Sustainable Buildings – Architectural Considerations

Architecture and Sustainability

One of the key factors in improving the sustainability of a project is understanding the energy requirements of a building. Buildings such as houses, shops, offices and with Other uses account for 40% of world energy consumption and 36% of greenhouse gas emissions according to the European Commission (2010,2013).

Achieving energy-efficient building design is the way to improve sustainability 🙂

Solar control

Construction project that uses architecture to minimize energy consumption and improve thermal comfort.

– Building envelope design should seek to control solar radiation absorption and its effects within the future building;
– Sun protection and surrounding shading to reduce the incidence of direct solar radiation;
– Optimization, building compactness and window to wall ratio.

Thermal Control

Thermal exchanges between buildings and the outdoor micro-climate will depend on:

• Temperature difference between indoor and outdoor
• Exposure and thermal properties of external building elements.
• Wall cavities
• Thermal insulation
• Reflective external materials is to prevent heat gain

Passive cooling

• Passive cooling is most appropriate for releasing heat in buildings in hot climates;
• Evaporative cooling of outdoor air supplied to the building for ventilation;
• Radioactive or convective cooling to cool the building structure;
• Ventilation provides fresh air supply necessary for occupant health and building hygiene.

Cooling Strategies

• Passive cooling is most appropriate for releasing heat in buildings in hot weather.
• Evaporative cooling of outdoor air supplied to the building for ventilation
• Radioactive or convective cooling to cool the building structure;
• Ventilation.

Natural ventilation

• Process of feeding and removing air through an internal space without the use of mechanical systems.
• Outside air flow to an interior space as a result of pressure or temperature differences.

Night ventilation

• Process of feeding and removing air through an internal space without the use of mechanical systems;
• Outside air flow to an interior space as a result of pressure or temperature differences