The weather within; 9 Bio-climatic

Order of magnitude reductions in carbon emissions arising from the environmental control of public buildings are available through judicious design; the exploitation of natural buoyancy effects to naturally ventilate and passively cool, the coupling of controlled ventilation with thermal mass, and the use of natural light whilst carefully limiting solar gains in the overheating season. Environmental design strategies pursuing this intent are presented for nine built projects across a range of climates; Mediterranean, Temperate, the London city heat island to the intense Continental type, for occupancy types ranging from a specialist industrial building, to theatres, libraries and research facilities. Preliminary design simulations are compared with actual measured performance with some commentary on the appropriate contribution of renewable energy techniques to evolving designs.
Alan Short is the Professor of Architecture. He invents low energy naturally ventilated and passively cooled public buildings, and has built, is building, through his practice, in a wide range of climate types, in Ahmedabad, Chicago, Malta, Beijing, London and the UK generally, collaborating on these projects with the BP Institute, the Martin Centre, IESD in Leicester and other leading research institutions in the field. All projects are monitored and the data put into the public realm. His projects have won 'Green Building of the Year' 1995, 'Building of the Year Award' (Building Magazine) 2000, SCONUL's 'Best Academic Library Award' 1998-2003; CIBSE 'Project of the Year' 2003 & 2004; 'CIBSE Environmental Initiative of the Year' 2006; BDA 'Best Public Building', 2006; RIBA Awards 1995, 2000, 2003 and 2006.