Figure 26: fenestration and openings

FIGURE 26: FENESTRATION AND OPENINGS

d) Colour and texture: The walls should be painted with light pastel shades or whitewashed, while the surface of the roof can be of broken glazed tile (china mosaic flooring). Both techniques help to reflect the sunlight back to the ambient, and hence reduce heat gain of the building. The use of appropriate colours and surface finishes is a cheap and very effective technique to lower indoor temperatures. It is worth mentioning that the surface finish should be protected from/ resistant to the effects of moisture, as this can otherwise lead to growth of mould and result in the decay of building elements.

3.3. MODERATE CLIMATE

Temperatures are neither too high nor too low in regions with a moderate climate. Hence, simple techniques are normally adequate to take care of the heating and cooling requirements of the building. Techniques such as shading, cross ventilation, orientation, reflective glazing, etc. should be incorporated in the building. The thermal resistance and heat capacity of walls and roofs need not be high. These simple measures can reduce the number of uncomfortable hours in a building significantly. For example, in Pune, the ‘uncomfortable’ hours in a year can be reduced by as much as 89% by incorporating simple techniques in building design. The room temperature can be brought within the comfort limit (i.e. less than 30 ºC) even in the month of May.

The main objectives while designing buildings in this zone should be: Resist heat gain by:

a) Decreasing the exposed surface area b) Increasing the thermal resistance c) Increasing the shading

Promote heat loss by:

a) Ventilation of appliances