Improving Sri Lankan Buildings' Energy Efficiency Through Bioclimatic Classification and Potential Assessment

Abstract

As a result of lifestyle changes, the energy requirement for thermal comfort has increased. To increase energy efficiency and reduce global warming, building design should consider the climate. An energy-efficient building code has been developed with the goal of reducing energy demand by 25%–40%. However, the code cannot be used because different stakeholders have different perspectives. Climate zones, which are required for building structures that are both energy-efficient and climate-responsive, do not exist in the country. From 1989 to 2019, hourly weather data has been collected for district headquarters. This research focuses on the bioclimatic classification of Sri Lankan buildings and passive design methods. Degree days have been calculated for various base temperatures using Hitchin's, Erb's, Schoenau and Kehring's, ASHRAE, UKMO, and Hourly methods. The degree-day maps for Sri Lanka were created using ArcGIS. The bioclimatic classification for Sri Lanka was developed by combining climate and degree-day data. Sri Lanka is divided into three bioclimatic zones: cold, hot, and intermediate. The design potential of each bioclimatic zone was calculated using BcChart V2.0. Natural ventilation is an effective passive design technique for increasing indoor comfort. In the cold, hot, and intermediate zones, its potential is 72%, 62%, and 80%, respectively.