Raul Sanchez

Journal Entry For
Module 4 - Conceptual Design - Building Context & Passive Design

The building will be located in the "Nuevo Samborondon" area. I think of it as a great place to start the evolution into a more sustainable construction industry in Guayaquil since the development of the whole area is a new sustainable project in development by the municipality of Samborondon. This ambitious project connects to the already built Samborondon, including nature and green spaces in its design. A central park having the same concept as the one in NYC, will be located in the middle of the town, moreover, most of the stores and malls will be located at walking distance, promoting healthy behaviours in the area like walking or biking . The building would fit perfectly in this project.

https://www.eluniverso.com/guayaquil/2020/07/07/nota/7898310/nuevo-samborondon-tendra-parques-gigantes-serie-proyectos
Video of the project

The specific coordinates are yet to be chosen, but the Babahoyo river is nearby and if the building orientation allows it, it will be next to the river for an extra pleasant view.

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Area for the development of "Nuevo Samborondon"
Area for the development of "Nuevo Samborondon"
Average weather for each month
Average weather for each month

Its orientation compared to the sun is the following:

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It will take advantage of the sunlight for natural lighting and will also have a wide open space between the 2 building blocks to allow natural ventilation to go through. According to Insight, a rotation of 45 degrees in the orientation of the building would represent the lesser EUI.

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It will also take advantage of natural ventilation because of its orientation. Insight shows the following windrose for different seasons of the year:

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Wind comes from the southwest, therefore its orientation having the empty space between building blocks allow the natural ventilation to run through it.

It will use the sunlight in the morning, around 9 AM will be perfect for natural lighting.
It will use the sunlight in the morning, around 9 AM will be perfect for natural lighting.
From noon to 2 PM is the hottest time of the day. The sun will be straight on top of the building, where green roofs or correct insulation comes in play.
From noon to 2 PM is the hottest time of the day. The sun will be straight on top of the building, where green roofs or correct insulation comes in play.

The sun will not hit directly the curtain walls on the front, therefore, it will not be increasing the heat conduction as much as it would in a different orientation. Afterwards, the sun will hit the back of the building to maybe curtain walls to use the sunlight. However, the sun's intensity towards the end of the afternoon is lower so the sun will hit directly the building at the most convenient times.

The sun creates some shading in the front of the building. A common area or green spaces can be set in the middle.
The sun creates some shading in the front of the building. A common area or green spaces can be set in the middle.

Solar Energy analysis for 3 different models.

Cumulative Insolation Model 1
Cumulative Insolation Model 1
PV Potential
PV Potential

The first model was inspired by The Interlace shown in Module 3. Designed to use a large floor area horizontally with interconnected masses instead of following a conventional building design going up vertically. It uses self shading in its favor to avoid direct hit from the sun. The architecture of the building has to be bold but must also include green elements that blend with the environment like some trees on the outside, green roofs, or ivy walls for example. This has to be THE Exhibition Center that represents what this new town is and its compromise of sustainability. It would be ideal to place it next to the Babahoyo River to add an attractive view for the visitors and improve the welcoming feeling that the building offers. The building would operate from 8AM to 5 PM, 5 days a week.

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In this model it is considered the 90% surface for PV panels, with efficiency of 16%.

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After testing in Insight, the model's EUI could lower from 83.1 to 58.7 EUI.

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Eventhough the first model presents less energy savings based on PV Energy Production than the other 2 models potential, I believe it will mainly benefit from energy savings from its "lack" of consumption caused by its orientation. So far, it will have 3 separate roofs where the middle one can be used as a PV panel area and the other 2 as occupational rooftops (maybe a food court) for a better user experience or as vegetation area that helps with rainwater purposes.

In between of the 3 building blocks there will be a common area or a park where visitors can enjoy the view of not only the architecture of the Exhibition Center and the rooftops, but also how it blends with the rest of the area. Maybe a water fountain would fit nicely.

PV Potential Model 2
PV Potential Model 2

For the orientation in this model, Insight suggests that a 45 degree rotation would represent the lowest EUI possible. Same as model 1.

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Cumulative Insolation Model 2 - The slopes of the front faces of the buildings absorb insolation.
Cumulative Insolation Model 2 - The slopes of the front faces of the buildings absorb insolation.

By switching the slopes of the side blocks backwards, it eliminates the self-shading that these were having, thus increasing the PV potential.

The same parameters as the model 1 were considered in the model 2 to maximize efficiency, however, model 1 is still a better option if we compare them (58.7 vs 60.9).

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Other rough models

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Rough model 3 that was descarted at the end.
Rough model 3 that was descarted at the end.
Cumulative Insolation Model 4
Cumulative Insolation Model 4

The 3rd option is a wider building and great for PV paneling because of its roof area, however I would like the aesthetics of the building to stand out a little more and work with its shape to give more value to the common areas on the outside.