Energy-Efficient Building Design for a Tropical Climate: A Field Study on the Caribbean Island Curaçao

Richenel Bulbaai,Johannes I M Halman

doi:10.3390/su132313274

Abstract

Based on an extensive literature review on passive building designs for tropical climates, seven energy-efficient building design principles for tropical climate areas were deduced. These are: 1. To orientate a building design in such a direction that it protects from excessive solar radiation; 2. To accommodate for indoor natural ventilation; 3. That it makes maximal use of indirect instead of direct natural light; 4, That it reduces the amount of heat transmission through the roof as much as possible by natural ventilation between roof and ceiling and by lowering the roof surface temperature; 5. By preventing the use of high thermal mass materials; 6. By reducing through the exterior walls as much as possible heat transmission by e.g., preventing direct sunlight on the external walls and applying reflective paints on the external walls and; 7. By creating outdoor and transition spaces such as balconies, terraces atriums and corridors. The insights from the literature review were used as input to conduct a field study to evaluate the practice of applying passive building design principles. To this end, for 626 buildings on the Caribbean island Curaçao, it was investigated to what extent the recommended passive design principles for tropical climates were actually applied. Based on the results of the field study, several recommendations are made to improve the practice of applying passive building principles.

Highlights

Energy use in buildings in tropical climates is of great concern because many electromechanical systems are used to moderate the high humidity and high temperatures [1], and the artificial lights used for indoor illumination
The buildings included in this fieldmap study were evaluated on theirinto application of the roofs of the buildings and Google street view was used to get insight into thethe colors passive design principles for tropical areas
Buildings are orientated; 2. the heat transmission through the roof; 3. the use of high thermal mass building materials; 4. the heat transmission through external walls and windows; 5. the use of solar shading provided by outdoor and transition spaces

Summary

Introduction

Energy use in buildings in tropical climates is of great concern because many electromechanical systems are used to moderate the high humidity and high temperatures [1], and the artificial lights used for indoor illumination. ‘Passive design’ is a design that takes advantage of the climate and natural energy resources, such as daylight, wind and thermal buoyancy, to achieve a comfortable environment while minimizing energy use and reliance on mechanical systems [3]. Passive design strategies can improve buildings’ indoor comfort, enhance energy efficiency in buildings, and minimize buildings’ energy use [4]. Buildings in tropical areas were traditionally designed and constructed to take advantage of the sun and the wind [5]. In recent decades, in many cases, less attention has been given to aspects related to the sun and the wind in a building’s design

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Conclusion