Page 53 - GRIHA Manual Volume II - Introduction to National Rating System
P. 53
Sustainable site planning 45
Solutions
Building design element Site design element
Site inventory characteristic 01 – Geographical latitude and micro-climatic factors such as wind loads
1. Building The ideal case would be to have a compact, square Location of Green areas such as trees and shrubs should be
layout for solar plan with perfect alignment with the cardinal directions. green and planted in response to climatic and site requirements.
orientation However, in less than ideal cases, the optimum pave areas Trees can serve as ilters to cool prevailing hot winds.
orientation for buildings in the tropics is with their longer They can also be used to shelter a building from harsh
axes along east-west. At a site level, the orientation of cold/hot winds. Paved areas should be kept away from
the building is determined by adjacent buildings and the building to prevent heat island impacts. They should
landforms. High-rise buildings in close proximity of a be minimized to retain the site permeability. Conversely,
proposed building can compromise the daylight access gravel could be used as against tar/asphalt to retain the
of the interior spaces, prevent natural ventilation, and permeability of the site.
re-radiate absorbed heat towards the proposed building,
leading to increased energy consumption. This can
be prevented easily through proper, site-responsive
orientation of the building. In Part 8, Table 3 of the
National Building Code, the values of the total solar
radiation (direct plus diffused) incident on various
surfaces of buildings in W/m /day for summer and
2
winter seasons is provided. It is judicious to avoid the
orientations with highest solar radiation incident and plan
the building layout accordingly.
2. Location of Windows should be located along the southern and Biodiversity An existing green area shall have several species of
windows northern facades with adequate provision for shading to lora and fauna living in a delicate balance with nature.
prevent heat gain. Well shaded windows on the southern This contributes to several aspects such as automatic
façade can enable passive heating in winter and shaded disease control through natural food chains, as well as
daylit spaces in summer. checking pests. This should be retained and an attempt
should be made to enhance this aspect of the site.
3. Entrances Building entrances should be positioned away from the Selection of Vegetation is the key element that supports the
and loading direct impacts of the local site and climatic conditions. vegetation and biodiversity of an area/site. Exotic/imported species
docks Sheltering them from winds and direct radiation can integration actually contribute to the mass extinction of several
ensure that the building and its occupants are provided with the native native species of lora and fauna. Vegetation species
with an adequately sheltered zone to enter the building landscape should be native to the agro-climatic zone where the
through. building is proposed. Also note aspects of deciduous/
evergreen nature of trees for seasonal solar control.
Deciduous trees can prevent direct solar radiation
from impacting the building in summer, while allowing
radiation through in winter due to leaf shedding.
4. Location of There are global winds and localized winds. Both should Use of Trees can act as buffers for hot winds, noise, pollution,
air inlets be studied before providing air inlets for ventilation landscape and so on, and the landscape strategy should account
purposes. Spacing of buildings and their mutual elements as for this. Single or double rows of trees at distances
distances must also be optimized to induce natural buffer zones of 0.7 to 1.5 metres should be used to create shelter
ventilation in all the buildings of a region. High-density, belts, and a mixture of species is recommended. The
11
high-rise buildings disrupt winds by creating wind distance between adjacent, parallel rows should be at
shadow areas to distances up to 15 times their height. least two metres for effectiveness. Also, elements such
They also halve the wind velocity. So adequate spacing as hillocks can be used (if existing) or created (if there
between buildings must be provided to ensure equal is excavated soil from the site) as obstacles for noise.
access to natural ventilation in all buildings. An air quality Water bodies can also be used for evaporative cooling
study must also be conducted to see whether the air is if located in the requisite part of the site for maximum
suitable for ventilation purposes. beneit.
11 Sustainable Building Design Manual Volume 2 – Site planning.
Solutions
Building design element Site design element
Site inventory characteristic 01 – Geographical latitude and micro-climatic factors such as wind loads
1. Building The ideal case would be to have a compact, square Location of Green areas such as trees and shrubs should be
layout for solar plan with perfect alignment with the cardinal directions. green and planted in response to climatic and site requirements.
orientation However, in less than ideal cases, the optimum pave areas Trees can serve as ilters to cool prevailing hot winds.
orientation for buildings in the tropics is with their longer They can also be used to shelter a building from harsh
axes along east-west. At a site level, the orientation of cold/hot winds. Paved areas should be kept away from
the building is determined by adjacent buildings and the building to prevent heat island impacts. They should
landforms. High-rise buildings in close proximity of a be minimized to retain the site permeability. Conversely,
proposed building can compromise the daylight access gravel could be used as against tar/asphalt to retain the
of the interior spaces, prevent natural ventilation, and permeability of the site.
re-radiate absorbed heat towards the proposed building,
leading to increased energy consumption. This can
be prevented easily through proper, site-responsive
orientation of the building. In Part 8, Table 3 of the
National Building Code, the values of the total solar
radiation (direct plus diffused) incident on various
surfaces of buildings in W/m /day for summer and
2
winter seasons is provided. It is judicious to avoid the
orientations with highest solar radiation incident and plan
the building layout accordingly.
2. Location of Windows should be located along the southern and Biodiversity An existing green area shall have several species of
windows northern facades with adequate provision for shading to lora and fauna living in a delicate balance with nature.
prevent heat gain. Well shaded windows on the southern This contributes to several aspects such as automatic
façade can enable passive heating in winter and shaded disease control through natural food chains, as well as
daylit spaces in summer. checking pests. This should be retained and an attempt
should be made to enhance this aspect of the site.
3. Entrances Building entrances should be positioned away from the Selection of Vegetation is the key element that supports the
and loading direct impacts of the local site and climatic conditions. vegetation and biodiversity of an area/site. Exotic/imported species
docks Sheltering them from winds and direct radiation can integration actually contribute to the mass extinction of several
ensure that the building and its occupants are provided with the native native species of lora and fauna. Vegetation species
with an adequately sheltered zone to enter the building landscape should be native to the agro-climatic zone where the
through. building is proposed. Also note aspects of deciduous/
evergreen nature of trees for seasonal solar control.
Deciduous trees can prevent direct solar radiation
from impacting the building in summer, while allowing
radiation through in winter due to leaf shedding.
4. Location of There are global winds and localized winds. Both should Use of Trees can act as buffers for hot winds, noise, pollution,
air inlets be studied before providing air inlets for ventilation landscape and so on, and the landscape strategy should account
purposes. Spacing of buildings and their mutual elements as for this. Single or double rows of trees at distances
distances must also be optimized to induce natural buffer zones of 0.7 to 1.5 metres should be used to create shelter
ventilation in all the buildings of a region. High-density, belts, and a mixture of species is recommended. The
11
high-rise buildings disrupt winds by creating wind distance between adjacent, parallel rows should be at
shadow areas to distances up to 15 times their height. least two metres for effectiveness. Also, elements such
They also halve the wind velocity. So adequate spacing as hillocks can be used (if existing) or created (if there
between buildings must be provided to ensure equal is excavated soil from the site) as obstacles for noise.
access to natural ventilation in all buildings. An air quality Water bodies can also be used for evaporative cooling
study must also be conducted to see whether the air is if located in the requisite part of the site for maximum
suitable for ventilation purposes. beneit.
11 Sustainable Building Design Manual Volume 2 – Site planning.
