TROPICAL DESIGN
CLIMATE – defined a region with certain temperatures,
dryness, wind, light etc.

an integration in time of the atmospheric
environment of a certain geographical
location.
1. Amihan (NE) – November to April
2. Habagat (SW) - May to October
Sky Conditions: overcast sky most of the time, a lot of
reflected heat/ solar gain
Precipitation: high during the year (ave. of 1000mm/yr.)
Others:
CLIMATIC ELEMENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
Temperature
Humidity
Precipitation
Sky Conditions / Solar Radiation
Wind
Special Elements
WORLD CLIMATES
GENERAL TYPES OF CLIMATES
1.
2.
3.
4.
Hot Humid (Tropical)
Hot Ari
Temperate
Cold
THERMAL COMFORT
human comfort as determined by the ability of the body
to dissipate the heat and moisture it produces by
metabolic action.
PSYCHROMETRIC CHART
chart relating the wet-bulb and dry-bulb readings from a
psychrometer to relative humidity, absolute humidity and
dew point.
TROPICAL CLIMATE
those regions where heat is the dominant problem,
where the annual mean temperature is not less than 20
degrees.


climate conditions breed insects (flies,
mosquitoes, termites)
damp ground conditions
PROBLEMS IN AREAS WITH TROPICAL CLIMATES
1.
2.
3.
4.
HIGH TEMPERATURE LEVEL (HEAT)
HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS
SLOW WIND VELOCITIES
HIGH PRECIPITATION LEVELS DURING
RAINY DAYS
5. HIGH INCIDENCE OF TYPHOONS
6. ABUNDANCE OF INSECTS AND RODENTS
7. DAMP GROUND CONDITIONS
DESIGN OBJECTIVES IN TROPICAL CLIMATES:
1. Minimize Heat Gain
2. Maximize Ventilation (but protect from typhoon
wind)
3. Prevent unnecessary increase in humidity levels
4. Have good drainage systems to accommodate
high precipitation during the year
5. Protect spaces from insects and rodents
PASSIVE COOLING
cooling system using a building’s design and
construction to maintain a comfortable temperature
within the building.
essentially low-energy design achieved by the building’s
particular morphological organization rather than electromechanical means.
TROPICAL DESIGN
PASSIVE COOLING METHODS
concerned with countries where discomfort due to heat
and humidity are the dominant problems. Tropical
Design is applicable to Tropical, Sub-Tropical and
Equatorial Climates covering the Southeast Asian
Countries.
CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL CLIMATES
1. BUILDING CONFIGURATION, SITE LAYOUT
and SITE
2. PLANNING
3. BUILDING ORIENTATION
4. FACADE DESIGN
5. WIND AND NATURAL VENTILATION
Temperature: average mean temperature (dbt) 20 – 30
deg C; Small diurnal temperature change/range 2-5 deg
C
Others: Passive daylight devices, Building envelope,
color, Vertical Landscaping
Humidity Levels: 50% - 100% Relative Humidity
BUILDING CONFIGURATION, SITE LAYOUT and
SITE
Wind Conditions: slow wind flow (ave. of 2m/s)
Prevailing Wind in the Philippines:
example: a building can be protected from direct sunlight
by placing it on a location within the site that utilizes
existing features such as trees, terrain etc.
BUILDING ORIENTATION
example: In tropical countries such as the Philippines, it
is best to place service areas in the west and east facing
sides of the building because these sides are exposed to
direct sunlight.
SOLAR CONTROL DEVICES (SUN SHADING
DEVICES)
protecting the building spaces from heat gain due to
solar radiation
FAÇADE DESIGN
1. use of double-layered façade
2. use low-emissivity glass (Low-E glass)
3. use of insulation
WIND AND NATURAL VENTILATION
Prevailing Wind in the Philippines:
HORIZONTAL SUN SHADES
Amihan (NE) – November to April
Habagat (SW) - May to October
are generally used on the North-Facing and South
Facing Sides of a building
STACK EFFECT / CHIMNEY EFFECT
TYPES OF HORIZONTAL SUN SHADES:
The tendency of air or gas in a shaft or other vertical
space to rise when heated, creating a draft that draws in
cooler air or gas from below
CROSS VENTILATION
The circulation of fresh air through open windows, doors
or other openings on opposite sides of a room
WIND BEHAVIOR WITHIN A ROOM
CLIMATE
weather conditions prevailing in the area in general or
over a long period of time.
3 LEVELS OF CLIMATE
1. Macroclimate
2. Mesoclimate
3. Microclimate
MACROCLIMATE
N - I - 120 kph
climate always relates to a particular location although,
on a GLOBAL LEVEL. There are large regions with
similar climate conditions.
NW - III - 155 + 143 + 163 = 153.67 kph
MESOCLIMATE
specific climate of a REGION of a conurbation, a valley,
or other succinct geographic entity.
affected by the local parameters such as vegetation and
surface cover, surface form, regional precipitation
quantities, as well as human activity.
MICROCLIMATE
GLASS TECHNOLOGIES
climate of a SPECIFIC LOCAL AREA such as a building
complex. The microclimate of the immediate
environment of buildings has a direct influence on the
thermal conditions in these buildings
the use of glass as the primary building exterior cover
would require the consideration of “less heat gain” since
it has a thin section
WIND ROSE
graphic tool used by meteorologists to give a succinct
view of how wind speed and direction are typically
distributed at a particular location.
LOW-EMISSIVITY GLASS



Glass provided with special coatings that reduce
heat transfer.
Thin, almost invisible metal oxide or
semiconductor films.
Coats about 10 to 15% more but reduce heat
gain by 30% to 50%.
SPECRATLLY SELECTIVE COATING
filters out 40% to 70% of the heat normally transmitted
through clear glass, while allowing the full amount of
light to be transmitted.
can reduce the space cooling requirements by more
than 40%
HEAT
SAMPLE DATA
DATE
Jan. 1, 2021
Jan. 2, 2021
Jan. 3, 2021
Jan. 4, 2021
DOMINANT WIND
DIRECTION
N
NW
NW
NW
WIND SPEED
(kph)
120
155
143
163
energy that spontaneously passes between a system
and its surroundings in some way other than through
work or the transfer of matter
U-VALUE
the amount of heat a building section or material is able
to transmit in a given period of time.
HEAT STORAGE VALUE
ability to store heat
TIME LAG
time it takes the material to release or propagate the
heat
THERMAL INSULATION
material providing high resistance to heat flow


Where can you place reflective insulation:
Answer: above the reostra and below the kilo
ALTITUDE
Tan 44 = 1200 m / x
x = 1200 m / Tan 44
x = 1246.6 m