Urban climate and building design strategies for indoor comfort

Cities are expanding with alarming speed in developing countries and cause discomfort due to environmental pollution and heat stress. The degree of discomfort increases in urban areas due to rapid urbanization and insustrialization. The present study is based on climatic data analysis in relation to human comfort and examine the building designs and materials to be used to improve comfort conditions in tropical cities. Visakhapatnam, a coastal city of India has been chosen for the present analysis. Hourly data of radiation, temperature, wind and humidity which affect the human comfort have been collect from the local observations. Comfort conditions are studied using 'Bioclimatic design chart' of Lee modified by Givomi. At Visakhapatnam, the discomfort conditions are prevailed during most part of the year except winter season due to high temperatures coupled with high percentage of relative humidity. Indoor discomfort increases with high temperatures and improper building designs. Thermal effects can be reduced by design and engineering features and also by developing green belts. The study reveals that good bioclimatic design is essential to preserve physical and functional aspects and also to meet the needs of comfort.