AN ANALYTICAL STUDY OF SUN-BUILDING INTERACTION

Abstract

It is a common knowledge that whereas the fabric of a building last for about a hundred year, the system for ther-mal controls within buildings last for a much shorter period and hence due emphasis should be put on envelope of the building for economical thermal designs. Various approaches adopted for 'Built environments' are invariably based on past experience or ruses of thumb and in quite a few situations mistakes are committed. It is therefore necessary to evolve a rational system for the guidance of designers. The effect of sun on the building, which is one of the major environmental factors for thermal design is, there-fore, studied analytically for Dhaka, in this dissertation. Graphs are developed to enable an Architect to select suitable and optimum, orientations of building and openings, height and width of openings, type and size of shading devices, depth of staggering and cantilever, suitable arrangement of spaces, selection of materials, colour etc.,etc. as demanded by 'Sun' as a factor in the total built-environment. Published data, protractors, formulae etc. developed by building scientists are freely used to achieve the target, but the approach is primarily based on solar geometry and its-radiation. It is believed that the final decision should be the designers and that this investigated approach (which can be developed for any location in as similar way), will surely make the decisions easy and more scientific.