Architecture of Kerala | Climatic Response | Energy Efficiency | Kerala Climate and Architecture Credits - Yukta and Dhivya, Chennai, India

2. Climatic Condition of Kerala – Typical Warm and Humid
Location – South west coast of India | Arabian sea and Western Ghats
Precipitation - Heavy - Avg. 3000mm/year every year
Temperature - 21 - 33 deg Celsius
Rel. humidity - 65%-70%
Predominant Wind direction – From South west to North East
CLIMATIC CONDITIONS OF KERALA
High Temperature / Solar radiation
High humidity
Heavy precipitation / rainfall
MAJOR FACTORS AFFECTING THE
HUMAN COMFORT
Factors to be addressed while designing

3. Site
Planning
Spatial
Orientation
(
Naluketu
Houses
)

4. Courtyards
/
Nadumuttam
Regulator
of
Humidity
/
Ventilation/
Lighting
(
Naluketu
Houses
)

5. 1. Building Orientation
2. Effective zoning of spaces
3. Fenestrations (Location and Sizes)
4. Surface Area Reduction
5. Stack effect
ADDRESSING TEMPERATURE
Attempt – To reduce temperature, heat
gain, insulate, buffer or block heat Fig.2 – Zoning
Fig.1 - Orientation
Fig.4 – Surface Area Fig.5 – Stack eff.
Fig.3(a)
Fenestrations / Plan
Fig.3(b)
Fenestrations / Section
Staggered placement of windows – Cross Ventilation
Maximising the intensity of wind by creating a pressure difference

6. 1. Courtyards – air movement
2. Porous breathing Materials
3. Perforated walls / jalis
ADRESSING HUMIDITY
Attempt – To reduce moisture entering, to
improve the airflow to control humidity Courtyards allow continuous air movement which reduces humidity
Fig.6 – Courtyards ( Section and Plan)
Fig.8(a) Fig.7(a) Fig.7(b) Fig.7(c)
Jali walls /
Perforations
Allows light & air
Controls heat
Porous materials help the building envelope/skin
to breathe allowing continuous movement of air
Pan tiles Laterite Timber
Note :-Building materials used are locally available and thus, they have
less embedded energy gained in the manufacture or transportation.
BUILDING MATERIALS
1. Majorly used materials are as follows :-
2. Laterite / Timber for walls
3. Timber or Bamboo for Roofs
4. Nails not used – It rusts in humid air
5. Palm leaves /Terracotta for Roof Covering
6. Stone or burnt clay for flooring
7. Oxide flooring or lime/mud plastered
8. Timber ( teak ) for windows and doors
9. Lime for Plastering / admixtures
(Lime, sand, coconut shell, egg white,
jaggery, coconut water, vegetable extracts)

7. 1. Shading devices
2. Appropriate Roofing
3. Building Materials with less thermal
capacity and transmittance
4. Insulation gap / Solarium
ADRESSING SOLAR RADIATION
Attempt – To reduce or block the radiation
Fig.9 Insulation gap
Fig.10
Shading
and
Roofing
To avoid
glare and
direct sun
1. High Plinth
2. Steep sloped roofs
3. Gutters and Rain water harvesting pit
ADRESSING PRECIPITATION
Attempt – To red. risking building from water
Fig.11 – High Plinth
Fig.12 – Steep Sloped Roofing – Wall Protection
Fig.12 –
Rat trap bond
/ Cavity wall

8. Problems
and
Solutions
Passive
Cooling
Techniques
Roofing
Flooring

9. Madhur Temple Koothambalam Padmanaabapuram palace

10. LBC
Raviz Resort
Banasura Resort

11. Places
with
Climatic
conditions
similar
to
Kerala
-
Warm
and
Humid
Climate

12. Bibliography
THERMAL PERFORMANCE OF TRADITIONAL AND MODERN BUILDINGS IN KERALA – Research Paper
https://www.irbnet.de/daten/iconda/CIB3829.pdf
https://burcin2khoso.blogspot.com/2019/08/traditional-architecture-of-kerala-ppt.html
Architecture of Kerala- academia research papers
Tharavad Style - https://in.pinterest.com/pin/599189925398176962/

13. Energy Efficiency – Kerala Architecture – Naalukettu Veedu
Compiled by Y. Yukta and Dhivyatharshini – 4A – Batch 2017-2022