Building Services 1 [BLD 60403]

Lecturer: Ms. Lim Tze Shwan

A Study On Energy Efficiency in Heritage Buildings

Daniel Song Cheng Hock 0320155

Abd Allah Saief­ul­Haqq Hossainsaeb 0324556

Satesh Raj 0321419

Sim Chia Ting 0320932

Kiraly Renaud 0320322

Teh Qing Da 0318590

Chin Khang Wei 0320728

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Table of Contents

No. Content Page(s)

1. Introduction

3

2. Construction & Installation process ­ Traditional Malay Houses ­ Traditional Chinese Houses

4­17

3. Advantages and disadvantages 18­20

4. Case study: Findings and Explanations ­ Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman ­ Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

21­43

5. Possible problems to the system

44

6. Recommendations for future improvement

45­59

7. Learning from the group project

60

8. References

61­62

9. Bibliography

63­64

10. Appendices 65­66

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1. Introduction

Energy consumption worldwide is reaching an all­time high. Energy consumption has

more than doubled since the 1990s, and is set to triple the 1990s in the next 30 years. This all,

due to the rapid development, and demand for energy as the modern way of life begins to

overtake all else (Hall, 2015).

As such, it seems reasonable to

shift the global perspective in

favour of energy efficiency and

sustainable development.

It is commonplace to find

scientists looking at innovative

ideas and forefront technologies to

combat the problems that plague

us. This brings us to the question,

is there anything that we can learn

from the past? Also, expanding on energy efficiency and sustainable development, can we look

at energy efficiency and sustainable conservation, which is to keep what we already have in a

sustainable way?

We are looking back at a time when the many luxuries we have come to take for granted, like

our artificial Heating, Ventilation, & Air­Conditioning (HVAC), water heating systems, artificial

lighting, refrigeration, and the like were not present. We find that in order to fulfil the needs of

building occupants, many design & additive elements were incorporated into the building

systems. For example, it is a known fact that natural ventilation was widely taken advantage of

in the past. Various architectural elements, building design systems, and the like allowed for

sufficient thermal comfort and ventilation, while the storage of foods was carried out by natural

means, by the use of dry rooms, and cabinets.(Garrett, 1971)

These methods were practical and effective, even up to the advent of modern building services.

Furthermore, they did not consume any energy, and relied on passive, natural means. These so

called archaic methods are the subject of investigation in this paper as the question of energy

efficiency in heritage buildings is tackled.

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2.0 Installation Process 2.1 Construction Method of Traditional Malay Houses Introduction The traditional Malay houses were built basically above the ground. This was done as Malaysia

is a tropical country and there are many monsoons. This is the main reason why Malay houses

were raised on stilts. Stilts can be defined as a long post with wooden or bamboo walls. The

traditional Malay houses meet the socioeconomic, cultural and environmental needs required

while still reflecting the creativity and aesthetic skills of Malays. The house is usually set up in

the middle of the compound or yard.

The traditional Malay house is also called the vernacular Malay house. The distinctive feature of

this type of house is the roof. It consists of a steeply sloping roof with gables at both ends. The

roof is made from the fronds of the local palm trees providing protection from the heavy rainfall

and allowing ventilation. This material has also some very specific characteristic such as it is a

thermal insulator and is very light. The traditional Malay house also comprises lots of windows

lining the walls so as to provide very good ventilation and views for the house. The house has

lots of large interior spaces with few partitions. The picture below shows the main feature of the

Malay house, raising the house on posts.

The early settlements were mainly built along rivers and coastline. This practice was done as

there was abundant in fresh water and food nearby. The raised floor construction was an ideal

solution as it was coping with the ground humidity and with the heavy rains that generally

resulted in flash floods. The raised floor systems also allowed ventilation through the cracks in

the floor. The traditional Malay house have a minimum of two entrance, the main entrance was

for the visitors and the males and the one at the back was mostly for women and children.

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Traditional malay house

The traditional Malay house has quite a unique interior arrangement. The house has less room

but has large areas for various social and household occupations. The traditional Malay house

does not have portions or solid ceiling height walls that usually separate the three main areas

that is the veranda, main house and kitchen. They are separated by a change of level in the

floor height and also the placement of doors. The Malay house seems to blend itself naturally

with the environment.

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Malaysian climate & environment Malaysia is a tropical country where the high humidity and temperatures prevails. The average

air temperature throughout the year in Malaysia is around 22 and 23 degree Celsius. The

humidity is very high in Malaysia, through the year the humidity can attain 75% or more. Direct

solar radiation is filtered by the heavy clouds covering the high water vapour content in the air.

The disadvantage of high humidity is that it accelerates some natural processes such as rotting,

rusting and growth of algae. There is usually no strong wind in Malaysia unless if it is raining.

The average cm of rainfall throughout the year is around 250 to 300 cm. During monsoon

season there is heavy rainfall..

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The external environment of Malay house. Vegetation growth is very inappropriate to control under some factors. Those factors are the bad

condition of air, the moderate heat and the high amount of rainfall. Air flowing across any

surface will undergo friction. When increasing height the wind spread is higher and lower when

it is near the ground where there are many obstruction. Glare control in the traditional Malay

house is necessary because of some factors such as high percentage of solar radiation from

sea, sky and beach. The strong wind occurring during monsoon seasons is a hazard to the

house and its occupants. The picture above shows the external environment of the Malay

house.

Thermal comfort requirements

The factors of climatic stress in Malaysia are, the relatively high temperatures, solar radiation,

humidity and glare. So as to achieve climatic comfort in the modern Malaysian houses, these

important factors must be controlled as well as the control of rain, floods and occasional strong

winds. To achieve thermal comfort, the heat gain by the body from the surrounding environment

through solar radiation or warm air must be reduced to constant body temperature of 37 degree

Celsius. The heat that is lost through conduction, convection and radiation is neglected as the

air temperature are generally around the body temperature. There are also other main sources

of heat gain to the body by direct and indirect solar radiation, hot air, conduction and radiation.

In order to attain a degree of thermal comfort, the saturated air around the body must be

removed. Bricks and concrete are classified as high thermal capacity materials and they are

widely used in modern construction. These materials absorb the heat within the building fabric

which is directly radiated to the interior of the building causing discomfort to the users. From the

above facts, so as to achieve thermal comfort in the hot and humid climate, the solar heat

absorbed by the building and the human body must be reduced while heat loss from the body

must be maximized by ventilation and evaporative cooling. The traditional Malay house is

adapted to those situations. The picture below illustrates the climatic design of the traditional

Malay house.

The picture below is showing the numerous aspects of ventilation throughout a traditional Malay

house. As it is described in the picture the Malay houses were well designed so as to enable

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sufficient ventilation throughout the building. In ancient times natural ventilation was very

important as the use of mechanical ventilation did not even exist. By doing so the traditional

Malay houses was able to maintain thermal comfort throughout their buildings.

Climatic design of the traditional Malay house.

The design requirement for climatic control From the explanation mentioned about the climatic characteristics of Malaysia, it is important to

attain optional climatic control. A modern house in Malaysia should comprise the following

points:

Allow sufficient ventilation for cooling and reducing humidity.

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Use building materials having low thermal capacity so that little heat is transmitted into

the interior of house.

Control solar radiation.

Control glare from the surrounding.

Protection against rain.

Ensure adequate natural vegetation to provide cooler environment.

Climatic design of traditional Malay houses.

Building materials Traditional Malay houses use light materials for

construction e.g. wood and other natural materials. The

lightweight construction of low thermal capacity retain less

heat and cools properly at night.The attap roof is a good

thermal insulator. Glazed areas are seldom found in the

traditional Malay house.

Layout Traditional Malay houses are arranged not next to each

other. This ensures that wind velocity in the houses will not

be reduced while not disturbing the flow of the wind..

Ventilation for roof spaces Joints and panels in the roof structure allow sufficient

ventilation in the house.

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Vegetation Coconut trees and other tall trees provides good shade but

also does not block the movement of winds at the house

levels

Cross ventilation The long house plans of the traditional Malay house allow

the movement of air and good cross ventilation. With

minimum of partitions inside the house it helps to keep a

good flow of air movement.

Wind velocity gradient

At high altitude,the velocity of wind increases. This a

benefit for the malay houses as it helps to have a great

flow of air, while on the ground it is restricted by plants.

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Overhangs and exposed vertical areas Malay houses provide good protection against rain, shading and

allow windows to be opened for ventilation. This is due to the large

overhangs and low exposed vertical areas.

Glare The large roof overhang and low window help in controlling glare in

the traditional Malay house. It is also minimized by the natural ground

covers and wooden walls of neighbouring houses.

Lighting level The traditional malay house is normally under lighted. This give a

state of coolness in the house. This is not a problem as it can be

replaced by artificial lights

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2.2 Construction Process of Chinese Heritage Buildings in Malaysia

The population of Chinese residing in Malaysia were the immigrants from southern provinces of

China. The Chinese who were hardworking laborers gradually changed the pattern of society in

the Malay Peninsula. The Chinese not only laid roots in within Malaysia but also brought their

customs, religion, and language as well as Southern Chinese Architecture.

According to Hashimah (2005,p.21) Malaysian Chinese houses differed from that of Malay

houses in the sense that they were not freestanding and could either be categorized as being

attached or detached to one another.

The design aspects of the Chinese heritage buildings in Malaysia that are to say the floor plan,

elevation and ornamentation reflected the aspiration of the Southern Chinese style of

architecture. This can be categorized as residential which includes traditional shophouses and

terrace house, religious buildings such as Buddhist temple and public such as clan and

association buildings.

Chinese heritage buildings could either be close or disconnected to the following building. There

are several kinds of heritage buildings associated within this group. One of these, in particular,

would consist of the courtyard mansion.

Factors that control style of architecture in Malaysia

The Chinese heritage buildings in Malaysia not unlike their counterparts in South China follow

the same styles of architecture.

The style of architecture by Chinese culture in Malaysia has been influenced by these major

factors which include historical factors, religious beliefs and more importantly the climate.

The historical factor plays an important role in the construction method of the Malaysian

Chinese. Most heritage buildings such as shophouses and clan houses have adapted the local

and colonial architecture in the building facades. Some have arches and classical columns to

support the building structures which also include large openings which provide and control the

ventilation process.

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Another factor that has influenced the southern Chinese style is the climatic conditions of

Malaysia. Most buildings have large openings, louvered doors, and covered walkways. These

structural elements were designed to counter and respond to Malaysia warm and humid climate.

The use of jack roof and air well, which can be found in many old shophouses and terrace

houses are some of the examples of building elements that seek to control the local climatic

conditions.

And the final factor that has affected this style of architecture is the concept of “Feng Shui”

which literally means wind­water. This focuses on the ornamentation and orientation of the

building including factors of pre­construction such as the direction which the building shall face.

1. Traditional Shop houses

This type of structure would have two or more stories and would be used as a

commercial and private building. Unlike traditional Malay houses, it is not freestanding

but instead attached to other structures of the same kind creating a shop block. This

would eventually extend further forming streets and town squares. Some of the materials

used in its construction are brick, plaster, concrete and timber which are common for

these buildings.

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Cross sectional view of traditional chinese shophouse

Row of shophouses in Penang

2. Terrace houses

Typically the traditional terrace house would consist of two story with the porch at street

level in the front. Ordinarily this type of establishment would have big entrance doors

with timber bars locked in the door head as well as a metal bar and louvered panel

windows with very few openings. The building is designed in such a way that it follows a

certain symmetry. This means that the doors would be positioned in the center of the

front of the building with windows on both sides. Similarly, the terrace house uses the

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same kinds of materials as the traditional shop houses which are brick, plaster, concrete

and timber as major materials.

The courtyard or air wells would be the main focus of the special arrangement giving a

feeling of openness and In regard to ventilation aspect, the windows and other openings

are located at higher levels to provide privacy. Hashimah (2005, p.28) states that the

front of terrace houses had certain peculiar elements that had one function of providing

shade to the porch due to the upper floor extending out above the street.

3. Religious Buildings/Buddhist Temple

Similar to the mosques in Malaysia, Buddhist temples can be found in villages, small

towns as well as in cities. These temples have substantial qualities which contribute to

southern Chinese culture and architecture. A typical Buddhist temple will have projected

eaves made of clay tiles jointed by mortar, ornament figures of people, angels, flowers or

animals can be found on the roof ridges. Also, a typical Buddhist temple would contain a

massive entrance door in the center, windows of simple geometric shape and mosaic

tiles to the floor.

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Front view of a typical buddhist temple

4. Clan house or association house

As the Chinese are divided into numerous clans and communities, structures called

association buildings have been set up for said clans. The purposes of these buildings

are for social gatherings, festivals, and ceremonial functions. These buildings or clan

houses are usually one to two stories tall. There is a big entrance door, a front porch.

The windows of these buildings are louvered and have canopies.

16

The Khoo Kongsi is the best renowned and most lavishly decorated of Georgetown’s

clan houses

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3.0 Advantages and Disadvantages In modern days, ventilation has frequently just been seen as a technical function. The effort and

needs to make the ideal indoor atmosphere, which will work with at least exertion by the users,

has prompted progressively bulky installations and technically complicated systems. Making use

of the configuration of the building, which is a part of the ventilation system in heritage

structures, has been ignored. The first ventilation system is a capacity and in addition an outflow

of the building's validity and character deserving conservation. Almost all historic buildings were

ventilated naturally, albeit a large number of these have been bargained by the expansion of

partition walls and mechanical frameworks. With an increased awareness of the cost and

environmental impacts of energy use, natural ventilation has turned into an appealing technique

for decreasing energy utilize and cost and for giving adequate indoor natural quality and

keeping up a fresh, comfortable, and profitable indoor atmosphere instead of the all the more

overarching methodology of utilizing mechanical ventilation.

Advantages

Sustainability

Natural ventilation systems are completely natural and it also means that it works independently

without any use of external modern mechanically technologies which involves in the usage of

energy. for example, electricity energy. and instead, elements of nature are fully utilised such as

wind energy which allows air to move naturally throughout a building.

In fact, it’s estimated that natural ventilation systems can save a property anywhere between ten

and 30 per cent of the building’s energy consumption which also promotes in helping to reduce

energy bills. This reduces the need of expensive energy intensive fans which costs loads of

money to use in a long run.

Adaptable

natural ventilation frameworks are highly versatile. In the summer, building that are design on

account of these system benefits by the cool air, harnessed by the wind energy. A minimal

quality is likewise maintained all through the building. In the event that set up correctly, normal

ventilation can evacuate contamination, and additionally warm from a building. These systems

can move air around to guarantee it doesn't get excessively hot or excessively cool ­ which

works incredible now and again when the seasons change.

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Improved air quality

One of the best advantages of natural ventilation is the way that it offers enhanced air quality.

On account of the way air moves in a building, and expels pollutants, it implies you consistently

get a stream of clean air all through the building.

No maintence of mechanical system required.

Not at all like a portion of the mechanical ventilation systems available in the present day days,

you don't need to invest any additional energy or assets on keeping up natural ventilation and

when there is absent of modern technologies in the past or old time for the old traditional

houses. Houses worked on account of natural ventilation, will hold airflow themselves after

some time, because that the buoyancy of the wind or stack force is used as a component of the

very design of a building. These sorts of system require no filters, pumps or fans and it mean

you won't need to paying out cash for any additional expenses.

Consistency

The considerable thing about this sort of ventilation system is that it supplies every room with a

satisfactory measure of warm and cool air to guarantee the temperature stays consistent. This

makes it considerably more wonderful for those utilizing the building and means they won't need

to continually stress over adjusting room temperatures.

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Disadvantages

Uncontrollable

Factors such as exterior temperature, wind speed, amount of rain, and others are

uncontrollable. These are the key factors that affects the temperature, thermal comfort and the

effect of natural air ventilation in a building. In other hand, polluted air in the surrounding may be

channelled into the building as well because the building isn't sealed which is not benefiting the

building when the local air quality is bad.

Privacy

Privacy of the building would be affected if natural air ventilation is to be carry out because

privacy and security of a building prevents doors and windows from opening causing the

absence of air ventilation in a building. And it also cannot prevent sun light, rain, or snow to

enter the building completely due to openings such as windows and doors for maximum natural

air ventilation in a building.

Outdated aesthetics

Yes it adaptable with the environment but in the sense of trend in this not advisable because

trend changes from time to time and heritage buildings design makes the building to look old

and out of trend.

High maintenance

Since the building is old , the building might acquire things that have to be change or maintained

compare to new buildings . For example, after few years a wooden door can lose its strength ,

wooden window frames and more. So in order to keep the place presentable to visitors, the

place should be well ­maintained.

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4. Case Studies

4.1 Case Study #1

Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman

Perspective view of Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman

The Location of Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman is at 2, Jalan Stonor, 50450 Kuala Lumpur,

Wilayah Persekutuan Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

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History

Above­ Rumah Penghulu Pre­Restoration

Kuala Lumpur, it also known as Muddy Confluence which is an urban city full of modern

and fancy high rise buildings. The reason why the Heritage Trust of Malaysia took the difficulty

to relocate the house of Penghulu Abu Seman bin Nayan to the center of the city is to remain

and show traditional Malay houses which is extremely rare in the city. Abu Seman was the

head of the village within the state of Kedah. In the year of 1924, he bought the core building of

the house which was initially built in 1916. He resettled it and added onto it in the 1930s.

After the Penghulu pass away, the house was then pass to his elder son, Ibrahim bin

Abu Seman. After Ibrahim pass away, the house was left empty. The Heritage of Malaysia Trust

found out the house was empty and bought it from Ibrahim's inheritor. The house was then

carefully disassembled and relocated in Kuala Lumpur (Visit malaysia, 2016).

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Design Approach For Ventilation

Essentially, the concept of

ventilation in the Malay traditional

house is a combination of three

element which is the ventilation

from bottom level, top level and

the middle part which also known

as cross ventilation. Based on this

concept, the house was designed

to fill up the requirements. The

significant results the climatically

responsive design features

consisting of devices and thermal

capacity building materials. Other than it is the orientation. Usually all the traditional Malay

houses are directly to face Mecca (e.g in an east­west direction) for religious reasons.

(Wordpresscom, 2011).

Design Approach For Natural Lightning And Thermal Comfort

Building Orientation does affect not only

good air ventilation but natural lightning

too. The main entrance of traditional

Malay house was design to facing the

East. For religious reason, most of the

traditional Malay house faces Mecca

(e.g in an east­west direction) . This

orientation / direction can minimize the

number of areas exposed to direct solar

radiation during the day thus it will

reduce the heat gain in the building and the building is made out of wood so the heat will not

pass through in the building because wood has better heat capacity. The orientation was also

for cultural purposes which will allow minimal light in the morning in concern of the occupant’s

dignity whereas it will gain more light in the evening so that it can reduce the electrical light

usage at that particular time (Infocollectionsorg, 2016).

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Exterior of Rumah Penghulu Abu seman

This is the front Left view of the building. As you can see that the building is built above the

ground and it is supported by all the column. This will allow the air flow through the bottom part

of the building

Leftside photo shows that the exterior of

Serambi.

The interior plan was designed to respect the

Malay culture and relation between the

tenant and the guest. The main entrance of

traditional Malay house was designed to face

the East­West. The front part of the house

which was serambi and anjung was the area

to greet the male guest. Its design has

openness with no wall. The important space

to greet the guest was loaded with sunlight in

the morning

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Leftside picture shows the interior part of the

Penghulu's office (Lobby) also known as

Serambi and the staircase is link to the

'Rumah Ibu'

Leftside picture show the door of the

Serambi area.

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Above picture show that the exterior wall of Rumah Ibu which have three big windows and a

decorative opening roof beam which allow wind and light pass through it.

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A section of the back part of the house with the open door to Rumah Ibu. As The elongated

open plans of the traditional Malay house allow easy passage of air, and to make sure the cross

ventilation is achieved.

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A section of the back part of the house (Kitchen) with the open door to Rumah Ibu. Windows

and doors are the main elements for ventilation at body level. Beside than these, there are also

decorative elements, specifically designed to allow air pass through into the interior part of the

house.

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The Roof spaces in the traditional Malay

house are properly ventilated by the

provision of ventilation joints and panels in

the roof construction hence there is no

ceiling panel is used this is to make sure that

there is no air blockage so this ventilated

roof space will helps to cool the house.

Other than ventilation, these decorative

opening will also allow the sunlight pass

through into the building.

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This is the living room for the Family Only it also known as Rumah Ibu. From the above picture,

there is only minimal wall and these will allow good air circulation within the internal part of the

house. The open plan concept reflects the efficiency of ventilation in the design of the traditional

Malay house.

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4.2 Case Study #2

Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

Above­ The Blue Mansion, in all its restored glory

History The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion, or the Blue Mansion, as it shall henceforth be termed as, is a

magnificent showcase of colonial era vernacular architecture, hailing from a period of time when

Malaysia, or the Malayan Peninsular as it was then known, was under the provincial rule of the

British Crown. (Hassan & Yahaya, 2012)

It was built by the Mandarin business tycoon, Cheong Fatt Tze, after whom the mansion is

named, as a home him and his various concubines and as an administrative center for his

various business ventures & the Chinese consulate in the region. With his ventures being based

around the island of Penang, the mansion was built in the heart of Georgetown, at Leith Street.

(Penang­vacations.com, 2012).

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Above­ Cheong Fatt Tze, the mind behind the mansion

The mansion was built lavishly, as no expense was spared by Cheong Fatt Tze to flaunt his

status and wealth. With iron pillars & railings imported from Scotland, massive wooden doors

hand carved by craftsmen of the highest order, sculpted ceilings, and sculpted walls, the

mansion was no humble statement (Bierre, 2006).

It was built true to vernacular Chinese architecture, and with much attention paid to geomancy

(Read: Feng Shui). With the aid of respected geomancers, the house attained perfect Feng

Shui. Unfortunately, after Cheong Fatt Tze’s demise, it fell into a state of disrepair, and

remained so, until a group of conservation­minded individuals bought the home and restored it

to its former glory, where it stands today (Cheong Fatt Tze­ The Blue Mansion, 2016). For more

information on the restoration of the Blue Mansion, refer to Appendix A.

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Findings The mansion, true to its identity in traditional Chinese architecture, is able to balance aesthetics,

with practicality. Its architecture and construction is such that it solves many of the problems

posed by the humid, tropical climate of Penang Island.

Design & Layout Symmetry

Above (Both)­ Observe the symmetrical frontal facade & layout of the building

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True to traditional Chinese architecture, the building is constructed such that symmetry is

attained between the left and right wings. This optimises air­flow, and allows for uniform,

unobstructed distribution of fresh air throughout the structure (Gomes, Rodrigues, Mendes,

2011).

Also, note the various air wells present throughout the structure. They are located symmetrically

equal as well, with sufficient ventilation provided on each wing of the house. Air wells allow for

hot air egress from the house during the day, and allow for cool, dense air to enter the premises

at night. They also allow for the maximum amount of natural lighting to penetrate the building.

Also, the building utilises windows on both the ground and first floor windows. These, and the

various air wells provided, allow for the stack effect to sufficiently ventilate the area.

Above­ The narrow left wing air well allows unobstructed air transit between the upper and lower floors of

the house.

The Central Courtyard

A key feature of The Blue Mansion, is the central courtyard, which is essentially the main air

well. Central courtyards are almost synonymous and ever present in Chinese Architecture,

being closely linked to positive Feng Shui towards the building (Ping, 1998). For more

information on the influence of Feng Shui on Chinese Architecture, refer to Appendix B. Situated

in the center of the premise, it also functions as an extension to the reception area, and a

feature space. The central courtyard is accessible via all four sides, and allows for unobstructed

air flow throughout. Also, it maximises light dispersion given the granite tiling used and the wide

open space. Natural lighting is thus a viable option.

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During the day, it offers refuge from stuffy interiors, maximising air­flow. In the event of rain, the

courtyard allows for most of the heat in the house to be dissipated by the cool rain. (Grele, 2004)

Above­ The central courtyard as it stands today. Note the scottish type grills on the upper deck and the

corinthian pillars forming the perimeter of the courtyard

Air Corridors & Orientation

The mansion is built such that the orientation of the

building also maximises all advantages of natural lighting

and ventilation as possible. The long sides of the building

do not face the directions of the sun traverse. The long

sides of the building, face the windward and leeward

directions for most of the year. In Georgetown, Penang,

these usually are northerly and southeasterly winds

(Weather online, 2008). This means, that the wind is able

to effectively ventilate the building. Also, long corridors

and unobstructed passages of air flow are found

throughout the building (Lash World Tour, 2012). Above­ An air corridor

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Overhangs, Open Staircases, Clerestories, Openings, & Other Architectural Features

Above­ Note the overhang roofs employed, as well as the openings at different vertical heights.

The overhang portion of the roofs in The Blue Mansion are elaborately decorated, and gilded

with ornate carvings. However, they serve a more practical purpose besides aesthetics, allowing

and promoting air flow into the building. They also block out excessive sunlight during the

noonday, granting a conducive environment for thermal comfort.

Openings are equally elaborate, and functional. Often, in traditional Chinese architecture,

windows at differing heights are found throughout the structure. This allows warm air to escape

as cross ventilation and stack effect occurs. Clerestories also allow for better control of sunlight,

and wind ventilation. Below­ Note the window & clerestory at vertical

distance from each other

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Above­ Note the smaller opening at the upper portion of the wall. This window is specially purposed to allow

warm air to escape.

Open stairwells, also allowed for a better

utilisation of the stack effect, allowing hot air to

be transferred out of the building, while cooler

air entered through the lower levels. It

essentially, acted like an air shaft.

Right­ The plan view of the open staircase

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Colour and Paint Texturing

The Blue Mansion, as it is fondly known, is in fact, not blue, but a shade of indigo­blue. This

shade, was very commonly found in the region, and was imported from India widely by the

British. This was due to its popularity during the colonial period. The blue paint finished with lime

wash, allows for the direct heat from the sun, to be dissipated and absorbed effectively in the

hot humid tropical climate. Besides that, lime wash also proved effective in absorbing moisture,

thus reducing humidity and attaining better thermal comfort standards. This all, was

accomplished without any damage to the structural integrity of the walls. (Cheong Fatt Tze

Mansion, 2014)

Above­ The obviously, (indigo) blue mansion

Explanation We shall look at the problems tackled by the mansion, in the areas, of thermal comfort &

ventilation, lighting, as well as a cursory view into water heating, considering that these

functions consume the most energy in buildings (Centre for Climate and Energy Solutions, 2008).

When studied, it appeared, that the design of the Blue Mansion, allowed for a very energy efficient

home. It requires very little energy, in respect to the aforementioned aspects of energy consumption.

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Thermal Comfort & Ventilation

Ventilation is defined as the constant changing of air in an enclosed space to supply sufficient

fresh air, replacing stale air, and providing a safe, hygienic and comfortable environment for

building occupants. (Wikipedia, 2013)

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Thermal comfort, is almost always directly related to ventilation. Thermal comfort is the state of

mind which expresses comfort & satisfaction with the thermal environment. (Health & safety

executive, 2016)

The Blue Mansion utilises various architectural & design elements to ensure that thermal

comfort and sufficient ventilation is attained. These allow for the occurrence of two phenomena,

namely, cross ventilation, and the stack effect.

The stack effect occurs, when a building of two

storeys or more, passively ventilates itself, using

the laws of physics. Negative pressure zones are

created in shafts, and wind tunnels, which allows

for the hot air to naturally rise. Given that there

are openings at the upper portions of the

building, the warm air will escape. This negative

pressure, will act with positive pressure acting on

the bottom portion of the building to bring cooler,

fresh air into the building. This achieves both

thermal, and ventilation requirements given the right conditions (Binggeli, 2013).

This applies to the Blue Mansion, considering its various openings & celestories at the various

levels and vertical distances. The presence of the five air wells, essentially large ventilation

shafts, allows for an amplified stack effect. This goes the same with the open staircases.

Cross ventilation also occurs, seeing that the

various rooms open into courtyards and air wells.

The opening from the windward side, where the

wind is blowing from will be the zone of positive

pressure, causing wind to flow in through the

openings into the room/area. The negative

pressure at the leeward side, will allow for the

wind to flow and balance the disequilibrium of

pressures. Usually, from the exteriors of the

Mansion, into the courtyards and air wells. Often, with wind inlet openings at low levels, this

allows for the occupants to experience as much of the positive effects of the cross ventilation as

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possible. These allow for much energy to be saved, as minimal energy is required for Heating,

Air­Conditioning, and Ventilation. For a further look into the effect of natural ventilation and stack

effect on heritage buildings, refer to Appendix C.

Above­ Cross Ventilation as it is properly applied

Left­ The various openings allowing cross ventilation to

occur in the Blue Mansion

Natural Lighting

With the presence of the many courtyards, and the generally open design of the Blue Mansion,

the building is able to maintain energy efficiency while not compromising on sufficient lighting.

The mansion, including its various interiors, is sufficiently lit during the day, thanks to its

courtyards, air wells, and openings. This reduces energy consumption, which would normally be

necessary for lighting.

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Above (Three Pictures)­ The sufficiently lit interiors of the Blue Mansion during the day. This is achieved

through the various design elements, reducing the need for artificial lighting which consumes energy.

Water Heating

While this was not realised in the Blue Mansion, it is not unreasonable to surmise that the water

storages, could have been heated by natural

sunlight during the day, considering the hot,

humid, sunny climate.

This could have been achieved by parabolic

mirrors, focusing the sun’s rays into a water

catchment tank, allowing it to naturally heat itself

over time. This would be energy efficient. Left­ A diagram explaining the actions of the parabolic mirror, focusing solar energy into a fixed point, in this case, a water catchment tank.

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5. Possible problem in Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman and Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion

From the above information, we explain about the advantage of the heritage buildings

and yet there are some possible problem in those two heritage buildings.

For the Rumah Penghulu Abu Seman the possible problem are:

­ Easily burn down compare to concrete buildings.

­ Rain Water may leak through the roof because there is no roof ceiling.

­ Have to keep maintaining the building because termite will attack the wood.

­ Polluted air will pass through in the building because of the opening roof beam

And the possible problem for Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion are:

­ Polluted air will pass through in the building because of the opening window on top of

the wall.

­ Have to keep maintaining the building since the building was built in the 1880s.

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6. Recommendation and Improvement in Heritage Building for Energy Efficiency

1) Installation of Inverted Air Conditioning

Inverted Air Conditioner

Improvement:

By installing the air conditioning in traditional houses, it can keep the internal air humidity and temperature at an optimum level. This can increase the thermal comfort of the tenants in

the building. With the air conditioner, the dust and dirt particles can be minimized. To keep

the air conditioner functioning optimally, the window should be closed at all times, this can

prevent the pollution outside from entering the buildings. The ionizer also helps improve and cleanse the air quality within the building.

The Inverted Energy Technology

Inverted energy is the latest technology where it can detect the heat distribution of the area

then regulate and adjust itself accordingly, this means the electrical energy can be used efficiently when there is no one present in the buildings. (Hawking, 2000)

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2) Compartmenting rooms in the building

Framing for the partition wall

Improvement:

By partitioning the building into several smaller sections and rooms, it takes lesser time to cool down or warm up the room. It makes a smaller space and prevent the wastage of energy

used to regulate the temperature. The energy will not wasted by warming up or cooling down

the spaces that are not necessary.

Examples of traditional houses with partition wall

3) Installation of Outdoor Awning

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Improvement:

The shade area from awning outdoor can provide coolness to the building. These awnings

act as a barrier from the direct hit of intense sunlight and rain to the canopy. This can help

to reduce energy used to cool down the temperature of the building.

Examples of traditional houses with awning installed

4) Installing Windows Curtains

The types of different curtains, the right is the cloth curtains; while the bamboo curtain on the left

Improvement:

Curtain is a piece of big cloth or shades that hangs down from above a window and can be used

to cover the window. A curtain is intended to block or obscure light, or drafts, or water from outdoor in the case raining. The traditional building can install curtains on each outlets and windows around the building.

This helps blocking sun ray and heat from the sun into the building. Curtain can also

reflect some sunlight and blocking the hot air blown into the building.

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Examples of traditional buildings with curtains

5) Adjust Orientation of Window

Types of windows for a building

The ventilation flow with orientation of windows

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Improvement:

The correct orientation can make the optimum circulation of air in the building. The windows

facing the sunrise allow the maximize penetration of light ray into the building thus reducing

electricity for light bulb. It also let cool air to enter and ventilate with the warm air inside the

building.

Examples of a good orientation of windows allow sunray and air ventilation

6) Installing Air Inlet

The air inlet installed in a building

Improvement:

We can have an extension channel of vents and inlets spreading around to cool and refreshes

the air in the building. With the help of equipments such as exhaust fan, filter and ducts is used

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to actively draw air in and out to circulate the air and temperature in the building. Air Inlet is

efficient to eliminate odours like smoking smell and cooking smell.

The air inlet is installed above the ceiling and channel out to the rooftop

7) Finishes with Air Brick and void near the roof (without Air­Conditioning)

The hot and cold air circulation diagram with air brick and voids near the roof

Improvement:

The air brick (void) is a small opening which air can travel in and out into the building, it is

usually found near the roof of the building on top on the wall. Air brick is a passive way to improve the air­circulation and ventilation inside for the comfort of the tenants. It is also at

the same time, provide aesthetic value to the building. The air inlet should not be too big to

prevent the splash of rain and invasion of insects.

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Types of air bricks and voids available and suitable for traditional buildings

8) Heat­insulated and Fire Proof Painting

The use of paints not only give the aesthetic value, but also contributing to the energy efficiency

Improvement:

­ Heat Insulated Heat insulated paint can be painted on the external wall to provide better solar reflectance and thermal emission on the wall surfaces by the sun, this can make the building cooler and

tenants get to save on the cooling cost.

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­ Fire­Proof Fire proof paint painted on the indoor wall can use to slow down the fire spreading in case of

emergency. Lesser water needed to put out the fire and at the same time protecting to minimize the damage spreading to the next room and building. This turn out to be a energy

efficient way during emergencies.

The wooden substrate coated with fireproof paint are harder to burn than the normal paint,

this is relevant to the traditional building who mainly uses wood on the entire building

9) Install Solar Panel and Wind Turbine

The renewable energy towards energy efficiency and safe to environment

Improvement:

Solar Energy and Wind Turbine is a renewable energy, these energy give less pollution to the environment. With the lesser means of energy waste, more energy efficient on the building.

Installing the solar panel and wind turbine can generates electricity to power up electric

appliances such as water heater to provide sustainability to the building. These renewable

energy generator is even more suitable for the tropical country like Malaysia.

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10) Water Recirculation Improvement:

The water circulation system can improve the overall efficiency on the water heating system, tenants can get hot water quicker without wasting gallons of water. Moreover, the

water can be reused for flowering purposes and use on flushing toilet. With this system, we

can prolong the life of the used water to before discharging into the sewage system. Proper

water circulation also includes a good and efficient water storage which does not leakage and

minimizes water pump usage.

The types of water recirculation system available in the market, they are working with the same principle, recirculate

the unused hot water back into the tank to keep the water warm

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11) Sanitary Services Improvement:

Sanitary services in the toilet uses water the most in the building, energy conservation can start

with conserving the water usage.

­ Dual Flush Toilet A dual­flush toilet is a variation of the flush toilet that uses two buttons or handles to flush different levels of water. The main feature of the toilet is that it has two buttons for releasing water. It outputs water in both 3 litre and 6 litre capacities, where the smaller level is

designed for liquid waste, and the larger is designed for solid waste.

The water used by dual flush system comparing with the single flush system

A simple diagram on how dual flush system works

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­ Faucet Aerator A faucet aerator (or tap aerator) is often found at the tip of water faucets. It can be easily installed and fixed onto the tap. The faucet aerator can prevent water splashing by shaping

the water stream to a straight and evenly pressured stream. It can help in water conservation

and hence reduction in energy costs. This aerator can reduce the faucet noise with this even and gentle water stream. Faucet Aerator is suitable for traditional houses with low water pressure by increasing the perceived water pressure.

The water faucet pressure is enough to save about 3000 gallon of household water per year

12) Green Landscape Improvement:

Energy­efficient landscaping is the type of landscaping designed for the purpose of energy

conservation. It can be the embedded energy of materials on constructing the landscape, and

the energy consumed from the maintenance of a landscape. A good landscape utilizes trees,

shrubs, groundcovers, and vines to provide cooling summer shade.

­ Green pergola roof Green roofs can cool buildings with extra thermal mass and evapotranspiration. The plants

on top absorbs solar energy and release water and oxygen which cool down the

temperature.

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­ Trees and green landscape Planting trees and green vegetations around the building compound for the purpose of

providing shades and windbreaks, which able to reduces cooling costs to the building.

Green landscape can give a fresh look to the building and help in reducing the heat from the sun

13) Energy Efficiency LED Lighting System

The comparison to the LED Lighting System, which gives 90% energy efficiency

Improvement:

The LED Lighting System can save electricity and energy compare to the conventional power

light bulbs. On top of that, LED lighting gives a longer lasting lifetime than the normal light

bulb. It also produces less heat waste and lit brighter in the building, one of this LED lights

can replace two conventional light bulbs. This means to be more energy­saving on electricity,

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economics, and less wastage for the same amount of light energy. They are easily installed

and doesn’t require big renovation and adjustment.

The use of LED Lights save cost and preserve the Earth

14) Sewage System

Improvement:

Biosolids are the solid organic matter derived from the sewage treatment process. Sustainable

biosolids treatment, transport, and end­use can reduce economic and environmental costs.The traditional houses can replace their traditional individual septic tank system to centralised system. The new centralised system not only ensure the continuous flow of sewage without over spilt and also reduce the cost for extra manpower needed for clearing up the septic tank.(Iwkcommy, 2016)

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The centralized system for household by Indah Water Consortium

15) Clay Roof

Different types and colours of the clay roof with “Malaysia Energy Efficiency Rated”

Improvement:

The clay tiles also known as singgora, named after a town in Southern Thailand. These clay

tiles allow for rainwater to be absorbed, thus cooling the inside of the house when the

weather is hot outside. This tiles is extremely suitable for the all­year summer country like

Malaysia. Further than that, this tiles give a solar reflection of heat depending on the surfaces.

Singgora gives a good solar reflection and its special water absorbent features

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16) Lowering down the ceiling

Improvement:

The indoor can reduce the living space by lowering down the ceilings. This will give a smaller volume for electric appliances to regulate the temperature. Air conditioner uses lesser energy to cool down only necessary area. Lowering down the ceiling also creates a void in between

which insulates heat from outdoor into the living space, this can reduce the usage of air­conditioning to cool down the area.

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7. Group Learnings In conclusion, the term energy efficiency is a very important aspect in construction industry. It is

a major step toward the use of renewable energy. During the whole coursework of this report we

were able to understand and better illustrate the concept of energy efficiency in heritage

buildings. By understanding the early settlement, we were able to learn the conservation of

energy of ancient times and how they manage to conserve energy.

While doing research on the traditional Malay and chinese house, we learned that no matter the

lack of knowledge the early settlers managed to develop design plans of houses that suited to

the climate of the country. They employed skills that was unique and provided enough comfort

to the users. However not all the technologies used before was adequate but with the help of

modern technology the heritage buildings may be improved to suite the actual living style.

We still have a lot to learn from the past, but this report has contributed a lot to better

understand, judge and learn from the energy efficiency of heritage buildings.

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10. Gomes, M. G., Rodrigues, A. M., & Mendes, P. (2011, April 12). WIND EFFECTS ON AND AROUND L­ AND U­SHAPED BUILDINGS [Scholarly project]. Retrieved June 1, 2016, from http://nargeo.geo.uni.lodz.pl/~icuc5/text/O_18_1.pdf

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14. Hassan, A.S.H & Yahaya, S.R.C.Y. (2012). Architecture and Heritage Buildings in George Town, Penang. (1st ed.). Malaysia: Penerbit USM.

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9. Bibliography

1. Alexander, James. Malaysia, Brunei & Singapore. London: Cadogan Guides, 2006. 2. American Society of Heating Refrigerating and

Air Conditioning Engineers. 1992. Thermal Environmental Conditions for Human Occupancy (ASHRAE Standard 55­1992). Atlanta, GA: ASHRAE.

3. Bierre. (2006). Penang: Through Gilded Doors. (1st ed.). England: Areca Books. 4. Binggeli, C., 2003. Building Systems for

Interior Designers. 1st Edn., John Wiley and Sons Inc., New Jersey, ISBN: 0­471­41733­5, pp: 452.

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9. Feriadi, H. and H.W. Nyuk, 2004. Thermal Comfort for Naturally Ventilated Houses in Indonesia. Energy Build., 36: 614­626.

10. Fouseki, C & Cassar, M. (2014). Energy Efficiency in Heritage Buildings — Future Challenges and Research Needs. The Historic Environment: Policy & Practice, 5(2), 95­100.

11. Gomes, M. G., Rodrigues, A. M., & Mendes, P. (2011, April 12). WIND EFFECTS ON AND AROUND L­ AND U­SHAPED BUILDINGS [Scholarly project]. Retrieved June 1, 2016, from http://nargeo.geo.uni.lodz.pl/~icuc5/text/O_18_1.pdf

12. Grele, D. . (2004). 100 Resorts Malaysia: Places with a Heart. (1st ed.). SIngapore: Asiatype, Inc.

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14. Hassan, A.S. 2001. Issues in Sustainable Development of Architecture in Malaysia. USM Press, Penang, ISBN: 983­2514­84­3, pp: 125.

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10. Appendices Appendix A­

The entire family waited patiently, mostly, for his death so that they could sell the extremely valuable property and split up the inheritance money. Quite unfortunately for them, the youngest son lived until the ripe old age of 75, outliving most of them. That was until1987. His widow then proceeded to attempt keeping the Mansion in the family by dividing up the rooms in the wings of the house and renting them out to shop keepers. Her scheme worked for a while, until the family assets were dwindled down to just 250 RM. In 1989, the Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion was finally put up for sale.

Luckily for the remaining Cheong family, for Penang, and for the world at large, a group of Penang heritage conservationists recognized the historical/cultural value of the Blue Mansion, feared it would be demolished, bought it, and proceeded to completely renovate the property. By then it had fallen into great dilapidation by the shopkeepers who did not maintain the structure. The renovation was a massive project which took several years. But it was done so well that it received the 2000 UNESCO ‘Most Excellent’ Heritage Conservation Award. Other distinguished awards followed.

­Quoted from Lash World Tour, 2012­ Appendix B­ Feng­shui played a significant role in forming the space of the Beijing courtyard dwelling, both physically and socially. Developed over thousands of years, the ancient practice of feng­shui was intricately involved in every aspect of traditional Chinese life, from selecting a site for a house, city, grave, or temple to choosing a day to get married or a name for a child. In short, feng­shui was a system used for attracting good luck. The feng­shui concept of environment takes into account many factors, spiritual as well as physical and temporal as well as spatial, ranging from sky to earth and from human life to nature. The major goal of feng­shui is to find a way to live in harmony with heaven, earth, and other people. Traditional Chinese believed that the way to live is to unite nature and people as a whole. There is an old Chinese saying that “to be lucky, one must find good timing, a suitable place, and supporting people.” According to feng­shui, father sky fertilizes mother earth with Qi, thus producing the world and all life that inhabits it, including human beings. A very important feng­shui concept, Qi was considered to be the vital energy from the sky father, carried by rain and water (shui) and moved by wind (feng) (Guo, 276­324). One of the essential feng­shui principles in site selection is to avoid cold wind that blows Qi away; another is to have water that brings and accumulates Qi. Ancient Chinese believed that Qi would bring health, peace, and luck. The application of feng­shui to site selection includes two major aspects: dealing with landforms and arranging Qi. Dealing with landforms addresses the relationship of Qi with mountains, surrounding 272 hills, and water; arranging Qi emphasizes

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the relationship of Qi with orientations and positions. Both have greatly influenced the design of the Beijing courtyard dwelling. ­Quoted from Ping, 1998­ Appendix C­ An example of the effect of natural ventilation on the interior condition of heritage buildings

Note the minute difference in indoor and outdoor conditions. This grants maximum thermal comfort to occupants, as opposed to stuffy interiors.

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