Climate and building design

Abstract

The effects of climatic variations on building design are frequently overlooked, sometimes with disastrous consequences. Buildings significantly alter local air temperatures, and the likely changes should be taken into account in calculations affecting building design. Urban air pollution modifies the sunshine received at building sites and their location in the country also affects the climate. Long-term temporal changes are irrelevant to the design of individual buildings but shorter period temporal changes might well be significant. It is the responsibility of the architect to evaluate the importance of these various aspects of climate change in relation to the design of particular buildings. Closer co-operation between building scientists and climatologists is necessary.