BUILDING SERVICES - III

(AR- 209 B)

SYLLABUS

CONTENT: (AS/University)

UNIT I:
Climate and thermal comfort

Global climatic factors, elements of climate, measurements and representations of climatic data
Classifications of climates: Köppen classification and tropical climate classification, climatic
zones of India
Micro climate effects of local factors and landscape elements on site climatic elements
Thermal balance of human body, physiological and environmental factors of thermal comfort
Thermal comfort indices, Bioclimatic chart, comfort zone, overheated and under heated periods
Climate responsive traditional architecture in different climates
Mahoney tables, Computer analysis of climate and comfort

UNIT II:
Principles of thermal design in buildings

Thermal quantities: temperature, heat, specific heat, sensible heat, latent heat, thermal capacity.
Heat flow: conduction, convection, radiation
Thermo-physical properties of building materials and elements: conductivity (k), density, surface
conductance, air-to-air thermal transmittance (U value), effects of cavities
Heat exchange of buildings (thermal balance equation)

UNIT III:
Solar Geometry and design of solar control

Apparent movement of the sun, Sun path diagrams and its application, greenhouse effect Solar
control-orientation, internal blinds and curtains, high performance glasses, taxonomy of shading
devices Procedure for designing fixed external shading devices: solar angles, shadow angles, solar
shading masks etc.
Exemplar studies involving measuring, observing and recording shade in different types of public
buildings

UNIT IV:
Ventilation and Day lighting

Functions of natural ventilation; supply of fresh air, stack effect due to the thermal forces,
convective cooling, physiological cooling, wind simulators, air movement through building and
around buildings - factors affecting the indoor air flow, air flow around buildings, wind shadow
etc. wind tower, wind scoop.
Light principles, photometric quantities, daylight prediction-day light factor, the design sky, design
methods.

QUESTION BANK

UNIT I:

1. What is climatology? Discuss its importance in Architecture. Support your answers with
relevant examples.
2. Write short note on:
a) Summer and winter solstice
b) Longitude and latitude
c) Earth’s atmosphere.
d) Weather and climate.
3. What is Micro-climate? How can we improve micro-climate using building elements in
composite climate? (Explain considering all elements of climate).
4. Explain various elements of climate. Explain how they are measured.
5. Explain various climatic zones in India with their main characteristics and also name main
cities in each zones.
6. Discuss passive design strategies you would adopt while designing a house in hot and arid
climatic zone for comfort conditions.
7. Discuss the climatic relevance of courtyard house in hot and arid climatic zones. Elaborate
with notes and sketches.
8. Explain the design guidelines for designing building for Cold climatic zone. Support your
answers with relevant examples and neat sketches.
9. Explain the design guidelines for designing building for composite climatic zone. Support
your answers with relevant examples and neat sketches.
10. Write short note on:
a) Climatic comfort of an igloo
b) Climatic usefulness of verandas/courtyards
c) Trees and microclimate
d) Mahoney tables

UNIT II:

11. Describe briefly the following with notes and sketches.

a) Heat exchange process in buildings
b) Passage of solar radiations through atmosphere and heat release from ground and
atmosphere.
12. Write short note on:
a) Thermal regulation of body
 b) Metabolism
c) Clothing and its role in thermal balance
13. What do you understand by thermal comfort? Explain your answer using bioclimatic chart.
14. Explain briefly with notes and sketches.
a) Trombe Wall
b) Earth air tunnel
c) Dry bulb and wet bulb Temperatures.
15. Explain the principle of heat transfer in a building. What is the role of building envelope
in the energy efficiency of building?
16. Write short note on:
a) Thermal Mass
b) Sol- Air temperature
c) U- Values
d) Insulating materials
17. Discuss briefly with notes and sketches.
a) Conductivity and Conductance
b) Psychometric charts
c) Stevenson box
18. Discuss briefly the method of calculating heat transfer in a building. Describe methods to
reduce the heat transfer in a warm Climate.
19. Discuss briefly the process of conduction, Convection and radiation as the process of heat
transfer in a building.
20. What is Climatic Responsive Architecture? Explain with notes and sketches the design
considerations while designing a residential building in warm and humid climatic zone.
UNIT III:

21. Explain briefly with notes and sketches, the different types of shading devices used in
building and their relevant application.
22. Explain the relevance and method of using Sun path diagrams for calculating solar angles
(horizontal and vertical) for south orientation wall at latitude 28º N.
23. Discuss the importance of orientation of building with respect to solar movement. Explain
good orientation of building on Northern hemisphere.
24. Figure 1 shows the sun path diagram for 0º and 28ºN latitude what information do these
diagrams give which would help in design of buildings in these locations.
25. Discuss briefly with notes and sketches.
a) Shading Mask of shading devices
b) Azimuth angles
c) Orientation of buildings.
26. Sun and wind are the important aspects for designing building for comfort conditions.
Elaborate with notes and sketches.
27. What is meant by building orientation? How does it affect the heating and cooling loads of
an air conditioned building?
 28. Explain the relevance of shading devices for windows. Explain with notes and sketches the
type of Shading devices you would recommend for
a) North facing window
b) South facing windows in Delhi.
UNIT IV:

29. Explain with notes and sketches the air movement pattern around the buildings with respect
to wind movements what would be your design concerns while designing a house layout
for warm and humid climatic zone.
30. Discuss briefly the Day Light Factor. What would be your concerns to enhance the Day
light factor in buildings?
31. Discuss briefly with notes and sketches
a) Sky component
b) Internal Reflection Component ( Daylight Factor)
c) Cross ventilation in the building.
32. Discuss the siting planning and distances between buildings in Coastal areas to take
advantage of winds.
33. Discuss briefly with notes and sketches
a) Wind catchers/ Towers
b) Concept of light shelves
c) Vary Therm Wall.
34. Explain the importance of ventilation in the building. Elaborate various methods of
providing Cross ventilation in the buildings.
35. Discuss briefly
a) Evaporative cooling systems in buildings
b) Land breeze and sea breeze
c) Energy conservation building codes.
36. While designing a bedroom what would be the criteria for location of windows with respect
to wind direction for better ventilation in the room for comfort conditions?
37. Write Short notes on
a) Window Shadows
b) Advantage of north lighting
c) LEED evaluation method.