Search

Religious beliefs, traditional wisdom, rituals, and cultural practices all play an important part in the protection of biodiversity and the environment. In fact, vernacular architecture of India has long demonstrated cultural ethics that contribute to the conservation of environment and the natural resources. The Indian Temple architecture is noteworthy and is a manifestation of these socio-cultural-environmental values, conceptualized and constructed in unique ways integrating passive features which keeps on educating and inspiring generations after generations. These timeless temples through their passive architectural elements and harmonic aesthetic qualities enable the communities to perceive themselves as part of a spiritual network and to connect them to their biophysical surroundings. Given this, this research explores the passive architectural features and thermal performance of the naturally ventilated south Indian Temples, located in warm and humid climate zones. It examines how these passive features can be implemented in the contemporary buildings to achieve thermal comfort. The research employs a qualitative descriptive comparative method. It examines case studies of two temples located in Kerala, having a warm-humid climate, and investigates the passive architectural features and thermal performance. Data was collected through field visits to the two Temples: Iringole Kaavu Bhagavathy Temple (old) and Thottuva Temple (new). Environmental data was also collected during the field-surveys. The study concludes that the adaptation of passive architectural features, in response to the local climatic conditions contribute immensely to improve the thermal performance of the structures and thermal comfort of the users. Hence, it is argued that the passive climate-responsive architectural features of the South Indian Temples, suitable to the local geoclimatic and cultural conditions, can continue to be followed in the present and future construction of buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology / Yingyong Shengtai Xuebao is the property of Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

With rapid global economic growth and a rise in disposable household income, particularly within a progressively warming planet, the escalating demand for energy to achieve thermal comfort has become a salient concern in the Global South, notably in emerging economies like India. This burgeoning need for cooling solutions has not only underscored the vital role of energy consumption but has also accentuated the imperative of comprehending the ensuing implications for electricity policy and strategic planning, particularly within the ambit of the Global South. This study explored the nuanced landscape of active cooling within an intentional community, Auroville, in southern India, aiming to discern the factors underpinning household preferences and practices in the pursuit of thermal comfort. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study contributed empirically and methodologically to the interdisciplinary discourse by analysing residential electricity consumption patterns and cooling practices within selected households in the specified community. The study unfolded in three methodological stages: firstly, an analysis of climatic data coupled with an environmental stress index (ESI) assessment; secondly, the monitoring of end-user electricity consumption followed by rigorous data analysis; and lastly, the utilisation of qualitative in-depth interviews and observational techniques. This study’s outcome yielded empirical insights into the unprecedented shifts in the ESI for Auroville since 2014. Furthermore, the study unravelled the intricate complexities inherent in occupant behaviour within residential structures, thereby offering valuable insights into the practices that shape householders’ cooling preferences. This research enriched the understanding of the dynamics of energy consumption in the pursuit of thermal comfort and contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable development and energy policy in the context of climate change.

With rapid global economic growth and a rise in disposable household income, particularly within a progressively warming planet, the escalating demand for energy to achieve thermal comfort has become a salient concern in the Global South, notably in emerging economies like India. This burgeoning need for cooling solutions has not only underscored the vital role of energy consumption but has also accentuated the imperative of comprehending the ensuing implications for electricity policy and strategic planning, particularly within the ambit of the Global South. This study explored the nuanced landscape of active cooling within an intentional community, Auroville, in southern India, aiming to discern the factors underpinning household preferences and practices in the pursuit of thermal comfort. Employing a mixed-methods approach, this study contributed empirically and methodologically to the interdisciplinary discourse by analysing residential electricity consumption patterns and cooling practices within selected households in the specified community. The study unfolded in three methodological stages: firstly, an analysis of climatic data coupled with an environmental stress index (ESI) assessment; secondly, the monitoring of end-user electricity consumption followed by rigorous data analysis; and lastly, the utilisation of qualitative in-depth interviews and observational techniques. This study's outcome yielded empirical insights into the unprecedented shifts in the ESI for Auroville since 2014. Furthermore, the study unravelled the intricate complexities inherent in occupant behaviour within residential structures, thereby offering valuable insights into the practices that shape householders' cooling preferences. This research enriched the understanding of the dynamics of energy consumption in the pursuit of thermal comfort and contributes to the broader discourse on sustainable development and energy policy in the context of climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the global environmental crisis, the energy performance of buildings does not correspond to the necessary changes. The Cuban regulatory framework does not consider urban-architectural design as a resource to reduce the energy demand of buildings, where solar protection of openings is essential. The objective of the work was to propose design recommendations based on the influence of the urban context and orientation on solar protection and energy demand for cooling. The Energy Plus tool was used to simulate different urban scenarios and orientations, evaluating their impact on solar protection and energy demand. It is shown that by considering these factors, it is possible to reduce solar protection costs and energy demand. The importance of designing each portion of the vertical envelope considering its orientation and its relationship with the immediate context to achieve greater energy efficiency is highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design guidelines prescribed by climate analysis tools are broad and similar for various cities under the same climate zone overlooking the impact of altitude, latitude, and surrounding geographical features. Boundary conditions determined by International Standards underestimate the cooling potential of passive strategies in the free-running mode in warm-humid climates. Thus, a climate file-based study is conducted to determine city-specific requirements for the residential building program. Indices like Climatic Potential for Natural Ventilation and Climatic Cooling Potential are used in conjunction with the Indian Model for Adaptive Comfort to define boundary conditions for Natural Ventilation, Nocturnal Ventilation Potential, and Thermal Mass Potential in four inland and coastal cities in the warm-humid climate of South India. With the least Natural Ventilation Potential, mixed-mode operation of buildings is feasible in Nagercoil. Elevated airspeeds benefit Tiruchirappalli and Chennai during the day. With a Nocturnal Ventilation Potential of 10--20%, passive dehumidification is favorable in all cities. Results show that the climatic potential for each strategy varies with location and plays an important role in developing city specific design inputs for residences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and growing energy demands have put maintainability in the limelight for the long-term performance of green building envelopes, especially for warm-humid regions with intense weathering. This study proposed a framework for predicting the maintainability performance of such envelopes in the Indian context. The country is a key player in the global energy sector because green certification is mandatory for large commercial projects. Design-related envelope defects with their precise causes and effects were collated from the literature, field study, and a questionnaire survey to determine their criticalities. The defects of green and conventional buildings portray similar profiles due to common weathering agents. Furthermore, for the envelope components under the broad groupings of wall, fenestration, and roof, a maintainability attribute checklist was developed from the existing standards and guidelines. Common design alternatives for each component were weighted according to their ability to mitigate both critical and noncritical defects. The maintainability performance of a suitably chosen demo building was predicted. Despite its high energy efficiency class and careful maintenance, defects were prevalent, indicating average maintainability. This explains why landmark green projects also deviate from their energy-saving targets. The accuracy of the proposed framework was found to be satisfactory by tallying predicted and actual defects. The work can contribute to the achievement of long-term envelope performance and resource saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The data contained in this article refers to the measurements of climatic factors during an entire year in low latitudes regions with warm and humid climates, in Santa Rosa city from Ecuador. Since the geographical location and the importance of cloudiness in these regions, these measurements have focused on the solar radiation flux, cloud cover and sky temperature. The data obtained have been configured in a weather file for energy calculations, which has been used in the research article “Assessment of the reflectivity and emissivity impact on light metal roofs thermal behaviour, in warm and humid climate” [1].

Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Government of India, initiated energy conservation building codes (ECBCs) in 2007 to enhance building energy efficiency in the country. ECBC, 2017, for commercial buildings and Eco-Niwas Samhita, 2018, (Part-1) for residential buildings are the latest codes introduced. Anticipating the enormous potential of energy savings in the energy-intensive urban residences, the present study attempts to assess the energy performance of typical high-rise residential apartments in the warm-humid climate of Kolkata following implementation of envelope norms specified in these codes through whole building energy simulation. Energy performance index for total and cooling energy of four code compliant design cases is compared with the actual conventional design showing significant improvement (7.88–25.57% and 11.35–36.34%, respectively). Statistical association of each of the compliance parameters is studied showing a strong correlation of the indices with residential envelope transmittance value, roof thermal transmittance and visible light transmittance. The uncertainty in the variables influencing energy performance is probed into sensitivity analyses. Solar heat gain coefficient of the non-north window glazing is found to influence the residential envelope transmittance value and thus the cooling and overall energy consumption most, demanding special attention during material selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comprehensive understanding of the evolution of soybean climate potential productivity and its response to climate change in Heilongjiang Province can offer reference and basis for further tapping soybean production potential and realizing stable and high yield of soybean in the frigid region. Based on meteorological data from 80 meteorological stations in Heilongjiang Province from 1961 to 2020, we estimated photosynthesis, light temperature, and climate potential productivity of soybean by the stepwise correction method, examined the spatiotemporal variations by spatial interpolation and statistical analysis methods, and analyzed the impact of changes in climate factors such as radiation, temperature, and precipitation on climate potential productivity. The results showed that during the study period, the average values of photosynthesis potential productivity ( Y Q ), light-temperature potential productivity ( Y T ), and climate potential productivity ( Y W ) of soybean in Heilongjiang Province were 7533, 6444, and 3515 kg·hm -2 , respectively. The temporal changes of those variables showed significant increasing trends, with increases of 125.9, 182.9, and 116.1 kg·hm -2 ·(10 a) -1 , respectively. For the spatial distribution, Y Q , Y T , Y W were characterized by high values in plains and lower in the mountains, and gradually decreased from southwest to northeast. Compared with that during 1961-1990, the high value zone of Y W in period 1991-2020 expanded by 7.1%, and the low value zone decreased by 5.1%. Y W showed a significant response to climate change. The potential temperature growth period was extended due to climate warming. The continuous increase in thermal resources, combined with relatively sufficient precipitation, effectively alleviated the negative impact of the decline in light resources on soybean production in Heilongjiang Province. The projected "warm and humid" climate would comprehensively boost climate potential productivity of soybean in Heilongjiang Province.

En el acondicionamiento natural de una vivienda en clima cálido-húmedo juegan un papel importante factores tales como la inercia térmica, el aislamiento, las diferentes tipologías constructivas y la ventilación. En este contexto, hay diversidad de opiniones sobre las funcionalidades de la inercia térmica y del aislamiento, por lo que este trabajo plantea revisar dichos factores en una localización geográfica representativa de este tipo de clima como es la de La Habana (Cuba). Se estudia la amortiguación y el desfase de la onda térmica; la evolución libre de las temperaturas interiores mediante simulación por ordenador, tomando como ejemplo una vivienda de aproximadamente 60 m2 y sistema constructivo habitual de los bloques de viviendas de La Habana; y la incidencia del aislamiento aplicado a los cerramientos exteriores en el acondicionamiento natural de la vivienda, teniendo en cuenta las características concretas del clima cálido-húmedo que nos ocupa. Abstract For the natural conditioning of a dwelling in warm-humid climate, factors such as thermal inertia, insulation, different building typologies and ventilation play an important role. In this context, there are different opinions on the functionalities of thermal inertia and isolation. This paper proposes to review these factors in a representative geographical location of warm-humid climate such as that of Havana (Cuba). Both the damping and the lag of the thermal wave are studied. The free evolution of the inner temperatures by means of computer simulation are also analyzed, in a dwelling of 60 m2 and traditional building system of the housing blocks in Havana. Likewise, the investigation focus on the effects of the insulation layer of the external enclosures in the natural conditioning of the house under the above mentioned conditions and its repercussion in comfort. Appropriate strategies for the environmental conditioning of houses are inferred.

India, our country, has five different climatic zones. The government has launched Energy Conversion and Building Codes for Residential buildings (ECBE-R) recently. National building codes are not adequate to address the climatic diversity across the country. So far, the buildings are being constructed without any recommended standards. Finding a common solution for the same over the country may not be much reliable. Also, building construction and behavior of the people are different from one part of the country to another in a diverse way like clothing insulation and food. This part of the research work aimed to find the existing building construction details, its energy consumption, overall thermal sensation, and the behavior of households in Tamilnadu through a questionnaire survey. Results indicated that most of the buildings are flat concrete roofs, walls are well constructed with redbrick with cement plaster, single floor, and age of the building is less than 20 years. The majority of the occupants stayed in the night time and they were using ceiling fans to have comfort conditioning. They also had a feeling of thermal discomfort during the summer most of the time. The source of discomfort is mainly due to building enclosures and incoming sun rays. Finally, over 70% of the occupants were willing to do minor rejuvenation in their buildings to have thermal comfort. Furthermore, this research work presents the possibility of adopting suitable cooling and ventilation techniques in order to improve air quality and also thermal comfort in existing residential buildings in hot and humid region of Tamilnadu, India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to investigate the potential of courtyards in optimizing natural ventilation and improving comfort levels in the learning spaces of a naturally ventilated educational institution with courtyards in the warm-humid climatic region of Madurai. Field measurements and experimental studies were carried out to predict the indoor and outdoor environmental conditions. The numerical study was carried out using computational fluid dynamics-based simulations using Ansys Fluent as the solver. The main aim of the simulation is to understand the airflow pattern and air velocity fields inside the classrooms surrounding the courtyards for different wind directions. The computational fluid dynamics results were validated by comparing it with the experimental results obtained in the current study and numerical results from other studies. The major findings of the current study suggest that courtyards with an aspect ratio of 1:2, orientations of openings at an angle of 0–20° to the predominant wind directions and the overall percentage of openings between 15 and 30% in buildings in Madurai region can enhance natural ventilation and thus improve thermal comfort of the occupants. Practical application : Naturally ventilated buildings in warm-humid climates have difficulty in providing thermal comfort to the occupants. CFD tools have been used to predict the ventilation performance of a naturally ventilated educational building with courtyards. The CFD results were helpful in identifying the implication of building design on the indoor air flow pattern. The recommendations given in this paper are applicable to any building type which relies on natural ventilation for thermal comfort provided they have similar building configurations, boundary conditions and weather conditions. The study is intended to help architects and building designers in the effective design of naturally ventilated buildings with respect to its climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air temperature in urban street canyons is increased due to the morphed urban geometry, increased surface area, decreased long wave radiation and evapo-transpiration, different thermo-physical properties of surface materials and anthropogenic heat which results in thermal discomfort. Outdoor thermal stress can be mitigated substantially by properly orienting the canyons. It is crucial for the urban planners and designers to orient street canyons optimally considering variable local climatic context. It is important especially for cities in warm humid climatic context as these cities receive higher insolation with higher relative humidity and low level macro wind flow. This paper examines influence of canyon orientation on outdoor thermal comfort and proposes the optimum canyon orientation for the Rajarhat Newtown, Kolkata – a city in warm humid climate zone. Different scenarios are generated with different orientations. Change in air temperature, wind speed, Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) and Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) of different scenarios are compared to find out the optimum orientation by parametric simulation in ENVI_met. Analysing the simulation results it is observed that orientation angle between 30°–60° to north performs the best for the study area of the Rajarhat Newtown. The findings of this research will be helpful for the planners to orient the street canyons optimally for future development and extension of the Rajarhat Newtown, Kolkata.

According to the India Energy Security Scenario 2047, the number of residential air conditioner (A/C) units may increase seven-fold by 2037 as compared to 2017. Also, the related energy consumption might increase four times in the next two decades, according to India’s National Cooling Action Plan. Therefore, the study of occupant cooling behaviour is essential to reduce and manage the significant electricity demand, helping to formulate and implement climate-specific cooling policies, and to adopt low-energy and low-cost technologies at mass-market scale. The study aims to analyse residential electricity consumption in order to investigate occupant behaviour, especially for thermal comfort by using space cooling and mechanical ventilation technologies. Among the five climate zones in India, this study focuses on the occupant behaviour in a warm-humid climate using Auroville as a case study, where climate analysis of the past 30 years demonstrated progression towards unprecedented warmer weather in the last five years. In this study, electricity consumption data from 18 households (flats) were monitored for seven months (November 2018–June 2019). The study also elaborated the limitations faced while monitoring and proposed a data filling methodology to create a complete daily profile for analysing occupant behaviour through electricity consumption. The results of the data-driven approach demonstrated the characteristics and complexities in occupant behaviour and insight on the operation of different technologies to attain thermal comfort in residential buildings in an increasingly warming climate.

The combined effect of climate change and Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect is leading to a rise in air temperature in urban areas, including those with heritage value. Urban morphology and its effect on sun shading conditions in tropical cities is crucial to reduce UHI and improve outdoor thermal comfort. This paper presents a temporal-spatial analysis of the effect of courtyards geometry on their outdoor thermal conditions in a warm-humid climate. The assessment is based on numerical simulations of the mean radiant temperature, by using the RayMan model. Large courtyards geometry (convent typology), in the historical centre of Camagüey, were modelled and analysed changing their height-to-width ratio and orientation. Our findings confirm the effect of varying courtyard tridimensional aspect ratios on outdoor thermal conditions. Aspect ratios higher than 1 are advisable, as they contribute to improve the courtyard thermal conditions in summer, by reducing the subzones in the courtyard where the Tmrt is above 45 °C. Orienting the courtyard's long axis away from the East-West results in a lower level of Tmrt, with reductions of up to 15.7 °C, for high aspect ratios. The obtained Tmrt patterns give information about the most suitable subzones within the courtyards, according to the time of day and season. The proposed design and usability recommendations could be included in renovation projects aimed at enhancing courtyards' thermal conditions and contributing to an improvement of the surrounding urban microclimate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of different orientations and canyon aspect ratios to improve street-level microclimate in a warm humid climate. It also contributes to the development of a methodology to develop design guidelines while planning urban neighborhoods. The study was carried out using ENVI_met version 4.0. Simulations were run for typical residential neighborhoods in the Rajarhat Newtown, Kolkata, India, characterized by a warm humid climate as per the National Building Code of India, for a typical summer day with a high level of discomfort. Different orientations and different canyon aspect ratios are simulated and compared to find the most suitable design alternative for the study area. The floor area ratio has been kept constant in order to keep the design alternative more realistic. Performance analysis of the design alternatives was carried out by comparing air temperature, wind speed, MRT and PET. It was found that an orientation angle between 30° and 60° with the wind direction and a Canyon Aspect Ratio of 2.5 can reduce the PET value by 5 to 9 °C throughout most of the study area during a mid-afternoon summer day. Improvement in the thermophysical assessment classes cannot be achieved for the adopted simulation date and time (May 31st, 14:00 h). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal environment outdoors affects human comfort and health. Mental and physical performance is reduced at high levels of air temperature being a problem especially in tropical climates. This paper deals with human comfort in the warm-humid city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. The main aim was to examine the influence of urban micrometeorological conditions on people’s subjective thermal perception and to compare it with two thermal comfort indices: the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) and the standard effective temperature (SET*). The outdoor thermal comfort was assessed through micrometeorological measurements of air temperature, humidity, mean radiant temperature and wind speed together with a questionnaire survey consisting of 544 interviews conducted in five public places of the city during both the dry and rainy seasons. The neutral and preferred values as well as the upper comfort limits of PET and SET* were determined. For both indices, the neutral values and upper thermal comfort limits were lower during the rainy season, whereas the preferred values were higher during the rainy season. Regardless of season, the neutral values of PET and SET* are above the theoretical neutral value of each index. The results show that local people accept thermal conditions which are above acceptable comfort limits in temperate climates and that the subjective thermal perception varies within a wide range. It is clear, however, that the majority of the people in Guayaquil experience the outdoor thermal environment during daytime as too warm, and therefore, it is important to promote an urban design which creates shade and ventilation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Golconde, the first modern reinforced concrete building in India, remains as one of the most outstanding examples of climate responsive buildings in the country. This paper will present some of the various passive design strategies employed to ensure thermal comfort without the use of a mechanical cooling system. Among others, the building’s surrounding vegetation promoting natural ventilation, its orientation minimizing solar exposure, the ventilated double roof reducing indoor temperatures and the louvres working as solar shading devices are appropriate and efficient strategies for the Indian tropical climate context. The hourly data collected for air temperature, relative humidity and surface temperature over one and half years was used to analyse the impact of those passive strategies on the indoor conditions. This exemplary case study represents a strong case for constructing climate responsive buildings which could address the energy crisis in many countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vernacular dwellings are well-suited passive climate-responsive designs based on local materials and skills to support comfortable indoor environments. These naturally ventilated (NV) dwellings have supported and sustained civilizations even in extreme climates. The design and physiological resilience of the inhabitants have coevolved to be attuned to prevalent climatic and environmental conditions. Such adaptations have perplexed modern theories in human thermal comfort that have evolved in the era of air-conditioned buildings. The paper investigates climatic response and thermal comfort in NV vernacular dwellings in Suggenahalli, a village near Bangalore (India), set in a warm-humid climate. The study includes real-time thermal performance monitoring of a typical courtyard dwelling and includes a thermal sensation survey comprising a fifth of the village inhabitants. Two popular models have been evaluated, namely Fanger's predicted mean vote (PMV) and Humphreys adaptive thermal comfort. Ascertaining the PMV requires repeated inquiry and measurements which was unappealing to the rural community, with the responses turning out to be casual and indifferent. A methodology, termedaggregatedPMV, was thus evolved and tested to ascertain the thermal responses. Furthermore, conventional PMV assessments overestimated the thermal responses for winter despite application of the expectancy factor. Humphreys neutral comfort assessments also were in parallax with observed neutral temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The data contained in this article refers to the measurements of climatic factors during an entire year in low latitudes regions with warm and humid climates, in Santa Rosa city from Ecuador. Since the geographical location and the importance of cloudiness in these regions, these measurements have focused on the solar radiation flux, cloud cover and sky temperature. The data obtained have been configured in a weather file for energy calculations, which has been used in the research article "Assessment of the reflectivity and emissivity impact on light metal roofs thermal behaviour, in warm and humid climate" [1]., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships which have or could be perceived to have influenced the work reported in this article., (© 2021 The Authors.)

According to the India Energy Security Scenario 2047, the number of residential air conditioner (A/C) units may increase seven-fold by 2037 as compared to 2017. Also, the related energy consumption might increase four times in the next two decades, according to India's National Cooling Action Plan. Therefore, the study of occupant cooling behaviour is essential to reduce and manage the significant electricity demand, helping to formulate and implement climate-specific cooling policies, and to adopt low-energy and low-cost technologies at mass-market scale. The study aims to analyse residential electricity consumption in order to investigate occupant behaviour, especially for thermal comfort by using space cooling and mechanical ventilation technologies. Among the five climate zones in India, this study focuses on the occupant behaviour in a warm-humid climate using Auroville as a case study, where climate analysis of the past 30 years demonstrated progression towards unprecedented warmer weather in the last five years. In this study, electricity consumption data from 18 households (flats) were monitored for seven months (November 2018–June 2019). The study also elaborated the limitations faced while monitoring and proposed a data filling methodology to create a complete daily profile for analysing occupant behaviour through electricity consumption. The results of the data-driven approach demonstrated the characteristics and complexities in occupant behaviour and insight on the operation of different technologies to attain thermal comfort in residential buildings in an increasingly warming climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]