Climate Hot andHumid

Location 15° N-15° S

Temperature Day 27°-32° C

Night 21°-29° C

Humidity 55-100%

Vapour Pressure 2500-3500 N/m²

Precipitation (annual) 2000-5000 mm

Sky condition 850-7000 cd/m²

Solar Radiation Partly reflected, partly scattered

Wall - is still warm at night because of the high solar radiation during the day
Pitch roof - is used act as a buffer to reduce the entering of heat into the house
Gutters are built
Plastered single layer wall – to prevent heat captured in the house
Window hoods and balcony - to reduce the entering of solar radiation and
daylight into the house
More windows and the opening are wide
Aprons - to prevent dirt on the wall
Wide doors – wind shaft is built to enable heated air go outside
Ceiling (high ceiling) – to prevent direct heat into the house
HOT AND HUMID CLIMATE

OVERVIEW OF DESIGN PRINCIPLES-

• Resisting heat gain
• Promoting heat loss
• Landform and Waterbodies
• Open spaces and built form
• Orientation and Planform
• cross-ventilation.
• Semiopen spaces
• Building Envelope
• Fenestration
Project details
Designers: Andrew Spiers (homeowner) and David
Bridgman, MODE DESIGN
Builder: Garrett Homes
Engineer: Elisha Harris, Qantec-McWilliam
Size: Approx. 177m2; 2 bedroom
Size of land: 80 hectares
 Site, location and climate
 Darwin River is a largely wooded rural suburb some 65km
south-east of Darwin.
 The house is sited in the western half of the block, away
from the river, on the highest point to make the most of
seasonal winds: south-easterlies in the dry and north-
westerlies in the wet.
 The Top End’s tropical climate has high humid summers
and warm winters, with mean maximum temperatures of
32°C and a mean minimum of 23.2°C. In the wet season,
from November to April, mean January rainfall is
423.8mm; in the dry season, from May to October, rainfall
drops to 1.2mm in July.
 During the wet season the region is prone to cyclone
activity, heavy monsoonal downpours and flooding. The
fire season occurs during the dry, from late autumn
through to late spring.
 Design response
 The home has a high-pitched roof that minimises sun
exposure and creates a cathedral ceiling to maximise air
circulation. Vents in the roof ridge and apex exhaust heat.
The roof is clad with steel and lined with insulation with
an air gap to act as an additional insulative barrier to heat
exchange.
 This home is built entirely with steel which has a low
thermal mass. The home and outdoor living area are
shaded year-round by the roof and eaves
 The home has been orientated west-south-west/east-north-
east to capture breezes common to this site The design
makes the most of passive cooling principles. The cross-
shaped plan ensures the home is only one room wide
throughout to encourage cross ventilation. Solid internal
walls have been placed on a north-west/south-east axis so
they increase natural ventilation by not obstructing air
paths
 Windows are fitted with roller shutters to protect the
house from fire or storm damage.