An Overview of Implications and Suggestions for Reducing Temperature Rise in Buildings Located in the Tropics

Abstract

Climate models predict that greenhouse gas warming will cause temperatures to rise faster in the coming years with a serious impact on people living in the tropics. The building sector is acknowledged as one of the highest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, and poorly designed buildings are not capable of proving thermal comfort to building occupants. This paper presents an overview of how the built environment can respond to this global threat of climate change. It observed that human behavior through adaption to changes in indoor temperatures may be one of the solutions to these rising temperatures. Furthermore, building materials that are good conductors of heat were found to be unsuitable for use in building construction. The application of passive design strategies in buildings located in tropical climates can minimize energy consumption and at the same time improve the thermal comfort of the occupants. Furthermore, an effective way to minimize energy consumption in warmer climates is to select appropriate building materials that contribute to cooling the indoor temperature. This paper recommends that properly designed naturally ventilated buildings that consider sustainable building materials can respond to the globally rising temperatures. The information gathered from the overview of this paper will serve as a guide to professionals in the built environment.