TUTORIAL-1
BUILDING SCIENCE-1 (ART-201)
SUBMITTED BY VISHWASH DANODIYA
STUDENT ID: 2023UAR1057
Semester 03 | 2nd year Under the supervision of AR. TARUN
VERMA
(Assistant professor at MNIT Jaipur)
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNING MALAVIYA NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY,
JAIPUR
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 12-10-2024
QUESTION-1
Reflect on how this course (Building Science-I) has influenced your approach to designing
climate-responsive buildings. Discuss in 600 words.
Taking a building science course has completely changed the way I design climate-
responsive buildings. Before, I had a general awareness of the importance of energy
efficiency and sustainable design, but this course made me realize how essen al climate
adapta on and performance are to architectural design. The class provided me with
theore cal founda ons as well as prac cal methods for incorpora ng environmental
considera ons throughout the design process.
One of the most important things I learned in this course was to understand the building
as an organism, which employs specific passive design strategies. By studying heat
transfer, thermal comfort and natural ven la on as a means to understand how a
building can work passively with its environment, there is less dependence on
mechanical systems for hea ng and cooling. We learned how to assess the climate and
solar condi ons of a specific site, as well as how to design for natural light and cross
ven la on so that we can enhance indoor air quality while dras cally reducing energy
use in the process. Designing with the correct orienta on, using overhangs and
designing appropriate glazing are just a few examples of how much you could poten ally
save on cooling costs during summer months or hea ng costs during winter months
simply by enhancing your building design.
Addi onally, the course renewed my apprecia on to the importance of enclosures as an
expression of the clima c responsive design. As a result, I tend to emphasize balancing
between the technical aspects and thermal characteris cs of selected materials in the
context of the target climate. Now that I have an understanding of the principles of
insula on, air- ghtness and solar gain, I have been able to design facades that are more
energy efficient, reducing heat loss in cold regions and mi ga ng overhea ng in warmer
ones. I was amazed by the idea of the ‘thermal bridge’ and I make sure that these sorts
of problems are resolved in the ini al stages in order to minimize energy losses and
prevent moisture problems.
Lastly, smart design and the integra on of renewable energy systems in buildings also
changed my approach. In the course I studied the relevance of designing buildings with
photovoltaic panels and rainwater harves ng systems and energy efficient HVAC. This
has caused me to change how I see building construc on to incorporate designs which
not only adapt to the local environment but also help in sustainability in the long run.
The course also caused me to shi my vision into acquisi on of more design in
construc on and prac ce. Instead of considering the building along with its enclosure as
dis nct, I now consider its enclosure and the building as elements of an interac ve
space which requires synergy. The interac ons between energy, water, indoor air, and
the residents have become something important and I consider in my designs. I evaluate
elements like local clima c condi ons, wind pa erns, and micro climates and these are
included in the complete design objec ve making it more easy to achieve all the
necessary aspects controlling comfort, energy efficiency as well as durability of the
building.
The last topic focused on climate resilience against climate change impacts and extreme
weather events. Currently as an architect I do not only focus on the ini al energy
efficiency of a building but also its poten al to become weathered by heat, storms, or
raise in sea levels. This awareness inspired me to strive towards the construc on of
buildings that are further in design and more capable of coping with climate change
uncertain es.
To conclude, the building science course has profoundly changed the way i design, by
making me pay a en on and considera on to environmental factors and include energy,
sustainability, and resilience into my work. It has equipped me with ideas and skills to
design structures that are relevant with the exis ng climate and can accommodate the
needs of areas that change in the future.
QUESTION-2
Explain the use of the psychometric chart in the climate-responsive building design
process.
Climate-sensi ve design stands to gain extensively from the applica on of psychometric
charts, especially for architects and designers who wish to appreciate the interac on of
climate varia ons and what factors are important in achieving human comfort. It assists
in providing targe ng strategies building for hea ng, cooling, and ven la on depending
on the climate condi ons of the site. This is a basic concept of how this chart works and
how it helps curb the issue of energy efficiency in buildings.
Details Related to Understanding the Psychometric Chart
The psychometric chart, dry-atomists in brief, is a graphical portrayal of the facts and
corrects an image concerning air, dry-atomists cooling temperature. It consists of the
following;
1. Dry-bulb temperature which is the actual temperature shown on a thermometer.
2. Humidity which is the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere.
3. Wet-bulb temperature which reflects to what extent the atmosphere can be
cooled via evapora on.
4. Dew point the temperature of individual water vapor
5. Enthalpy the amount of heat absorbed by air.
In order to determine how the air moves under various temperature and moisture
condi ons, prisms figures assist the architects in plo ng the following graphs:
1. Determine Condi ons of Comfort: These are ranges of temperature and humidity
that people are expected to feel comfortable within.
2. Iden fy Passive Strategies: Depending on the climate data, advocate for strategies
like cross ven la on for cooling, solar gain for hea ng or moisture control for
humid climates.
3. Choose the Most Ra onale Materials and Techniques: Considering the type of
climate, decide how much insula on, shading, window placement and which wall
materials are most suitable.
How It Applies in Building Design
1. Sites for Cooling Strategies: In hot and dry areas, the chart can suggest strategies
like evapora ve cooling or u lizing natural ven la on.
2. Sites for Hea ng Strategies: For colder condi ons, the chart assists in selec ng
outward opening windows either to maximize solar exposure or to u lize heat
retaining thermal mass materials.
3. Water Sites: For humid climates, the chart shows materials that need
dehumidifica on as well as those that do not allow moisture contents to be
retained.
Basic Psychometric Chart: This is a simple clipart illustra on of temperature and
humidity concepts along with several comfort zones.
Design Strategies Mapped on the Chart: Diagrams showing the places, where shading,
wind harves ng and other passive design strategies are applicable.
Building Design Sketch: Typical building shapes that would fit the data given in the chart
are demonstrated here.
These are the three sketches:
Basic Psychometric Chart: This is a simple diagram which shows interac on between
temperature and humidity along with representa ve comfort zones.
Design Strategies on the Chart: Different strategy areas, such as zones with possibility of
natural ven la on and areas of evapora ve cooling including temperature and humidity
interac on zones.
Climate-Responsive Building Concept: This is a design concept wherein the architect
surrounds the windows and the roof with visual space and thick walls, allowing cross
ven la on for heat fetching requirements.
