Asian archi final case study (Billah)

ARC 2213/2234 Asian Architecture 1

Asian Architecture [ARC 2213/2234]

CASE STUDY PAPER

The Effectiveness of Passive Design Strategies as Natural Cooling Devices in

Achieving Thermal Comfort at

PJ Trade Centre.

NAME: MUATASIMAH BILLAH BT. SALEH

STUDENT ID: 0316071

LECTURER: MS ALIA AHAMAD

SUBMISSION DATE: 28 JUNE 2016


Passive Design Strategies As Effective Natural Cooling Devices in Achieving

Thermal Comfort At PJ Trade Centre

Table of Contents Page

1.0 Abstract 2

2.0 Research Framework 3

3.0 Introduction 4-5

4.0 Design Intentions 6

5.0 Passive Design 7

5.1 Features of Passive Design 7

6.0 The Adaptation of Passive Design Strategies as Natural Cooling 8

Devices in PJ Trade Centre

6.1 Shading Device 8-9

6.2 Vegetation 10

6.2.1 The Plaza, Sky Terraces and Landscape 10-12

6.3 Concrete Vent Block 13-14

6.4 Natural Ventilation 15

6.4.1 Stack Effect System 16-17

6.5 Orientation 18

6.6 Materials 19

7.0 Conclusion 20

8.0 References 21-22


1.0 ABSTRACT

The purpose of this case study paper is to discuss on the passive design strategies used on PJ

Trade Centre and their effectiveness to the surrounding context. With the passive design being

featured to the building, it is concluded that these strategies function to ventilate the building with

high thermal comfort and sufficient air on the ventilated spaces for the wellbeing of the user, while

using little or no energy use for active cooling and ventilation. The main purpose of this paper is

to study the effective passive design strategies as natural cooling in achieving thermal comfort.

Literature reviews and research based on many sources regarding passive design strategies as

natural cooling were conducted to develop the research. This case study covers on the use of

concrete vent block as natural cooling, the ventilation techniques, the orientation of the building,

the material used and the vegetation on site. Thermal comfort is a significance aspect of a space

as it influences user’s comfort. Therefore it is important to design a building where users can fully

enjoy the space to its highest potential. It can be concluded that PJ Trade Centre uses effective

passive design that works efficiently as natural cooling strategy as it utilizes surrounding energy

sources rather than using electricity. Therefore, they are considered as a natural cooling device

that helps to provide thermal comfort. The building is designed in such way that is it surrounded

by greeneries and open space that helps allow ventilation to pass through the spaces and

enhance user’s comfort. It also uses concrete vent block as one the effective shading device that

allows air to flow in thus making the building naturally ventilated. These methods play an

important role in reducing heat gain and increasing thermal comfort of the spaces. In conclusion,

thermal comfort can be achieved by the correct way of integrating the passive design to the

building and successful natural ventilation that helps natural cooling to the building.


2.0 RESEARCH FRAMEWORK

The Effectiveness of Passive Design Strategies as Natural Cooling Devices in

Achieving Thermal Comfort at PJ Trade Centre.

(Concept Mapping)


3.0 INTRODUCTION

Figure 1: Location of PJ Trade Centre (Google Maps, 2016)

Located in Damansara Perdana, PJ Trade Centre is a 5.4 acre site consisting of 4 office towers

with over a million square feet of office space. The building is located against a hillside setting

and is a fast developing urban locale as the building stands out for its low tech appearance that is

contemporary yet organic and sustainable to its context. The bold design of the building is based

on Malaysian archetype that is rooted in the climate, context and culture. It is one of Malaysia’s

well known sustainable buildings and is famous for its passive design.

Sustainable building refers to a structure and the processes that are environmentally liable and

efficient through a building’s life cycle. It includes from initiating a design, construction process,

maintenance, demolition and renovation. It also means that a sustainable building design involves

in finding a balance between constructing a building and the sustainable environment. It is no

doubt the sustainability considerations were integrated to the design of PJ Trade Centre.


Figure 2: PJ Trade Centre

The building is located on a site surrounded by greeneries and presence of nature in many areas

of the building. The offices have balconies that are about 122 square metres, covered by vent

block screens, for private gardens. Where as the stand alone annex building is design with views

overlooking the garden and courtyards from every room, including the reception.

A lot of research has been done to prove that PJ Trade Centre is one of the well-designed

sustainable building. This research paper will investigate the effectiveness of the passive design

strategies used in PJ Trade Centre as a natural cooling devices in achieving thermal comfort.

Research Questions :

1) How effective is the shading device used in PJ Trade Centre in order to achieve thermal

comfort?

2) How does the concrete vent blocks at PJ Trade Centre help to improve the indoor thermal

comfort and enhance ventilation?

3) How does the orientation of the building contribute to the cooling of the building and enhance

user’s comfort?


4.0 DESIGN INTENTIONS

The design intention plays an important role in producing an outstanding result in view of the best

approach to plan a building and spaces that can completely worked and have an aesthetic value

at the same time. The objective of PJ Trade Centre is to offer another way for office improvement

that is appropriate and economical. The design of the PJ Trade Centre was designed based on

response to the site and surrounding where the intention is to assimilate the building to the

surrounding and nature. PJ Trade Centre is a well-designed building and a good example of

architecture that shows the idea of integrating the building with its surrounding context that not

only works on the exterior part of the façade, but also on the interior part with the idea of planting

trees around the building and bringing nature closer.

PJ Trade Centre is a building that sits on a 5.4 acre site with 4 towers of 20-21 storeys. Not only

that, the trees planted at the ground of the building becomes a a green forecourt to the towers

that lightens up the surrounding area that makes PJ Trade Centre looks lively and contented. It

also state that with PJ Trade Centre, the idea was to offer a new model for development of an

office. It is from the use of simple local materials and local construction method to create an office

development that suits the climate, context and culture.

The architect, Kevin Low has designed the building to suit its site context with the bold choice of

using raw materials such as over burnt bricks and concrete that juxtaposes to the site and context.

In order words, PJ Trade is a successful sustainable building that succeeds in finding a balance

between constructing a building with sustainable environment with the use of passive design

strategy and design response to its site and context.


5.0 PASSIVE DESIGN

Passive design is design that takes advantage of the climate to maintain a comfortable

temperature range in the home or building. The design maximises the use of ‘natural’ sources of

heating, cooling and ventilation to create comfortable conditions inside buildings. It considers

environmental conditions such as solar radiation, cool night air and air pressure differences to

drive the internal environment. Passive design does not involve mechanical or electrical systems.

Good passive design guarantees that the occupants remain thermally comfortable with minimal

supporting heating or cooling in the climate where they are built. Good passive design is also

critical to achieving a lifetime of thermal comfort, low energy bills and low greenhouse gas

emissions.

5.1 FEATURES OF PASSIVE DESIGNS :

The key elements of passive design are the building location, orientation, openings, shading and

ventilation. Each of these elements works with each other to achieve comfortable temperature

and good indoor air quality. Thermal comfort is also achieved by applying those elements.

Alongside passive design features, designers should also consider other factors such as views,

contracts and local authority restrictions, and personal preferences.


6.0 THE ADAPTATION OF PASSIVE DESIGN STRATEGIES AS NATURAL

COOLING DEVICES IN PJ TRADE CENTRE

The design of PJ Trade Centre is linked to many natural elements and passive design strategies

to achieve natural cooling and thermal comfort. These strategies can be distributed into six

factors which are the shading device, vegetation, concrete vent blocks, natural ventilation,

orientation and material.

Passive design uses ambient energy sources instead of purchased energy like electricity or

natural gas. Therefore, they are considered as a natural cooling device that helps to provide

climate and thermal comfort.

6.1 SHADING DEVICE

PJ Trade Centre is well known for their natural cooling and effective used of shading device in

achieving thermal comfort. The building uses passive design and natural elements as part of the

strategy in the effective shading device to reduce the amount of electrical usage hence allowing

the building to be more sustainable. Passive design uses ambient energy sources instead of

purchased energy like electricity or natural gas. Therefore, they are considered as a natural

cooling device that helps to provide climate and thermal comfort.

The shading device can intensely reduce building heat gain and cooling requirements and

improve the natural lighting quality of a building interior. It also helps to prevent excessive amount

of unwanted sunlight from entering the building and maintain minimum amount of temperature to

the surrounding. In this case, PJ Trade Centre uses natural elements such as trees (vegetation),

natural ventilation and concrete vent block as the effective shading device in achieving thermal

comfort.


Figure 3: The trees covering the entrance Figure 4: The Concrete Vent Blocks

of PJ Trade Centre

PJ Trade uses a lot of trees and concrete vent block around the building to provide shade and

ventilation to the user. The hollow concrete vent blocks allow the cool wind to pass through the

holes and at the same time provide protection against the sun. This helps to increase thermal

comfort as the building is well protected from solar radiation. The tall trees are mostly planted at

the entrance of the building, orientated towards the East. This allows little amount of sun to shine

in and increase user’s comfort.


6.2 VEGETATION

In PJ Trade Centre, the landscape plaza and tall trees are planted to avoid maximum amount of

hot sun to enter and allow user to be closer to nature. It is also to provide shading and help bring

down the temperature of the surrounding.

6.2.1 THE PLAZA, SKY TERRACES AND LANDSCAPE

PJ Trade has a landscape plaza with more than 1400 mature trees planted, 12 Sky Terraces with

tall trees, wall creepers and suspended vines. The trees are planted all around the building and

the wall creepers function as shading device that provide shade for the user. The Plaza & trees

also act as filtration to cool the heated air hence increasing the natural ventilation around the

building to achieve thermal comfort. User will also have the feeling of being close to nature.

Besides providing shading to the building, the trees also help to reduce the air temperature by

storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere thus making the area cooler. This help to enhance

user’s comfort at PJ Trade Centre.

Trees Garden Plaza

Figure 5: Shows the landscape and vegetation area on the PJ Trade Centre

Ground floor plan


The landscape around the building acts as a cooling device as it helps to shade the building from

maximum amount of sunlight and helps to control the indoor air quality. The effectiveness of the

passive design strategies as a natural cooling device to this building is efficient as the building is

surrounded with greeneries and open space that helps allow ventilation to go through the spaces

of the building, as well as to increase the thermal comfort. This can be seen in the diagrams

below.

Figure 6: Show the Plaza area from the main lobby Figure 7: Shows the Plaza area from the corridor

views

Figure 8: Show the section diagram of PJ Trade Centre

Section A-A

Section B-B


Below shows the comparison between PJ Trade Centre and the design of the Malay Traditional

House :

Conclusion :

Just like the Traditional Malay house, PJ Trade Centre is built considering the site context. The

concept of PJ Trade Centre is to merge the building with the surrounding green context. The

trees does not only provide shading but also helps filter the hot air. Therefore, average

temperature and thermal comfort is achieved.

In Traditional Malay Houses, the coconut trees

and other tall trees are use to provide good

shade. It does not also block the flow of wind

passing through the house level.

In PJ Trade Centre, the landscape plaza and tall

trees are planted to avoid maximum amount of hot

sun to enter and allow user to be close to nature. It

is also to provide shading and help reduce the

temperature of the surrounding.

Traditional Malay House

PJ Trade Centre


6.3 CONCRETE VENT BLOCK

The concrete vent blocks are aeration blocks that are made from concrete which provides

excellent protection from the sun’s heat and at the same time allowing breezy air to flow in. It also

provides practical defence against heavy wind and rain while allowing sufficient amount of light

and air to flow into the spaces. Not only that, it also provides privacy and is aesthetically pleasing.

Figure 9: Shows the vent block façade of PJ Trade Centre

Figure 10: Shows the concrete vent block from the interior of the building


The west side of PJ Trade Centre receives the most sunlight especially during the day, therefore

the concrete vent blocks are mostly applied to the side of the façade to provide protection against

the sun’s heat. The concrete vent block was applied on the west side of the building to function as

shielding mask against direct heat penetration into the building. It controls the amount of direct

sunlight in context with the office building. When temperature is low, thermal comfort is achieved.

Wind passes through the holes of the concrete vent block, allowing more ventilation. It also act as

a natural air filter which trap dust particles from polluted air, controlling indoor air quality of the

building for user’s comfort.

Figure 11: Aside from shading, the concrete vent blocks also acts as a wall between corridor,

allowing ventilation to pass through hence allowing thermal’s comfort.


6.4 NATURAL VENTILATION

PJ Trade Centre is one of the buildings that use passive design in designing the building to allow

natural cooling device such as natural ventilation to enter throughout the building and enhance

the thermal comfort. The building was designed with a lot of openings and windows to allow as

much as ventilation across the building. The natural ventilation uses outside air movement and

pressure differences to both passively cool and ventilate the building. Successful natural

ventilation is determined by having high thermal comfort and adequate fresh air for the ventilated

space comfort while having little or no energy use for active HVAC cooling and ventilation. The

concrete vent block also allows airflow while providing shade. The open balcony on every floor of

the building allows better ventilation and more wind to flow in. The 3.8 meters ceiling height of

the office allows better ventilation for the user.

Figure 12: The pictures above shows the sky garden in PJ Trade Centre


6.4.1 STACK EFFECT SYSTEM

PJ Trade Centre uses stack effect as one of the ventilation system as natural cooling. The stack

effect allows for better ventilation as the hot air inside the building is flushed out with the cool air

coming in as wind passes through the sky terraces. The chain link used for the gap between the

floorings does not just allow interaction between the occupants and the surrounding but also

allows air to flow through the gap and ventilate the building.

Figure 13: Shows the sky terraces at PJ Trade

Centre that uses the stack effect system

Figure 14: Shows the section diagram of the air flow

through PJ Trade Centre


Below shows the comparison between PJ Trade Centre and the design of the Malay Traditional

House :

Conclusion :

Just like the Traditional Malay house, PJ Trade Centre also uses the idea of elevated spaces

which is the stack effect in designing the building to capture more natural ventilation into the

building. It also has a lot of openings and open space in between the building to allow natural

sunlight to enter and enhance ventilation to increase thermal comfort.

The houses in Traditional Malay Houses are

raised on stilts to capture higher wind velocity and

to allow air to circulate in the building.

PJ Trade uses stacking effect to more wind for

effective ventilation. Wind passes in between the

open space of the building.

Traditional Malay House

PJ Trade Centre


6.5 ORIENTATION

Figure 15: Show the East façade of PJ Trade Centre that is covered by concrete vent blocks as shading device

PJ Trade Centre is designed to which the longer façade is facing East and West. The architect

wants to capture direct sunlight but at the same time provide effective shading device and

ventilation to achieve user’s comfort. The East façade is shaded by garden plaza and the building

next to it, allowing the user to sit comfortably without feeling hot. The West façade is fully shaded

by the concrete vent block. Concrete vent block does not only allow great amount of ventilation

but also shades the building from direct sunlight while still bring in sufficient amount of daylight to

the spaces. It allows high thermal comfort to the spaces.

Concrete vent blocks

Entrance

Figure 16: Shows the orientation of the PJ Trade Centre on the

ground floor plan


6.6 MATERIALS

A study conducted that materials control how the heat is absorbed, stored, released and

distribute throughout the building. Therefore, it is important to choose the right of material in

designing a building.

PJ Trade Centre uses earth toned locally manufactured materials such as over burnt bricks, raw

concrete, glass and steel as a way of interpreting the tropical image and a unique way of

experiencing the local climate. The building had chosen Brick as the main material for the facade.

Steel, concrete and glass are the supporting material that helps integrate the building to the

surrounding. Dense materials such as bricks and concrete are excellent at absorbing heat.

Figure 17: Shows the material used at PJ Trade Centre. It is clear to see that brick is mostly used

on the building as the main material.

Figure 18: Shows the use of glass and steel at PJ Trade Centre


7.0 CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the orientation, shading device, vegetation, concrete vent blocks, natural ventilation,

and material act as effective passive design that plays an important role in achieving thermal

comfort. The garden plaza and trees planted around the building acts as filtration to cool the

heated air. The uses of concrete vent blocks on parts of the building improve the space quality

and enhance the ventilation for user’s comfort. The concrete vent block also act as shading

device that allows air to flow in thus making the building naturally ventilated. The natural

ventilation and stack effect system used in PJ Trade Centre also help to enhance the ventilation

system and fasten the time for the air to ventilate through the building. The orientation of the

building helps support the design of the concrete vent block as natural cooling strategy. The brick

material on the building also helps to absorb heat to achieve an average temperate of the

surrounding for thermal comfort. PJ Trade Centre has successfully managed to achieve the aim

of providing thermal comfort by integrating the strategy of passive design that act as natural

cooling devices in the building.


8.0 REFERENCES

1) Day, J. K., & Gunderson, D. E. (2015). Understanding high performance buildings: The link

between occupant knowledge of passive design systems, corresponding behaviors, occupant

comfort and environmental satisfaction. Building and Environment, 84, 114-124.

2) Sanusi, A. N., Shao, L., & Ibrahim, N. (2013). Passive ground cooling system for low energy

buildings in Malaysia (hot and humid climates). Renewable energy, 49, 193-196.

3) Chua, S. C., & Oh, T. H. (2011). Green progress and prospect in Malaysia. Renewable and

Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(6), 2850-2861.

4) Architectural Screen Blocks. (n.d.). Retrieved May 21, 2016, from

http://carrollsbuildingmaterials.com/concrete-block/architectural-screen-blocks/

5) Zain-Ahmed, A., Sopian, K., Othman, M. Y. H., Sayigh, A. A. M., & Surendran, P. N. (2002).

Daylighting as a passive solar design strategy in tropical buildings: a case study of Malaysia.

Energy Conversion and Management, 43(13), 1725-1736.

6) http://www.pjtradecentre.com/blueprint.pdf

This book explains on the concept and approach in designing PJ Trade

Centre

7) http://www.pjtradecentre.com/da.pdf

The book explains about the design of PJ Trade Centre

8) http://vancouver.ca/files/cov/passive-home-design.pdf

This book talks about passive design

9) Passive design. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2016, from http://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-

design

http://carrollsbuildingmaterials.com/concrete-block/architectural-screen-blocks/

http://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design

http://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design


10) Arizona Solar Center - Your Guide to Solar and Other Renewable Energy Sources in Arizona - 3 -

Natural Cooling. (n.d.). Retrieved June 27, 2016, from http://www.azsolarcenter.org/tech-

science/solar-for-consumers/passive-solar-energy/passive-solar-design-manual-

consumer/passive-solar-design-manual-cooling.html

Asian archi final case study (Billah)

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