An Analytical study on indoor thermal comfort levels in high-attitude urban housing schemes in Kandy : with special reference to Hanthana housing scheme

Abstract

The traditional houses in Sri Lanka reflects the simple life pattern, and needs of people were limited. The traditional houses were built with natural materials, which have very low thermal conductivity, and houses were enriched by large gardens. This contributed to reduse heat gain and to keep the indoor air temprature at low level. Therefore they did not have to consume so much of energy that as present day. In present day situatyion the population growth and unplanned urbanization have compelled people to build houses on smaller plots of land and minimum plot size has been reduced up to 150m (Six perches) in the urban situation. (CMRSP1998). The buildings erected in these type of pocketed lands, creates uncomfortable indoor thermal environment, resulting wastage and consumption of so much of energy in order to keep comfortable environment by the use of artificial system. Now it grows to a power crisis in the country. Power crisis affects mostly upon the general public in Sri Lanka present days.Therefore there is a big issue in energy conservation. Architects are mainly responsible in the issue, because buildings play a major role in consuming energy. Since a large number of qualitative requirements have to be fulfilled in designing the house such a aesthetics, climate had sadly become a secondary factor or almost been disregarded today. To avoid energy wastage it is important to study design options, which helps to maintain maximum indoor thermal comfort without using energy. Especially in kandy how to do it in daytime without using air-conditioners and in night times without heating by using energy.