Solutions to Heat Gain by using Vernacular Traditional Chinese Design to Achieve Thermal Comfort in The Water House

1. What is contextual and vernacular architecture? And how was it applied in The WaterHouse?

2. Based on the contextual climate, what are the design responses of The Water House?

3. What can the shallow pond around The Water House help reduce heat gain to achievethermal comfort?

4. What was considered in choosing the building's material to achieve thermal comfort?

5. How does the orientation and spatial layout of The Water House help in achieving thermalcomfort?

6. What is the significance of the roof construction that help to achieve thermal comfort inThe Water House?

7. What kind of method did the architect used to maximize the ventilation of The WaterHouse?

What is contextual and vernacular architecture? And how was itapplied in The Water House?

VERNACULAR

• Local villagers construct the house, engagement and practice local context

• Evokes a tradition form: cluster of simple timber and glass pavilion with tile-clad pitched roof

• Simple non-experimental tectonic skill

• Interlocking system, also used in traditional time

What is contextual and vernacular architecture? And how was itapplied in The Water House?

What is contextual and vernacular architecture? And how was itapplied in The Water House?

CONTEXTUAL

• Wide open sloping site, panaromic view of Lijiang: historic network of waterways and bridges

• House act as the background, enhances the nature - could be appreciated to its maximum

What is contextual and vernacular architecture? And how was it applied in The Water House?

The house compound is enclosed by the low stone walls and surrounded by the water. Other than that, the constructed landscape separates the house from the surrounding nature.

Based on the contextual climate, what are the design responses of The Water House?

• Lijiang weather generally mild

• abundant rainfall, plenty of sunshine

• Near winter time, high mountains block out the cold air from northern China, that way it is still as warm as spring for most of the days

• Summer and autumn - most favorable seasons

• Fairly wide variation in day-and-night temperature in spring and winter

Based on the contextual climate, what are the design responses of The Water House?

Based on the contextual climate, what are the design responses of The Water House?

What can the shallow pond around the Water House help reduce heat gain to achieve thermal comfort?

What can the shallow pond around the Water House help reduce heat gain to achieve thermal comfort?

• Water is more efficient at storing heat

What can the shallow pond around the Water House help reduce heat gain to achieve thermal comfort?

• According to ASHRAE research, solar energy is identified as the main heating mechanism for ponds and lakes

• Evaporation is the main cooling mechanism

• Thermal radiation can also account for a significant amount of cooling during night hours

What was considered in choosing the building's material to achieve thermal comfort?

• These are the thermal mass sustainable materials commonly used in passsive solar homes

• They absorb heat from sunlight during the hot seasons and absorbs heat from warm air in the house during the cool season

How does the orientation and spatial layout of the Water House help in achieving thermal comfort?

How does the orientation and spatial layout of the Water House help in achieving thermal comfort?

• The facade is facing west.

• During winter time, the house absorbs radiant heat from the sun through north, east and west-facing windows and stores heat from mechanical heating. The thermal mass will slowly release the heat which reduces the need for heating.

• The orientation also allows a clear panoramic view of Lijiang River.

How does the orientation and spatial layout of the Water House help in achieving thermal comfort?

• The planted bamboos at the north-west area act as natural sun shading devices which prevents direct solar heat of the afternoon sun penetrating into the house. The existing trees are conserved as well to act as sun shading device

How does the orientation and spatial layout of the Water House help in achieving thermal comfort?

• The water threads through the house where it provides evaporative cooling for the house during summer

What is the significance of the roof construction that helped toachieve thermal comfort in the Water House?

What is the significance of the roof construction that helped toachieve thermal comfort in the Water House?

• Cooler air enters the building where the breeze is located, passes through the building and exits on the other side. The warm air inside is then replaced by fresh and cooler air

What kind of method did the architect used to maximize the ventilation of the Water House?

• Natural ventilation and cross ventilation are commonly used to control indoor temperature where it can reduce energy bills significantly. Therefore with these reasons, controlling the air movement is essential.

Conclusion

• The architect Lixiaodong has considered the significance detail of the site before constructing the building at the area

• The design of the building has effective passive design in adaption of the contextual elements of the site

• Vernacular traditional Chinese architecture has successfully adapted in the contemporary Water House design with qualified thermal comfort for the user