The Effect of Roof Angles on Indoor Air Temperatures in Terrace Houses in Malaysia

Abstract

The main aim of energy efficiency in building design is to create buildings that utilise minimum amount of energy while meeting the comfort standards as high as or higher than those provided by conventional buildings. To achieve these standards, it is necessecary to study the local environment in order to assess its positive and negative features (impact on the building). The results will provide a basic understanding of heat transfer and human thermal comfort requirements. It also provides foundation for which an energy efficient design of buildings can be established. The design of residential buildings has a significant impact on everyday lives of people. It includes the types and forms of buildings that are commonly occupied by people. In Malaysia, the 'terrace house' constitutes the majority of the reside ntial building stock on which this s tudy is based. The study considers the effects of the different roof angles on reducing solar gain and indoor temperatures through eight directions within 24 hours. To annlyse and explain that effect, five different angles of roofwere chosen for the simulations. In general all the angles were chosen due to their architectural design characteristics. These angles start from a degree as a horizontal flat roof to 60 degrees, i.e. increment of every 15 degrees. The research is seen as providing a tool in evaluating the dynamic indoor air temperature and the effect of roof ang les. The evaluation is derived from a series of computer simulations using commercially ava ilab le software called BLAST.

Keywo rds : roof design, thermal comfort, orientation, indoor air