architects • engineersintegrated sustainable designmechanical engineeringnatural ventilation designpassivhaus consultancyhealthy building designlandscape design permaculture designbuilding monitoringresearch & development

Exeter OfficeExeter Bank Chambers67 High StreetExeterDevonEX4 3DTTel. 01392 279220Fax. 01392 279036

Bideford Office18 Market Place

BidefordDevon

EX39 2DR(Registered Office)Tel. 01237 474952Fax. 01237 425669

Integrating Adaptation:Extra Care 4 Exeter

Designing for climate change adaptation: Opportunities for Architecture

Our Team• Exeter City Council,

Client, Project Manager, Structural and Civil Engineers

• Gale & Snowden Architects, Mechanical Engineers, Landscape Architects

• Exeter University

• Jenkins Hansford Partnership - QS

Passivhaus certified

Passive natural vent Permaculture design

Landscape integration

Project Starting Point

• New build 50 flats and communal facilities

• Restrictive site• Shading of external

courtyard space making it unusable

• Institutional building with central corridor

• Natural cross ventilation not possible

Shading diagram June 21st 18.00

There is an overwhelming scientific consensus that the climate is changing

We will need to adapt our buildings so that they can cope with

higher temperatures, more extreme weather and changes in rainfall

Design for Future ClimateClimate Change Adaptation Strategy

South West climate change is likely to have the following effects:

• average temperatures in the south west are expected to rise by 4-6 degrees over the next 80 years

• average solar radiation is expected to increase significantly, increasing the exposure to UV

• increase in exposure to pollen and higher ozone levels

• wind loads and storm intensity are likely to increase

• 50% reduced rainfall in summer with longer periods of drought and

• 50% increased rainfall in winter

Weather files used: 2030, 2050 & 2080 @ 50 percentile

MethodologyAnalysis• Literature research• Case studies• Thermal modelling past

projects with future weather files

• Risk Assessment• Ongoing IES thermal

modelling at early design stages

• PHPP (Passive House Planning Package)

• Fluid dynamics analysis• Occupant heat stress

analysis• Cost matrix• Integrated team studio

working

2030, 2050 & 2080 @ 50 percentile with high CO2 emission scenario

Future Climate Change Risk Assessment

• User group vulnerability• Increased internal temperatures • Increased external temperatures • Changing rainfall patterns • Localised air pollution

Key

Comfort

Construction

Water Management

Climate Change Adaptation Design• High levels of

Dementia care• Cluster design• Usable soft-centre

courtyard• Connection to others• Community and

privacy

low energy - healthy - integrated landscape – non institutional

Passive Adaptation 4 Heat1. Passive• Cross ventilation• Super insulated

envelope• Intelligent

ventilation control• Extracting heat at

source• Mass vs light weight• Living plants /

landscape• Solar shading

Cross flow vent 10-15% over heating improvement over single sided ventilation

Overheating Criteria not to exceed 1% occupied hours over 25oC

Super-insulated, air tight envelope helps to stabilise internal temperatures and reduce solar gain penetration 3 – 6% improvement

Intelligent window control 4% improvement

Mass vs light weight 2-4% improvement with mass

Local shading 2% improvement

Relocation of internal heat gains from plant outside thermal envelope 5% improvement

Green microclimate reduce summer temperatures by 3oC

Evaporation / Transpiration

Green roofPleasant shaded spaces for cooling

Less 1.5oc by microclimate

Active Adaptation 4 Heat2. People centred• Management / staff heat

stress awareness and training

• Drinking points• No cooking in flats

during heat waves• Room ceiling fans

3. Active design• Heat extraction at

source• Temperature sensor

warning system for vent control

• MVHR coupled with ventilation control

• MVHR ground cooling

Early warning temperature system to aid intelligent window ventilation control

MVHR Activated during heat waves for minimum fresh air

Windows closed when external air temperatures are hotter than inside 2-4% reduction

Ceiling mounted fans increase air movement and sweat evaporation

Heat extract at source

Supply air reduced by 10oC in summer combined with closing windows above 22-25oC reduces overheating to zero 2080

Close loop ground to brine heat exchanger

Drinking point to aid hydration

Adaptation 4 Air Pollution Healthy design• Good ventilation rates• Thermal comfort• Filtration of pollutants

and pollen using MVHR when needed

• Removal of CO2 by

MVHR• Non-VOC materials• Plants used to help

clean air• Cleanable surfaces to

reduce dust mites infestation

• Radial wiring to reduce EMFs

Plants removes VOCs & CO2

MVHR removes VOCs & CO2

VOCs

CO2

MVHR with pollen filter for affected users

MVHR at night for security on ground floors

Smoke / smog particulates filtered by MVHR

Mosquito insect mesh on opening windows in summer

Pollen

MVHR provides good air quality in bedrooms at night when windows are shut

VOCs

Building and Landscape design working together to provide healthy environments

Courtyard design provides fresh air microclimate

Adaptation 4 RainfallWater strategies• Water retention via

planting and landscape design

• Irrigation SUDs system

• Rainwater collection

Oversized gutters and downpipes

Wetter winters dryer summers – future rain files need adapting for designers

Rain water harvesting tank on flat roof:Option A – ground and plants irrigation onlyOption B – as A plus flushing WCs, Sluices and laundry

For flushing WCs

For sluice rooms

Storage point at ground level

Water attenuation by rootsRainwater storage crate system = underground swale irrigation system

Lower collection point for overflow

SUDS / Attenuation system

External area left for rain water harvesting tankRain water harvesting under ground option B

Aquaculture

Integrated Landscape Landscape• Thermal comfort - cooling, shading• Water - collection and reuse• Biodiversity• Health & well being• Plants choice

- species suited to challenging conditions, winds, drought, occasional flooding

• Minimise hard surfacing

Roof GardenCooling effectHealth and WelfareBiodiversity

Adaptation for Heat, Rainfall, and Air pollution,

Green roof 70-200cm substrateSedum, herb, grasses Biodiversity.Reduce peak runoff.Reduce annual runoff by50-60%Cooler surfaces Improve air quality

Deciduous climbers growing up balconieslocal shading

Green microclimate reduce summer temperatures by 3oC

Evaporation / Transpiration

Pleasant shaded spaces for cooling

Permeable paving to allow percolation into soils

Rainwater collectionFor reuse in garden areas

Layered structure to planting, deciduous canopy for summer shading

Sequence of rainwater storage crates for natural percolation to planting and pumped irrigation

Courtyard fresh airmicro-climate

Internal planting remove VOC’s and CO2,

Design to allow flooding into central planting shallow swale

Life Cycle CostingCumulative Energy Related Costs

Cumulative energy costs for an Extra Care facility, built to 2010 Building Regulation requirements, for heating, cooling and additional future investments required to maintain adequate comfort conditions over the lifetime of the building.

All costs have been discounted at 5% to represent present value. An annual increase in fuel costs of 4% has been allowed for and a reduction of heating demand of 30% from 2050 to 2080 has been included.

Life Cycle CostingCumulative Energy Related Costs

Cumulative energy costs for an Extra Care facility, built to Passivhaus Standard, for heating, cooling and additional future investments required to maintain adequate comfort conditions over the lifetime of the building.

All costs have been discounted at 5% to represent present value. An annual increase in fuel costs of 4% has been allowed for and a reduction of heating demand of 30% from 2050 to 2080 has been included.

Life Cycle CostingCumulative Energy Related Costs

Comparison of Cumulative Energy costs:

Payback of additional initial investment after approx. 13 years

All costs have been discounted at 5% to represent present value. An annual increase in fuel costs of 4% has been allowed for and a reduction of heating demand of 30% from 2050 to 2080 has been included.

South Elevation

North Elevation

Summary of findings• Early consideration

• Employ sound building physics

• Thermal modelling

• Building layout designed for cross ventilation

• Well insulated & airtight

• Design for microclimates

• Simplicity

Air conditioning can be avoided into 2080 with a passive approach

The Climate Change Adaptation work has directly influenced the design of the building

A new indoor public municipal pool facility for Exeter, designed to meet Passivhaus standard including a main National/County standard swimming pool and a learners pool with supporting facilities, cafe, spa and fitness area.

Swim 4 Exeter

Passivhaus swimming pool designed for Future Climate Change

architects • engineersintegrated sustainable designmechanical engineeringnatural ventilation designpassivhaus consultancyhealthy building designlandscape design permaculture designbuilding monitoringresearch & development

Exeter OfficeExeter Bank Chambers67 High StreetExeterDevonEX4 3DTTel. 01392 279220Fax. 01392 279036

Bideford Office18 Market Place

BidefordDevon

EX39 2DR(Registered Office)Tel. 01237 474952Fax. 01237 425669

Integrating Adaptation:Extra Care 4 Exeter

Designing for climate change adaptation: Opportunities for Architecture