Can anyone offer some examples of contemporary projects which utilize ventilation, shade and in general "green" methodologies when building/designing for a hot and humid climate.
maybe not what you're looking for, but the first thing that comes to mind is the residential architecture of florida modernists.
paul rudolph, rufus nims, gene leedy, william morgan, mark hampton, robert broward, alfred browning parker...most/all of these guys dealt with such a climate before ac was prevalant.
i'll 2nd the thompson / rose atlantic center. great project.
In addition to being the first mixed-use net positive energy building
in the world, AS+GG's Masdar Headquarters will:
-- Be the lowest energy consumer per square meter for a modern class A
office building in an extremely hot and humid climate
-- Feature one of the world's largest building-integrated photovoltaic
arrays
-- Employ the largest solar thermal driven cooling and dehumidification
system
-- Be the first building in history to generate power for its own
assembly, through development of its solar roof pier before the
underlying complex
the two techniques that fascinate me for your scenario are phase change materials and earth-cooled ventilation air. one high tech, one low tech solution.
Don't know much about the different phase change materials that are able to absorb heat, but this summer I'll be looking into it. The low tech solution of having your air intake some distance away from the structure with a long buried duct (for heat exchange with the cooler ground) has some good potential. the problem if it's too humid is that mold will actively grow thanks to the condensation - but if this is upstream from filters and an enthalpy wheel, not sure if mold is an issue. Also the duct can be coated with an fungicide.
desiccant coolers and sonic cooling also have potential for high efficiency mechanized systems.
This is good stuff guys. Thank you. I'll try and fill in the details of the program as soon as I can (It's almost midnight and I'm still working) but to give you a taste, we're working on a Physics building for Rice. Only two weeks in and just trying to drum up some precedent work (hence the other lab thread I started last week).
john,
one strategy that i've seen used, though i don't know how the strategy would work for texas, as it might be too hot...
prevailing winds for summer came from the south. so the building (offices) had to open up towards the south. this required sun shades above the windows. in order to bounce more light and increase cooling, a large reflecting pond was placed in front of the building. this had the affect of cooling down the prevailing breeze which was drawn into the building. the added benefit of the phenomenal lens made for a really nice touch. i'll see if i can find photos/diagrams. it's not a stellar design.
"i know the texas school of nursing which i think was essentially designed by committee was a leed gold...."
The firm was Lake Flato - great building. I would be careful about adding water in a humid environment like Houston and earth ducts do tend to mold here.
yep, shading, high ceilings, cross ventilation...and a some point you will need mechanical...June through September leave very few options in Houston...but good shading can lessen the amount needed...airflow can become difficult in the summer in H-town do to the stagnant airflow overall...you can cut the air with a knife in august.
also, check out wayne troyer architects in new orleans, which has some brutal humidity. Take a look at his rice mills rehab project, which is a gut reno of an old industrial building and will be the states first leed gold housing complex, and has things like a solar chimney, wind turbines, rain water retention, creation of multiple fresh air courtyards for cross-ventilation etc.
Thanks again folks. I'd be great to stay closer to the institutional or multi-story commercial if possible. Most of the residential suggestions are great suggestions at a micro scale but the larger projects come closer to the size and scope of a 110,000 lab building! Anyone out there have any images of some of Murcutt's non-residential projects that might fit the bill? I've found some stuff on Arthur & Yvonne Boyd Education Centre but beyond that nothing much has turned up. The project(s) by klotz, Wayne Troyer and Flato are great! Keep em coming. Again, thanks!
Smith & Gill's Masdar Headquarters is not the only project going on there, it's a 6km2 masterplan, encompassing a university, commercial research, residential (I guess), all of which is in hot humid climate, all of which is to be zero-net energy, zero waste.
Mar 28, 08 2:52 pm ·
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Improving comfort - hot humid climate
Can anyone offer some examples of contemporary projects which utilize ventilation, shade and in general "green" methodologies when building/designing for a hot and humid climate.
Thanks.
you might want to look at Lake Flato's work.
http://www.lakeflato.com/
Murcutt
Sean godsell
Klotz
Charles rose – atlantic center for the arts
Kundig
1+2 architecture
Rural studio
Rainscreens, ventilation and shading is key…
maybe not what you're looking for, but the first thing that comes to mind is the residential architecture of florida modernists.
paul rudolph, rufus nims, gene leedy, william morgan, mark hampton, robert broward, alfred browning parker...most/all of these guys dealt with such a climate before ac was prevalant.
i'll 2nd the thompson / rose atlantic center. great project.
what's the program?
Adrian Smith & Gordon Gill Architecture Masdar Headquarters
From the press release:
In addition to being the first mixed-use net positive energy building
in the world, AS+GG's Masdar Headquarters will:
-- Be the lowest energy consumer per square meter for a modern class A
office building in an extremely hot and humid climate
-- Feature one of the world's largest building-integrated photovoltaic
arrays
-- Employ the largest solar thermal driven cooling and dehumidification
system
-- Be the first building in history to generate power for its own
assembly, through development of its solar roof pier before the
underlying complex
good luck. i know the texas school of nursing which i think was essentially designed by committee was a leed gold....
hot and humid sux.
the other route is to go vernacular, either way you're asking for something that doesn't really exist.
john-
the two techniques that fascinate me for your scenario are phase change materials and earth-cooled ventilation air. one high tech, one low tech solution.
Don't know much about the different phase change materials that are able to absorb heat, but this summer I'll be looking into it. The low tech solution of having your air intake some distance away from the structure with a long buried duct (for heat exchange with the cooler ground) has some good potential. the problem if it's too humid is that mold will actively grow thanks to the condensation - but if this is upstream from filters and an enthalpy wheel, not sure if mold is an issue. Also the duct can be coated with an fungicide.
desiccant coolers and sonic cooling also have potential for high efficiency mechanized systems.
This is good stuff guys. Thank you. I'll try and fill in the details of the program as soon as I can (It's almost midnight and I'm still working) but to give you a taste, we're working on a Physics building for Rice. Only two weeks in and just trying to drum up some precedent work (hence the other lab thread I started last week).
john,
one strategy that i've seen used, though i don't know how the strategy would work for texas, as it might be too hot...
prevailing winds for summer came from the south. so the building (offices) had to open up towards the south. this required sun shades above the windows. in order to bounce more light and increase cooling, a large reflecting pond was placed in front of the building. this had the affect of cooling down the prevailing breeze which was drawn into the building. the added benefit of the phenomenal lens made for a really nice touch. i'll see if i can find photos/diagrams. it's not a stellar design.
large overhangs, porches, low thermal-mass building materials and cross ventilation.
"i know the texas school of nursing which i think was essentially designed by committee was a leed gold...."
The firm was Lake Flato - great building. I would be careful about adding water in a humid environment like Houston and earth ducts do tend to mold here.
http://www.lakeflato.com/projects/uthsc/01.asp
whoops. eh, you get the idea.
ah, houston, let me count the ways...
the soils tend to be rather expansive, so make sure your geotechnical guys are on top of it...
rice has a beautiful campus, but I got confused on where the main entrance was. Once inside, it was hard to find the exit.
Shading is the way to go, green roofs will help too (flooding is a huge issue). look into the desiccant cooler and just slow down...
yep, shading, high ceilings, cross ventilation...and a some point you will need mechanical...June through September leave very few options in Houston...but good shading can lessen the amount needed...airflow can become difficult in the summer in H-town do to the stagnant airflow overall...you can cut the air with a knife in august.
In a press release for Adjaye's MOCA in Denver they listed among their sustainability measures: the use of Blackle.
This will clearly obviate the need for any further green enhancements.
and the greenwashing continues...how many LEED points for using blackle? heh.
i should get leed points for every building that i don't build. unbuilt work is the key to saving the earth!
also, check out wayne troyer architects in new orleans, which has some brutal humidity. Take a look at his rice mills rehab project, which is a gut reno of an old industrial building and will be the states first leed gold housing complex, and has things like a solar chimney, wind turbines, rain water retention, creation of multiple fresh air courtyards for cross-ventilation etc.
Thanks again folks. I'd be great to stay closer to the institutional or multi-story commercial if possible. Most of the residential suggestions are great suggestions at a micro scale but the larger projects come closer to the size and scope of a 110,000 lab building! Anyone out there have any images of some of Murcutt's non-residential projects that might fit the bill? I've found some stuff on Arthur & Yvonne Boyd Education Centre but beyond that nothing much has turned up. The project(s) by klotz, Wayne Troyer and Flato are great! Keep em coming. Again, thanks!
Murcutt doesn't do large commercial buildings. and his other buildings are not in the same climatic environments that you refer to.
Found a decent one of the Boyd Center.
An ice-cold mint julep keeps me comfortable in a hot, humid climate...
from me
Smith & Gill's Masdar Headquarters is not the only project going on there, it's a 6km2 masterplan, encompassing a university, commercial research, residential (I guess), all of which is in hot humid climate, all of which is to be zero-net energy, zero waste.
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