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Orientation|EnergyEfficientHouse|BuildingDesign|BuildingDesigns|SustainableBuildingGharExpert.com

OrientationofBuilding
Orientationofbuildingistodesignbuildinginsuchawayasitreceivesmaximumventilationandnatural
lightinallclimaticconditions.Itprovidescomfortablelivingconditionsinsidethehouse/buildingandsaves
energybillsalso.Theorientationcandefendundesirableeffectsofworseweather.Whileplanningtobuildanew
house,askyourarchitecttodesignbuildinginsuchawaythatenergylossisminimum.

gasanalysers,
analyzers
gasanalysisforAr,CO2,
O2,N2,H2,He,CH4also
withATEX
wittgas.com

ClimaticImplication
Orientationofbuildingdeterminestheamountofradiationthe
buildingreceives.Theorientationwithrespecttoairpatterns
affectstheamountofnaturalventilationasmuchaspossible.

Benefitsofbuildingorientation
Energysaving

Orientationofbuildingisenergyefficientapproachasthe
buildingorientationsavesheating,coolingandlightingcost.You
cantakeoptimalbenefitsofthesunbymaximizingsouthern
exposure.Itlowerscoolingcostbyminimizingwesternexposurewhereitismostdifficulttoprovidesunshade.

Breeze/NaturalAir
Orientationofbuildingprovidesbreezeisinwarmandhumidclimates.Ontheotherhand,theorientation
preventshotwindsinhotanddryclimates.

Naturalventilation
Buildingorientationprovidesnaturalventilationandlightwhichisbeneficialtothehealthofinhabitantsofthe
house.

FactorsAffectingBuildingOrientation
1.Solarradiationandtemperature
Theintensityofsolarradiationdependsonthedirectionofsunrays.Thetemperatureofastructureandliving
spaceincreasesduetosunradiationandaffectsenvironmentofthehouse.Solarradiationactsintwoways.
Sunraysdirectlycometothehousethroughopenings
Radiationcomesindirectlythroughwallsandroofofbuildingbyabsorbingheat.

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Forcomfortablelivingparticularlyduringsummerseason,radiation,temperatureandtreatmentofroomare
considered.Fromsolarradiationpointofview,thebestorientationisthatwhichreceivesmaximumsolar
radiationduringwinterandreceivesminimumsolarradiationduringsummerseason.
TheSouthfaadehasadvantageofreceivingmoresolarradiationduringwinterthanthatofreceivingduring
summer.Evenforopeningsonsouthfacade,smalloverhangsuchascurtainscancutoffdirectsolarpenetration
duringsummerandallowsitduringwinter.Obviously,thisismostbeneficialaspect,notavailableonanyother
faade.

Howtominimizesolarheatinsouth
faade?
Infacttheincidenceofgroundreflectedradiationonhuman
bodyfromsouthernsuninsouthfacadecausesgreatthermal
discomfortandvisualglare.InnorthernIndiatheSouthwallofa
buildingorhousereceivesleastsolarradiationduringsummer.
Tominimizereflectedsolarheat,grassylawnsshouldbe
developedinfrontofsouthfaade.

Howtominimizesolarradiationin
westernfaade?
Theeasternandwesternfaadereceivenearlyequalamounts
ofdailysolarradiationthroughouttheyear.Theonlydifferenceiswhenthesunshinesoneasternfaade,the
buildingorhouseiscomparativelycoolandairtemperatureislow.Ontheotherhandduetohigherair
temperatureinafternoon,theheatflowsindoorthroughwesternfaade.Tominimizetheaffectofsolarradiation
inwesternfaade,thesunshadeonopeningsshouldbeconstructed.

2.CloudsandRains
Cloudsandrainshavecomparativelylessimportanceinorientationofbuilding.Theareaswithlowcloudscover
skylargelyanddeterminetheeffectofbothincomingsolarradiationandoutgoingterrestrialradiation.Glazing
andopeningshouldbedesignedkeepinginviewthedirectionofrain,beatingthebuildingbecausethedirection
ofrainisgenerallysameasthatofprevailingwindexpectincaseofstorms.Ifduetoarchitecturalviewglazingis
provided,itshouldbecoveredbypropersunshadeetc.Thewallsoflesserthicknessshouldnotbedesignedin
thedirectionofheavyrains.

3.Humidity
Itdependsonweatherconditionoftheareaandhaslittleroleinorientationofbuilding.Themovementofairand
useofprevailingwindareveryimportantduringperiodsofhighhumidity.Humiditycanbeclassifiedintofour
categoriesi.e.
Verydry
Dry
Humid

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Veryhumid
Whenhumidityislow,dryorverydry,itiseasytotakeadvantageofevaporativecoolinginsummer.Whenitis
humidorveryhumiditisdesirabletoregulatetherateofairmovementeitherartificiallywithaidofelectricfanor
withhelpofprevailingwinds.

4.Humiditydesignconsideration
Thecomfortinrelationtohumiditybecomescomplex.Inhumidenvironmentthereisverywarmfeelingwhen
thereisnobreezeandairtemperatureis300C.Ontheotherhandifhumidityislow,onemayfeelcoolevenif
thetemperaturerisesupto320Cwithlittlebreeze.Itwillbecooleratthesametemperatureifthereisreduction
inrelativehumidity.Andifthereisbreezeinhighhumidityarea,thebuildingshouldbedesignedinsuchawayas
ithasmorenaturalairandventilation.

5.Prevailingwinds
Prevailingwindshelpcreatenaturalventilationinabuildingandgivemorecomfortduringhighhumidity.During
orientationofabuildinganddesigningdoorsandwindowsopenings,thedirectionofwindflowshouldbe
considered.Fixwindowsandventilatorsatproperlocationinbuildingtoprovidemaximumairandlight.The
heightofwindowshasmuchconcernaboutventilation.Maximumairandventilationcanbeobtainedifthelevelof
openingisatthelevelofoccupancy.

Considervelocityanddirectionofwindfororientation
Forthepurposeoforientation,itisnecessarytostudyvelocityanddirectionofthewindatparticularplace
throughouttheyear.Itisbetteriftheflowofwindismoreinbuildingduringhumidperiodthanrestperiodofthe
year.

Closeopeningstoavoidheatandglareinsummer
Oneshouldtakeappropriateactionduringorientationofbuildingsothatthebuildingprovidesmaximumcomfort.
Wherethereisextremeheatinsummeranditbecomesnecessarytocloseopeningstoavoidheatandglare,it
wouldbehelpfultoorientbuildingstofacewindsduringhumidmonthsinsteadoffacingprevailingwindwhich
comesfromsomeotherdirection.
Note:Idealordesirableorientationmaynotbepossibleineachindividualcaseduetovariousfactorsinevery
situation.Inthisageofadvancetechnologyinmaterialsandmechanicalaids,thelightingandventilationcanbe
obtainedforlivingandworkingafterdecidingonorientationofbuilding.

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