This document is a project proposal for a case study paper on the application of passive cooling design strategies to reduce energy usage and heat gain at PJ Trade Centre in Petaling Jaya, Malaysia. The proposal includes a concept map of passive cooling strategies, research questions about thermal comfort and energy efficiency measures at PJ Trade Centre, and a 300-word summary of the topic. The summary discusses PJ Trade Centre's passive design features for natural ventilation and daylighting and how they help achieve thermal comfort. It also outlines passive cooling strategies like shading, natural ventilation, and orientation that will be analyzed to reduce energy usage in the hot, humid climate. An annotated bibliography provides sources on passive design, thermal comfort, and case studies

1. Asian Architecture (ARC 2234 / ARC60403) Project 1: Case Study Paper
Topic & Issue Proposal (10%) Due Date: 30 Sept 2014
Prepare a two-page type-written proposal, including a concept mapping, a summary of the topic and/or
issue to be explored, some of the questions you hope to address, along with a title, and an annotated
bibliography of sources.
Student name and ID: FARAH AKMAL BT MOHD ZAMZURI (0315884)
Tutor: MS. SHAHRIANNE MOHD SHAH
APPLICATION OF PASSIVE COOLING DESIGN STRATEGIES TO
REDUCE ENERGY USAGE AND HEAT GAIN IN PJ TRADE
CENTRE, PETALING JAYA.
Passive Cooling Design
(Solutions)
Natural Ventilation
Massing & Orientation
of the Building
Cross Ventilation
Stack Ventilation
Apertures for Cooling
Opening Types
Opening Shapes
Opening Sizes
Passive Cooling Strategies
in Hot & Humid Climate
Malay Traditional House
Vernacular Element
Thermal Comfort & Heat Gain
(Natural Factor)
PJ Trade Centre

2. Research Question(s):
1. What are the factor that enhance thermal comfort in PJ Trade Centre?
2. What are the strategies implemented by the PJ Trade Centre to be one of the energy-efficient
building in Malaysia?
3. How does the passive design strategies increase the overall performance of the design in the
hot humid climate?
Summary of the topic (300 words):
PJ Trade Centre (PJTC) is an energy-efficient and eco-friendly office tower block building
designed by Architect Kevin Mark Low. This building is designed as a comfortable and healthy
workplace with plenty of natural light and ventilation incorporate into the building. PJTC uses materials
such as exposed brick, concrete, steel and glass in the design to response to the hot and humid climate
which is quite a unique way to interpret and experience the local climate. Furthermore, green element
can be found all over the whole office with design intention of creating a ‘sense of life’ into the building
where it leads to lower maintenance costs while enhancing the staff productivity and morale resulting in
higher quality of work from them.
According to the ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 55-2010, thermal comfort is defined as “that
condition of mind which expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment and is assessed by
subjective evaluation.” Basically, thermal comfort is the satisfaction of occupants with the surrounding
thermal conditions and is essential when designing a structure for people. Thus, PJTC uses the right
combination of passive and active design strategies to achieve the thermal comfort level of the
occupants inside the building. Based on an article by ("Passive Design Strategies | Sustainability
Workshop", 2016), “Passive design strategies prefer ambient energy over artificial lighting. These
strategies includes day lighting, natural ventilation, and solar energy whereas passive cooling strategies
helps to reduce the demands for mechanical cooling to maintain the thermal comfort in the building.”
Thus, this paper will focus on reducing the energy usage with passive cooling design while enhancing
the thermal comfort level. As having the setting in a hot and humid country, the building manage to
control the energy usage which highlighted to explore on this issue in the term of application of passive
cooling strategies used in the building in order to reduce the energy usage. Features such as natural
ventilation, aperture, massing and orientation of the building are taken into considerations in discussing
this topic.

3. Annotated Bibliography
1. McGee, C. (2016). Passive design | YourHome. Yourhome.gov.au. Retrieved 24 April 2016,
from http://www.yourhome.gov.au/passive-design
2. Leblebici, D. (2012). Journal of Business, Economics & Finance (2012), Vol.1 (1) (1st
ed.). Retrieved from
http://sosyalbilimler.okan.edu.tr/media/06/50ed303d150ba0f350000006/4-
Demet_Leblebici.pdf
3. Passive Design Strategies | Sustainability Workshop. (2016).
Sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016, from
http://sustainabilityworkshop.autodesk.com/buildings/passive-design-strategies

4. REFERENCES
1. Low, Kevin Mark. Small Projects. China: Adaptus, 2010. Print.
2. PJ Trade Centre, K. (2011). design with honesty: PJ Trade Centre, Kuala
Lumpur. Designwithhonesty.com. Retrieved 26 April 2016, from
http://www.designwithhonesty.com/2011/02/pj-trade-centre-kuala-
lumpur.html
3. PJ TRADE CENTRE. (2016). tujuangemilang. Retrieved 25 April 2016, from
http://www.tujuangemilang.com/pdf/fiabci.pdf