CLIMATOGRAPHY MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE URBAN BUILT ENVIRONMENT

Abstract

The climatic classification map hitherto referred for prescribing responsive building design strategies is based on obsolete size of data as well as inappropriate criteria of analysis. It also fails to represent the diverse geo-climatic environment prevailing in India. Lack of climatic information is impedance in achievement of a Sustainable Urban Built Environment. It is impractical for the state legislative to prescribe a separate climatic analysis for every settlement. The proposed Climatography Model is aimed at enabling modulation of ambient climatic conditions; through incorporation of appropriate passive design strategies in building regulations for achieving a sustainable urban built environment. First Chapter introduces the research context, discusses the research approach and concludes by describing the scope, limitations and thesis outline. Chapter Two is an exposition of detailed concepts in the three domains supporting the achievement of a sustainable urban built environment namely; Climatology, Responsive Building Design and Building Legislation. Chapter Three comprises of a review of case studies used for formulating the research framework described in Chapter Four. The research framework consists of three inter connected analytical workflows namely Regional Climate level analysis, Local Climate level analysis and Typical Climate level analysis. In the Regional Climate level analysis Thermal Comfort Design (TCD) Zones have been delineated across India; based on unique combination of responsive design strategies recommended in response to prevalent thermal stresses. Workflow has been formulated for identifying appropriate urban built form in the Local Climate level analysis. Workflow has been formulated in the Typical Climate level analysis for generating Local typical weather file useful in the whole building simulation of appropriate built form. The extents of 62 TCD_Zones are assessed and discussed in Chapter Five. Five or more major Indian cities are located within 16 out of 31 TCD_Zones where they even exist. Hexagonal grid neighborhoods with high TCD Zone variability were used to identifying cities where generation of additional local typical weather file is necessary. The matrix of design strategies applicable in each TCD_Zone in Maharashtra State is useful for regionalization of Development and Control Regulations pertaining to a city in that Zone. Recommendations are made in the Sixth Chapter for incorporating the developed climatography model into Building Byelaws, Energy Conservation Building Code as well as National Building Code. Future Scope for extension of this research has also been enumerated in this Chapter.