Book - School of Science and Technology

Chapter 3The building in summerThe traditional building techniques developed in the British Isles are those which havebeen described as `carefully related to the climatic impacts'. The same authority*goes onto suggest that as a result of a poor understanding of solar effects, the environment withinthe generality of modem buildings has deteriorated. Identification of the climate referredto is less easy, as may be seen from Figure 3.1, which demonstrates that temperatures inthe `mid-seasons' of spring and autumn overlap with those of reputed summer and winter.A temperate maritime climate indeed!It is impossible to separate those characteristics, desirable in a building envelope duringwinter, from those which are beneficial in high summer. Low U values, small windowareas, thermal insulation to a good standard and measures which ensure a reasonable rate500Data forCroydon400Hours per annum300200Midseason100WinterSummer0–10 0 +10 +20 +30Dry bulb temperature (°C)Figure 3.1 A maritime climate*Page, J. K., Sun in the Service of Mankind. Session Report, UNESCO Conference, Paris, 1973.