Delhi residence, DastakariX, Sustainability and design assistance

Project Summary

The project focuses on evaluating and optimizing the thermal comfort and wind performance of a building in Gurugram, Haryana, which experiences a composite climate characterized by hot, dry summers and mild to severe winters. The study examines four distinct design cases—base case, shaft cut-outs and balconies, skewed courtyards, and tapered floors—to assess how different architectural interventions affect both indoor thermal comfort (measured in comfortable hours and degree discomfort hours) and airflow dynamics within the site. The results indicate that while strategies like shaft cut-outs and balconies improve both comfort and air movement, further modifications such as skewed shafts and tapered floors enhance wind velocity but may slightly reduce thermal comfort due to increased air drafts. The project concludes by recommending the adoption of smaller shafts and balconies with reduced window sizes to maximize occupant comfort.

Project Details

Location	Gurugram, Haryana, India (composite climate zone)
Climate Context	Hot and dry summers (March–June, up to 40°C), mild to severe winters (November–February, 10–25°C), transitional seasons with pleasant temperatures (20–30°C), significant seasonal humidity variation.
Design Cases Analyzed	Base Case: Single-zone mass structure, large windows on all sides, north-up orientation, no sunshades or balconies. Shaft Cut-outs and Balconies: Optimized orientation, introduction of balconies as sun-shading devices, and shafts for air movement. Skewed Courtyards: Tapered shafts with narrow openings to enhance air movement. Tapered Floors: Upper floors tapered back to increase open area for air movement.
Thermal Comfort Analysis	Metrics: Comfortable hours (indoor operative temperature within 80% acceptability range of neutral temperature), degree discomfort hours (DDH). Results: Base Case: 3,780 comfortable hours per year. Shaft Cut-outs and Balconies: Average 4,037 comfortable hours per year. Skewed Shafts: Average 3,838 comfortable hours per year. Tapered Floors: Average 3,807 comfortable hours per year.
Wind and CFD Analysis	Base Case: Wind velocity inside pockets 0.5–2.6 m/s; stationary level air velocity 0.1–0.8 m/s. Shaft Cut-outs and Balconies: Air speed in pockets 0.7–3.2 m/s; stationary level 0.2–1.5 m/s. Skewed Shafts: Stationary level air velocity 0.3–2.3 m/s. Tapered Floors: Stationary level air velocity 0.8–4.4 m/s at 9 meters.
Conclusions and Recommendations	Skewing and tapering improve wind velocity but may slightly reduce thermal comfort due to air drafts. Recommended: Utilize smaller shafts and balconies with reduced window sizes for optimal comfort.