ABSTRACT

Overheating in buildings is commonplace. This book describes how we can keep cool without conventional air-conditioning: improving comfort and productivity while reducing energy costs and carbon emissions. It provides architects, engineers and policy makers with a ‘how-to’ guide to the application of natural cooling in new and existing buildings. It demonstrates, through reference to numerous examples, that natural cooling is viable in most climates around the world.

This completely revised and expanded second edition includes:

  • An overview of natural cooling past and present.
  • Guidance on the principles and strategies that can be adopted.
  • A review of the applicability of different strategies.
  • Explanation of simplified tools for performance assessment.
  • A review of components and controls.
  • A detailed evaluation of case studies from the USA, Europe, India and China.

This book is not just for the technical specialist, as it also provides a general grounding in how to avoid or minimise air-conditioning. Importantly, it demonstrates that understanding our environment, rather than fighting it, will help us to live sustainably in our rapidly warming world.

part 1|1 pages

chapter Chapter 1|22 pages

Origins and Opportunities

chapter Chapter 2|32 pages

Principles and Strategies

chapter Chapter 3|20 pages

Climate Applicability Mapping

chapter Chapter 4|40 pages

Integrated Design

chapter Chapter 5|22 pages

Testing The Strategy

chapter Chapter 6|22 pages

Performance Analysis

chapter Chapter 7|15 pages

Component Design

part 2|1 pages

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

chapter |14 pages

Case Study 1

Torrent Research Centre, Ahmedabad, India

chapter |18 pages

Case Study 2

Centre for Sustainable Energy Technologies, Ningbo, China

chapter |12 pages

Case Study 3

Federal Courthouse, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

chapter |14 pages

Case Study 4

Stock Exchange, Valletta, Malta

chapter |14 pages

Case Study 5

Zion National Park Visitor Centre, Springdale, Utah, USA

chapter |16 pages

Case Study 6

Global Ecology Research Centre, Palo Alto, California, USA

chapter |6 pages

Conclusions

chapter |4 pages

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