中英分开.docx

1、中英分开Climate and ArchitectureSince the beginning of time, man has been affected by climate and its influence over the earth. The first humans built shelters and lived in caves to protect themselves from the weather elements. However, the first documentation of architectural design with climate intere

2、sts in mind dates back to fourth century B.C. in Greece. Thephilosopher Vitruvius, first century B.C., is quoted as saying, “We must at the outset take note of thecountries and climates in which buildings are built (Oktay).” In Rome, architects made note of the reduction of temperature created by th

3、e huge stonewalls and their shadows.The walls were made of stuccoed brick and were typically twelve to twenty feet wide which allowed for an extended area to be captured in the shadows of the walls keepingthe city cool during the midday hours (Oktay).The stuccoed walls are an example of climate-resp

4、onsive architecture, or architecture that is constructed and built with designs that make use of the surrounding climate and its natural effects. With the help of new climate technology, many developing countries, such as Algeria, are making use of climate-responsive architecture and its benefits in

5、 helping to keep humans comfortable(Bensalem). Climate responsive architecture takes advantage of free energy in the form of heat and light. Each region of the world employs its own techniques and designs in its buildings that are best suited to that particular region and that encompass the regions

6、cultural patterns. This is known more commonly as vernacular architecture, or “forms which grow out of the practical needs of the inhabitants of a place and the constraints of the site and climate(Oktay).” Vernacular architecture varies for regions of hot climate and regions of cold climate. Many of

7、 the same techniques are employed, but it is the way they are used in each respective climate that makes them unique.Before getting into the specifics of each climate, general guidelines are used by all architects in any building situation.A man by the name of Olgyay is credited with creating a bioc

8、limatic chart that helps in the design of buildings so that they are conducive to the human requirements of comfort using the surrounding climatic conditions. Olgyays chart is a “zone of human comfort in relation to ambient air temperature and humidity, mean radiant temperature, wind speed, solar ra

9、diation, and evaporative cooling” (Givoni 280). The axes of the chart include the dry bulb temperature and relative humidity which create the “zone” in which other important characteristics can be calculated. A comfort zone is created in the center of the chart, which emphasizes the correct temperat

10、ure and humidity for maximum comfort. The bioclimatic chart is important because it allows builders and architects to figure out the right specifications for design factors such as orientation, location, size, shading, and form.A hot-humid climate is defined as a “region that receives more than 20 i

11、nches of annual precipitation” and either has 3,000 or more hours of 67 deg F temperature or1,500 or more hours of 73 deg F temperature during the warmest six months of the year(Building Science Corporation). In this type of climate, the main function of the buildings is to simply moderate the dayti

12、me heating effects of the external air (Givoni290). In other words, it is important to design buildings whose structure and interior are best able to keep warm air out.Living in a hot climate can quickly become uncomfortable for its inhabitants with the extreme heat that is built up by midday. That

13、is why it is important for the buildings structures to have effective ventilation and an internal temperature below the outdoor level (Givoni 285). The ventilation keeps air moving through the environment and, therefore, keeps the inhabitants cooler.In many arid, desert regions, buildings are design

14、ed with flat roofs, small openings, and heavy weight materials. These materials include dried mud in rural areas and reinforced concrete in urban areas (Givoni 316). The thick exterior roof and walls help to absorb temperature fluctuations and, therefore, keep internal temperatures from rising above

15、 the outside surface temperature.An important function of the roof is its color. A white or light colored roof will stay approximately the same temperature as the outdoor air during the day, and 6c to 10c degrees cooler than the outside air at night(Givoni 319). This is an important feature because

16、the cooler nighttime air will be channeled down by the sloop of the roof and into the rooms in the building.One function of the small openings is to prevent dust, a huge problem in Africa, West Asia, and West Australia, from entering buildings. Windows are arranged so that equal areas are open on th

17、e windward and leeward sides of the building.The reason for this is very simple, the air stream can be directed into rooms that need constant ventilation such as the bedroom(Givoni).When one window is positioned higher than another, thermal force will direct the airflow from the high window to the l

18、ower window creating good ventilation.Courtyards, patios, and verandas are other common features of buildings in hot climates. With high walls, these outside areas provide shade and a relaxing environment to their inhabitants for social gatherings, evening entertainment, food preparation, and domest

19、ic work such as laundry (Oktay).Concrete is the most common material used in the walls because it has low cost and high thermal capacity which in turn reduces internal temperatures (Givoni 316). Another way to provide shade in a more aesthetically pleasing way is through greenery. For example, trees

20、, shrubs, and bushes provide natural shade from the sun while giving the courtyard area a pleasing look. Why are these outside areas so important? They are important because essential functions happen outside like cooking and entertaining. The outside environment in hot regions is just as important

21、as the inside because it is a daytime relief from the intense climate. The following chart was created to show the optimal comfort temperature for an outside area in a hot region. As one can see, depending on the orientation of the building, there is a different corresponding optimal temperature (Be

22、nsalem). Generally between the afternoon hours of the day (1:00pm to 4:00pm), the most comfortable temperature is around 30-35 degrees C.In summary, a typical hot climate building possesses three main sections, a main building, a service building, and an inner courtyard (Oktay). The main building wi

23、ll contain the living room so as to make use of the cross ventilation from the windows and has a north-south orientation is preferable to deal with ventilation issues.The outside areas provide relief from heat with thick, concrete walls.A cold climate is defined as a region with approximately 5,400

24、to 9,000 heating degree-days (Building Science Corporation). A heating degree-day is calculated by subtracting the mean temperature for the day from 65 deg F. It is general belief that when the temperature drops below 65 deg F, people begin to turn on their furnaces, so therefore when the mean tempe

25、rature drops below 65 deg F the day is assigned a heating degree number. A building constructed in cold climates should ideally have healthy and comfortable indoor thermal conditions and a reasonable fuel economy with the heating methods locally employed (Givoni 291). The key to reaching that goal i

26、s good insulation and sunshine exposure, which helps to keep the warm air inside the building. The ancient Greeks employed this technique by realizing that the winter sun had a low arc in the southern sky, due to the tilt in the Earth at the season, allowing windows in the walls to capture much need

27、ed heat from the sun (Oktay). A traditional building is usually built just below the brow of a hill on the southward slope. This way the building is protected by the hill and by surrounding shelterbelts of trees (Oktay). The north face of the building typically has few openings while the south conta

28、ins the main openings to maximize sun exposure. Orientation is important because it affects which sides of the buildings receive the most sunlight and how long the sun stays with those sides. The long axis of the building should ideally stretch east to west. The north end receives the least amount o

29、f sunlight and, consequently, has lower temperatures (Oktay). This is why storage rooms, toilets, and kitchens typically are located at the north end of many buildings. The south end is much warmer and generally will house the living room, bedrooms, and study areas. To minimize and reduce heat loss

30、many rooms contain low ceilings, thick stonewalls, small windows, and centrally located heating.The difference between thick walls in cold and hot climates is that in hot climates the walls outside are meant to shade the interior from the intense heat, whereas, in cold climates the walls inside are

31、meant to insulate and keep heat in. The chart below was created to show the optimal comfort temperature for a cold region at different times of the day (Bensalem).As discussed early, the chart shows that the south end of the building in a cold region is in fact warmer than the other ends of the buil

32、ding, especially in the mid afternoon hours of the day (1:00pm to 4:00pm).Many settlements, like The Dechra settlements in Italy, cluster their houses close together facing the south in order to minimize heat loss (Bensalem). In Austria, for example, thermal insulation must be calculated based on the average annual minimum outdoor temperature (Givoni 280).Where in other countries, houses are constructed based on a detailed scale that helps decide how much insulation is really required. In a cold climate, using the right type and amount of insul