plusminus20°/40°latitude. Sustainable building design in tropical and subtropical regions

Contents

Preamble

Preface

1. Point of departure

1.1 Energy consumption, energy resources

1.2 The issue of carbon dioxide

1.3 Use of renewable energy resources

2. Man and comfort

2.1 Thermal comfort

2.2 Hygienic comfort

2.3 Visual comfort

2.4 Change in conditions shown in psychrometric chart (h, x-, or Mollier diagram)

3. Natural energy sources

3.1 Outer air streams

3.2 Outside temperatures

3.3 Solar radiation intensity

3.4 Precipitation

3.5 The fundamentals of geothermal technology

3.6 Thermal and hydro-geological soil parameters and their determination

3.7 Underground thermal energy storage

3.8 Natural resources in various climates

3.9 Seawater desalination and the California Coastal Act

4. Traditional buildings in climatic regions

4.1 Urban development and traditional buildings

5. Natural ventilation

5.1 Natural ventilation of buildings

5.2 Window ventilation

5.3 Ventilation by thermal buoyancy (stack effect)

6. Quality improvement with plants

6.1 Outer planted areas

6.2 Interior planted areas

7. Urban space, building orientation and design

7.1 Urban density

7.2 Building orientation

7.3 Shading elements

7.4 Building height

7.5 Surface-to-volume ratio

8. Building structures

8.1 Principles of building structure and enclosure

8.2 Protection against driving rain and humidity

8.3 Insulation of outside walls and roofs

8.4 Surface coloration of exterior walls and roofs

8.5 Thermal storage in building mass

9. Windows and glass façades

9.1 Principles

9.2 Glass

9.3 Sun-shading systems

9.4 Day-lighting systems

9.5 Secondary glass façades

9.6 Climatic envelopes

10. Solar technology, solar systems, alternative systems

10.1 Solar energy

10.2 Photo-thermal plants

10.3 Photovoltaics

10.4 Updraft power plant

10.5 Solar cooling technologies

10.6 Use of solar energy

10.7 Consideration of cost-effectiveness of solar systems

10.8 Examples of use, energy supply

11. Examples of sustainable buildings

11.1 Buildings using solar radiation (PV systems)

11.2 Buildings using the energy of the soil (geothermal energy)

11.3 Buildings naturally ventilated by wind and thermal effects

Contributors

Illustration credits

Bibliography

Selective index