Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

www.energy.soton.ac.uk

Climate
and the Built Environment
Part 1 Background & Issues

Oman Energy Efficiency in Buildings Workshop, 15/10/2011

Dr Mark Jentsch
Sustainable Energy Research Group, University of Southampton, UK

www.energy.soton.ac.uk

Climate and buildings

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Would you use the same building design

solutions in Oman, Europe and China?

Kppen-Geiger Climate Classification System

Basic requirements for

Buildings
Architecture as a result of our needs

provide shelter against the elements

provide safety

provide comfortable indoor conditions
(thermal, visual, air quality, noise etc.)

meet social expectations (social
standards, representation, work task etc.)

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Strong impact
on operational
energy
consumption

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

The Natural Environment

Adapting to differences in the environment requires
inventiveness

Without inventiveness humans would not be able to

survive in most climates we live today.

Comfort and Shelter

Human inventiveness for comfort and shelter

A very long time ago

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Comfort and Shelter

Human inventiveness for comfort and shelter

Still a very long time ago

Climate and Architecture

Influence of geographical conditions on
building design
A Design factors related to the human
feeling of comfort
solar radiation, light levels / glare,
temperature, change in temperature,
rainfall, humidity, air quality / movement
B Design factors influencing the
construction
earthquakes, storms, floods, biological
pests, high solar radiation, high humidity
and condensation, salt levels in air

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Vernacular Architecture
Architectural design related to the
environmental conditions
Key factors for the appearance of
vernacular buildings

Prevailing climate conditions

Material availability

Food production & availability

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Vernacular
Architecture
=
Climatic
Design
Climatic
Design

Vernacular
Architecture

Technical / construction know-how

Culture / social system / societal conventions

Vernacular Architecture
Architectural design as answer to the
climatic conditions
Due to the regional differences in climate
traditional forms of architecture all over the
world are adapted to their specific exterior
conditions in order to:

provide the desired comfort

be energy efficient

withstand the climate

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Vernacular Architecture
Example traditional Thai house

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Vernacular Architecture
Example traditional buildings in Yemen

Modern Architecture and Energy

Climatic design principles have been lost

Villa Savoye, 1928-1931 20th century icon of the

modern movement, sustainability catastrophe.

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Modern Architecture
Architecture utilising the possibilities of
the industrialised world

Model: De La Vergne

Henry Galson First peoples air conditioner, commercially available in 1933

(Willis Haviland Carrier Inventor of modern air conditioning, 1902)

Concept and Function

Atria as climate moderator in the
traditional Roman house
rain
ventilation

meeting and
communication

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

evaporative
cooling

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Dubai

Concept and Function

Modern atria have often lost the function
of a climate moderator

The climate moderation function is often reduced in modern atria,

in particular in summer.

Solution Approaches
Modern architectural reaction to the
climatic conditions
Technical building
solutions
Idea: Every climatic
problem can be solved by
application of technology,
the design idea comes first

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Solution Approaches
Modern architectural reaction to the
climatic conditions

Integrative building
solutions
Idea: To adapt to the climatic
conditions by observing them
first

www.energy.soton.ac.uk

Climate change is not new

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

10

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Paleoclimatology
The global climate system changes constantly

dinosaurs

forests on
the poles
end of last ice age

The Earths surface temperature over time

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Paleoclimatology
The global climate system changes constantly

2.4 to 6.4 C
by the end of 21st century under a high emissions scenario

The Earths surface temperature over time

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

11

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Climate change is not new

Can we adapt today?
Can we adapt in time?

www.energy.soton.ac.uk

Global climate change

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

12

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

5 Subsystems of the
Global Climate

Atmosphere (the most unstable and rapidly changing)

Oceans (hydrosphere, high thermal inertia, important for
stabilising and regulating the atmospheric variations)

Snow and ice cover (cryosphere)

Land surface (litosphere)

Vegetation cover (biosphere)

Changes to the subsystems can result

in changes to the global climate
Image source: Wikimedia Commons, User: Bgr

Simplified Energy Flow in a

Planet with an Earth-Like Atmosphere

240 W/m
atmosphere
240 W/m

240 W/m

480 W/m
30C

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

13

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Links in the climate system

positive
Land use
change

Emissions

Rising
atmospheric
greenhouse
gas
concentration
(CO2 equiv.)

Radiative
forcing
(changes
in energy
balance)

negative
Diagram source: IPCC AR4, www.ipcc.ch

Links in the climate system

Local and global feedbacks,
e.g. changes in clouds, water
content of the atmosphere
and the amount of sunlight
reflected by sea ice (albedo)

Land use
change

Emissions

Rising
atmospheric
greenhouse
gas
concentration
(CO2 equiv.)

Radiative
forcing
(changes
in energy
balance)

Rising
atmospheric
temperatures

Rising ocean
temperatures
(logged)

Feedbacks include a possible reduction in the

efficiency of the land and oceans to absorb CO2
emissions and increased releases of methane.

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

Physical changes in
climate
Rising global mean
surface temperatures
Rising sea levels
Changes in rainfall
variability and
seasonality
Changing patterns of
natural climate
variability
Melting of ice sheets,
sea ice & land glaciers
Impacts on physical,
biological and human
systems

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Climate change predictions

IPCC 4th Assessment Report

A net positive global radiative forcing of between 0.6 W/m
to 2.4 W/m since 1750

0.74 C average global mean temperature rise over the last
100 years (1906-2005)
1 W/m forcing
60 W light bulb
Surface area: 510,072,000 km
=> 8.5 billion light bulbs

What can we do?

do the quick fix

easy & low immediate risk

be inventive

difficult & long term return

wait and see

easy & low immediate risk

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

15

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

www.energy.soton.ac.uk

Climate trends as
driver for change

Temperature development

UK

Thailand
Middle East

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Middle East
temperature development

Middle East: Temperature rise of around 1.0 C over

the last century.
(Data source: Climatic Research Unit, www.cru.uea.ac.uk)

1870-2009 deviation of annual mean temperature from 1961-1990 baseline

Middle East
temperature development

(Data source: Climatic Research Unit, www.cru.uea.ac.uk)

1870-2009 data points in the Middle East (32 points in total)

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

17

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Middle East
temperature development
1901-2005 linear trend
varies by region:

Mediterranean areas 0.2
- 0.5 C

Persian Gulf 0.5 - 1.1 C

Central regions in eastern

Iran 1.4 - 1.7 C

Data source: Climatic Research Unit, www.cru.uea.ac.uk

Bottom image gerated with: Panoply viewer, Version 2.9.4

UAE and UK 1977-2007

annual mean temperatures

Clear rising trend for
the UAE

UAE trend slightly
stronger than for the
UK

UK data: 1 km grid, UAE data: 6 weather

stations (Data source UK data: Met Office,
data source UAE data: United Nations FAO)

The problem is potentially far more severe for hot arid climates
than for moderate climates.

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Thailand and UK 1977-2007

annual mean temperatures

Trends are not equal
for all parts of the
world

Timeframe plays a
role for the trends

Thailand data 50-65 stations (Data source UK data: Met Office,

data source Thai data: United Nations FAO)

UAE and UK 1977-2007

monthly mean temperatures

UK annual swing of 10 to
15 C

UAE annual swing of 15
to 17.5C
In the UAE a temperature
increase may result in the
winter months requiring
increased cooling.

UK data: 5 grid, UAE data: 6 weather stations (Data source UK data: Met Office, data source UAE data: United Nations FAO)

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

19

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

UAE and UK 1977-2007

monthly mean temperatures

UK annual swing of 10 to
15 C

Thailand annual swing of
5 to 8 C
Smaller monthly variation
in Thailand implies
smaller vulnerability
during the summer
months than in the UAE.

UK data: 5 grid, UAE data: 6 weather stations (Data source UK data: Met Office, data source UAE & Thailand data: United Nations FAO)

www.energy.soton.ac.uk

Other pressures for

energy efficiency

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

20

Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Human Development Index

against Ecological Footprint
Earths biocapacity = 2.1 hectares per person

Sustainable
Society

Human
Development Index
Threshold for high human development = 0.8

life expectancy

education

per-capita gross
national income

Image adapted from original on:

Wikimedia Commons, User: Travelplanner

Human Development Index

against Ecological Footprint

Image source: Wikimedia Commons,

User: Travelplanner

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Why Climatic Design of

Buildings and Cities?
Data source: Digest of UK energy
statistics

UK fuel import /
export ratio [%]

Why Climatic Design of

Buildings and Cities?

Mineral oils +
biofuels

Development of
global oil
production

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

Why Climatic Design of

Buildings and Cities?
Biodiesel from
palm oil in 2030:

2350 million
tonnes of biofuels
in 2030 ??

Peak Oil ~2010

Peak Gas ~2020

5.76 million km

133 % of the land
surface of the EU

68 % of the land
surface of Brazil
Development of
global oil
production

Peak Coal ~2025

Urbanisation and energy

consumption

If energy consumption is to be reduced then this will need to

happen in urban environments

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

The Metabolism of a City

The Metabolism of a City

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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Energy Efficiency in Buildings

Workshop

Climate and the Built Environment

Part 1

What to Consider for Climatic Design?

User

Buildings

City

Supplies

Mark Jentsch, University of

Southampton

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