Sustainable air-conditioning for the tropical buildings

Abstract

Tropical climates are thermally uncomfortable and are mostly unhealthy to the occupants of the modern skyscrapers. The temperatures are usually on the hot side coupled with high relative humidity. The population living in the tropics, especially in Malaysia, is getting affluent and can afford air-conditioning their residences and offices. This leads to increased electricity consumption in the buildings. However, switching off the air-conditioning is not an option for the modern buildings as it would affect the health of the people and their productivity. This paper proposes innovative indoor units that will contribute to energy conservation by utilising principles of partial air-conditioning. The outdoor units could be utilised for clothes drying or for providing hot water to the occupants of the building. This will successfully address the issues on sustainable building technologies and techniques. It will lead to considerable savings in energy consumption in buildings in the tropical climate.

Keywords

• Sus tainable buildings
• partial air-conditi on ing
• total energy systems