it behind a spur in the landscape may cut it off from the breezes. In some cases people take bulldozers to the landscape to ensure that the winds from the refreshing directions are channelled around their houses and the hot...
The Cost Of Form In Site Planning
An interesting case study of a new ecohousing development in Hungary demonstrates that there are very real financial advantages of adopting solar strategies in housing layout. The developers, Aldino Ltd of Budapest, bought a 64-ha site at Veresegyhaz some 30 minutes from the centre of Budapest, in April 1993. The land had few trees and sloped gently to the south. The first design Figure 1.15A using conventional housing layouts planned for a maximum density of 380 houses on 1000 m2 plots, but...
BUILDING HOMES IN CYCLONE AREAS Stephanie Thomas
If you live in a cyclone belt, ventilation occasionally is less about delight and more about survival. Winds, as they get stronger, begin to do damage to buildings. By the time that wind speeds reach 65 m.p.h. they can become really dangerous. Winds of this speed in a 'closed circulation', meaning they go around in a complete circle, are classified as hurricanes or typhoons. The terms hurricane and typhoon are regionally specific names for a strong tropical cyclone they are called typhoons to...
Getting Light Into The House Safely
A window is an important element in the building envelope. As with insulation, the greater the difference in temperature between the outside and the inside of a house, the better the windows will have to be. Look carefully to see the relative performance of the windows that are used in the different case study buildings around the world. For details of different windows there are a number of excellent sites on the Internet, listed under 'window performance'. The key things with window design...
Buried Pipes And Evaporative Cooling
Buried pipes function by injecting into the building air that has been previously circulated underground by means of earth-to-air heat exchangers. The air is generally sucked from the ambient air by means of a fan. The temperature drop of the outlet air depends upon the inlet air temperature, the ground temperature at the depth at which the exchanger is situated, the thermal conductivity of the pipes and the thermal diffusivity of the soil, as well as the air velocity and pipe dimensions. Using...
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the following people for their help for chapters of, and contributors to the book Christopher Day, Andre Viljoen, Katrin Bohn and Robert and Brenda Vale for the climate maps Cherry Bonaria for illustrations Tony Garrett, Edward Mazna, Andrew Marsh, Ian Giuliani, Glasshead Films Ltd, and The Centre for Window and Cladding Technology, Bath, with a special thanks to Michael Howlett for his beautiful pencil drawings for case studies all those who have helped to make...
The Ecohouse Design Guide
The first question to answer should be what is an ecohouse Eco-architecture sees buildings as part of the larger ecology of the planet and the building as part of a living habitat. This contrasts with the more common notions of many architects, who see a building as a work of art, perhaps on exhibition in a settlement or as 'frozen music' in the people-less pictures of glossy magazines. Some architects see the process of design as a production line with the building as a product to be deposited...
Detailed Studies Of Two Houses In The Uk
A comparative study between embodied energy and energy in use is a complex task, requiring accurate embodied energy figures and detailed information regarding the construction of the building and its predicted energy requirements. It is not something that every house builder would wish to undertake. However, detailed study has been undertaken by one of the authors Viljoen, 1997 of Dr Roaf's Oxford Ecohouse and a similar low-energy house in Suffolk, designed by the architect Roy Green roof from...
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSCONTACT INFORMATION Afj
This house was designed and built with the help of a group of people and companies that believe in the idea of sustainable architecture. The design team directed by the architects Martin Evans and Silvia de Schiller from the Research Centre Habitat and Energy, University of Buenos Aires, the architect Claudio Delbene and TEVSA SA contributed their knowledge to design and build this house. Marshall developed the structure that integrated the PV and solar collector into the roof, this being the...
Time And Embodied Energy
Studies conducted in New Zealand suggest that the energy used in a typical i.e. non-low energy residential building, over a 50-year life, is equal to approximately four times the embodied energy of its structure Williamson, 1997 . This kind of direct comparison between energy in use and embodied energy is not very useful, unless we know how long the dwelling is expected to last. It will always be the case that, as energy-in-use requirements reduce, the longer this will take to Recycled...
The Heat Exchanger
The greater the volume of the building the more surface area it has to lose, or gain, heat from. Figure 1.3 shows that different plan forms can have more or less wall area for the same plan area. The surface area volume ratio is very important in conserving heat transfer into and out of a building. To conserve heat or cold the building must be designed with a compact form to reduce the efficiency of the building as a heat exchanger. Buildings can have very different perimeter area ratios...
Recommended Reading List
Anink, D., Boonstra, C. and Mak, J. 1996 . Handbook of Sustainable Building, An Environmental Preference Method for Selection of Materials for Use in Construction and Refurbishment. James and James, London, ISBN 1-873936-38-9. Association for Environment Conscious Building 2000 . The Real Green Building Book, Yearbook of the Association for Environment Conscious Building. AECB, Nant-y-Garreg, Saron, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire, SA44 5EJ http www.aecb.net . A chair at the Tipu Sultan's Summer...
Composting toilets
Composting toilets use no water for flushing. In its domestic form this toilet is usually electrically powered, heating the waste material to enable composting action to occur. The major problem with this type of toilet is its size the smallest domestic model is about twice the size of a conventional WC suite. Large greater than 15 m3 composting toilets do not usually require the external input of energy for the process, as the aerobic decomposition is sufficiently exothermic to be...
Insulation
The colder the climate, the more insulation is needed. The Inuit people of the Arctic get most of their insulation from the skin and fur clothes they wear that keep them warm even when living in houses made of ice. In a similar climate, in the Antarctic, a Mantainer container for people was designed for Robert Swan's expedition, in which the wall of the capsule provides most of the necessary insulation. The structure Figure 3.1 is made of a timber fibre honeycomb base panel 12 mm thick ,...
Ecofeatures Explained 1
Comfort is achieved by manipulating the temperature, humidity and air movement in the indoor environment. We can improve the temperature and air flow through the appropriate choice of building material thermal mass , the right orientation, the provision of adequate shading built or natural grown landscaping and the selection and placement of windows for cross-ventilation. The house is oriented facing north with its back to the south using the embankment as its mass for keeping the lower level...
Septic Tank Maintenance
Once built, periodic pumping and inspection of existing septic systems is the key to maximizing the longevity and performance, and reducing the environmental impacts of the system. Tank pumping will prevent solids from overflowing into and prematurely clogging the drainfield. As a rule of thumb, septic tanks should be inspected yearly and pumped every 2-4 years. As previously mentioned, septic system siting, design and installation are the responsibility of the site evaluator, designer and...
Sunspaces Solar Greenhouses Conservatories
One of the most attractive passive solar features is the use of an attached sunspace also known as solar greenhouse or conserva tory to gather energy and pre-warm ventilation air for the parent house. An attached sunspace is a solar collector that is also a useful space capable of serving other building functions. Occupants not only have the benefit of lower energy bills but also it can be a most comfortable area of the house on sunny winter days. In winter they make an excellent place to store...
Passive Solar Systems
The northern facade incorporates three passive solar systems 1 The sunspace, a large glazed volume, is thermally coupled to the house by four complimentary heat flow mechanisms forced convection to a rock bed beneath the living area, natural convection to the living areas through openable windows, radiation through the closed windows, and transmission through mass walls. 2 Direct solar gains are obtained through openings with favourable orientations for winter sun. These windows are in the...
ECOFEATURES EXPLAINED Wbw
The general orientation of the buildings is aligned east-west, with most window openings in the north and south faces. The courtyard houses, because of their square proportions in plan, also face towards the east and west. The windows on these faces look into narrow protected alleys or the small courtyard between the houses. The alley space on the west side is shaded by retaining the wall of the original double-storey building that had previously lined the side street. For the linear houses on...
Redeveloped Property At Civil Lines
Fagade of Courtyard House, by Ashok Lall. A. B. Lall Architects, 1997-1999 Client Ashok and Rajiv Lall, Ratiram Gupta and sons Civil Lines, New Delhi, India 28 N, 77 E 220 m above sea level
Why Ventilate A Building
For each room of a house you should ask why is ventilation needed in this space Three possible reasons are for direct comfort ventilation to cool or heat the occupants of the space by convection for indirect comfort ventilation, for heating and cooling the actual structure of a building to indirectly enhance the comfort of the room's occupants and to use 'free energy' more efficiently. In this way, day-time solar warmth can be stored in the structure and used at night, or coolth from night air...
Middleton House
Middleton House in winter, by Charles Middleton. Middleton House in summer, by Charles Middleton. Middleton House in winter, by Charles Middleton. Middleton House in summer, by Charles Middleton. Charles Middleton and Peggie Beattie Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada 45 N, 79 W 270 m above sea level Continental 4800 heating degree days per year
What Are Photovoltaics
Photovoltaic cells convert sunlight directly into electrical energy. The electricity they produce is DC direct current and can either be converted to AC alternating current power or The basic element of a photovoltaic system is the solar cell that is made of a semiconductor material, typically silicon. There are no moving parts in a solar cell, its operation is environmentally benign and, if the device is correctly encapsulated against the environment, there is nothing that will wear out....
Hurricane Experiences And Lessons Learned
Even though hurricanes hit the Leeward Islands so frequently, sometimes more than twice a year, Hurricane Luis August 1995 leaves behind a benchmark for constant comparison. Luis was a Category 4 Cape Verde hurricane that wreaked harm and havoc on the northeasternmost edge of the Leeward Islands, with an estimated 16 people dead and US 2.5 billion in damages, US 1.8 billion to St Maarten alone. The house on Tamarind Hills is 13 years old and, after Hurricane Luis with winds gusting up to 325...
Lindavista House
Lindavista House, by Jose Roberto Garcia-Chavez. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Jose Roberto Garcia-Chavez Location Lindavista, Mexico City, Mexico 19 N, 99 W 2240 m above sea level Bioclimatic design Solar water heating and cooking Optimized natural day lighting Energy-efficient equipment Low energy materials and insulation Rainwater collection and storage with low consumption devices Sustainable waste treatment recycling Healthy construction environment Life-supporting...
Calculating Embodied Energy
The following section will help one research the embodied energy of a particular material or to make some educated guesses. When reading figures for the embodied energy of a material or house type, the first question to ask is how has the energy been measured Energy is measured as either delivered or primary energy. Delivered energy refers to the actual quantity of energy delivered for use to a particular site or building, for example the amount of electricity used and recorded on a bill....
Incinerating toilets
Incinerating toilets are designed to handle only the black water component of the household wastestream. In these toilets, urine and faeces combust at high temperatures to produce an inert ash by-product devoid of nutrients, bacteria, viruses and pathogens. Although black water contaminants are totally eliminated from the wastestream, a septic system must still be installed to treat the grey water generated in the household. Water conservation measures can be used to help keep the nutrient and...
Passive Conditioning Of Outdoor Air
1 Wind breaks. These can be used not only to lessen the impact of strong hot or cold wind but also, if shrubs and trees are used, the air will pick up moisture from the leaves and so increase its humidity, so cooling the air. 2 Dust. Use air that has passed over natural planted groundcover to reduce dust levels. Ensure that land on the windward side of the site or settlement is planted or maintained so that the earth's crust is not broken because, if it is, this produces erod-ible dust...
Grey Water Systems
Grey water systems reuse either rainwater or water that has already been used once in the home, such as shower, bath and washing machine water, for secondary, non-potable purposes such as flushing WCs and watering the garden. The concept of domes- Section through the village of Khoranaq, in the Central Persian desert north of Yazd, showing the passage of the water from an underground channel or Qanat through the village, being used from clean to dirty uses. On its path the underground stream is...
Reusable Building
0kologiske Hus AS, Norges Forskningstrad, statens Forurensn i ngst i lsyn Marnardal, Norway 58 N, 8 W Climate
Acknowledgementscontact Information 1
This project was part of a course-related assignment at Oxford Brookes University. This project has become an example of student solutions generating a real project. Kapoor Prashant, London, UK. E-mail designpeople building.com Rainwater harvesting. Section showing in situ sand filter. Rainwater harvesting. Section showing in situ sand filter. The solar water collector works by thermosiphon. The solar water collector works by thermosiphon. Touichi Akiyama, Land Architects Inc., OM Solar, 1991...
A Brick In A Storage Radiator
In very cold climates the rooms of buildings, just like people, huddle together to keep warm, often around a central 'hot core', a heat source such as a fire place. Figure 1.10 shows a classic hot-core building from Lativa where an extended warm wall into the communal room is always a favourite place to sit in winter. The principle is similar to that of a brick in a storage radiator. The heat comes from perhaps a fire or the sun, and is absorbed in the thermal mass of the building, as it is in...
Azimuth And Altitude Of The Sun At A Site
The angle with which the sun strikes at a location is represented by the terms 'altitude' and 'azimuth'. Altitude is the vertical angle in the sky sometimes referred to as height azimuth is the horizontal direction from which it comes also referred to as bearing . Altitude angles range from 0 horizontal to 90 vertical directly overhead . Azimuth is generally measured clockwise from north so that due east is 90 , south 180 and west 270 or -90 . Because the Earth revolves around the sun once a...
Jimmy Lim Architect
Taman Seputeh, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 3 N, 101 E 17 m above sea level Hot, humid, tropical the architect describes the climate as having two seasons 'hot and wet' and 'hot and more wet' Material reuse Non-insulation Natural cross ventilation Adaptation Solar shading A unique feature of the house is that additions are constantly being made experimentally and unpredictably, with gut intuition rather than proper drawing-board planning. Jimmy Lim, resident architect of this progressive hand to...
Solar House
Inagi, Tokyo 35 N, 139eE 50 m above sea level 1979 Solar House by Ken-ichi Kimura. 1979 Solar House by Ken-ichi Kimura. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Inagi, Tokyo 35 N, 139eE 50 m above sea level
Oxford Ecohouse
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Features Briefly Explained
Ecohouse Wiberg, located in southern Sweden, is built according to ecological principles. It includes a passive system and a ventilated and easily inspected underfloor creepway. The walls are of lightweight concrete blocks with an intermediate layer of cellulose fibre sheeting, which give the house a heavy, heat-storing frame. The ventilation works on the self-draught system, the heating through a water mantled tile stove and gas. All materials are non-toxic and natural.
Ecohouse Bariloche
Limited site location Thermal insulation Greenhouse and rock store integrated into design Roof integrated photovoltaic system DHWS Wastewater reuse for irrigation The Fuentes-Lopez house is located in Bariloche, an important tourist and ski centre in the cold southwest region of Argentina. The house is built in a low-density, hilly and wooded area, approximately 18 km from the town centre, with attractive views of surrounding mountains and the Nahuel Huapi National Park. Planned for convenient...
Bariloche Ecohouse
Research Centre Habitat and Energy University of Buenos Aires with Claudio Delbene Manuel Fuentes and Ana Lopez Locat i on Bariloche, Argentina 41 S, 71 W 1000 m above sea level Cold mountain area 3600 heat i ng degree days Rendering of Bariloche Ecohouse, by Evans. Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month lt G Gh gt TC - -T min -.-T max
Urinal flushing cistern controllers
Urinal flushing cistern controllers have been widely used in the UK for some time. Water Byelaws for such appliances have to be checked for each area. In the UK such Byelaws state the maximum rate at which cisterns may be filled. Since 1989 new cisterns are required to be refilled only when the urinal is in use. There are various methods of sensing use and operation. Some use changes in water pressure to identify operation of taps and therefore, by association, the use of urinals others use...
Indirect Gain Systems
These are passive thermal systems that collect and store the sun's energy. The storage is directly linked to the comfort of the interior space. In winter, energy is collected and stored to be released later in the day. This allows better control of indoor temperatures and heat distribution. In summer, the systems reverse their operation preventing overheating. A building component can be heated by absorbing heat radiated from warmer components walls, floors or by convection from the surrounding...
Bidani House
Delhi, India 28 N, 77 E 216 m above sea level Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Month
K J Macks Design For Tropical Cyclones
Allen, P. and Todd, B. 1995 . Off the Grid Managing Electricity from Renewable Sources. The Centre for Alternative Technology. E-mail help catinfo.demon.co.uk Andrews, A. 1997 . Nomad Tent Types in the Middle East, Part 1, Vol. 2. Beihefte Zum Tubinger Atlas Des Vorderen Orients. Anink, D., Chiel Boonstra, C. and Mak, J. 1996 . Handbook of Sustainable Building An Environmental Preference Method for Selection of Materials for use in Construction and Refurbishment. James and James, London....
Good Publications On Passive Solar Design
Balcomb, J. D. 1979 . 'Designing fan forced rock beds'. Solar Age, November, p. 44. Balcomb, J. D. 1980 . Passive Solar Design Handbook. Volume I. National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, USA. Balcomb, J. D. 1982 . Passive Solar Design Handbook. Volume II. National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161, USA. Balcomb, J. D. 1983 . Conservation and Passive Solar Guidelines for New Mexico. Los Alamos National...
How Much Does It Cost To Use Passive Solar Systems
Today's passive solar heating systems can typically provide 30-70 per cent of residential heating requirements, depending upon the size of the passive solar system, the level of energy conservation being employed in the building envelope and the local climate. At the upper end of this range the use of specialized components is often required. These performance results are typical for single-family residential buildings, and small commercial and institutional buildings. The economics of some...
The Building As A Roman Bath House
In Roman bath houses the floors were warmed by an under-floor heating system called a hypocaust. A fire would be lit under the great basins used to heat the water for the hot baths and the excess heat from the fire would be ducted under solid floors to heat the bath house itself. So, in such systems, there is a heat source, thermal mass to store the heat in and regulate its dissipation into a space, and a system of heat distribution. This idea uses a convec-tive heat transfer medium, air or...
Descriptionbrief 1
Monoma, named after the clients' late daughter, is in the city of Hyderabad. Hyderabad has a history of Moghul invasion and an Islamic character as far as its historical architecture is concerned. It is among the fastest growing cities of India and is becoming extremely attractive to industrial investors. Although there has been a significant increase in the industrial activity of the region, the rate of growth of infrastructure has not been sufficiently significant to keep up with...