The Significance of Building Design for the Climate

Building design is important for saving energy and reducing GHG emissions by applying passive solar heating and cooling design principles and using the right materials and appropriate design tools. This will make the home healthier and more comfortable. The design of energy efficient and sustainable buildings is critical for the future. A key aspect of any design is the realistic and accurate prediction of the performance of the building under a wide range of weather conditions. This paper examines the effect of different climate zones in Australia (which are comparable to the world's major climates) on the thermal performance of a complete building and recommended design techniques to suit each climate zone to enhance the overall thermal performance. To examine the effect of the location (different climates) on the overall thermal performance and how a good design in one location may not be suitable at another location, AccuRate will be used to assess the thermal performance for the exact module in different climates zones to allow a fair comparison to find the appropriate design for the climate where the building is located. Also, in this research, each climate zone design requirements and techniques were addressed for various climate variables (including: solar radiation, rainfall, wind speed and direction and humidity) to design sustainable building which save great amount of energy while sustaining occupants thermal comfort.