Building A House

[Jonny B]

hi, im looking at building a new house within the next year or so and just trying to gather as much usefully info as i can before i start. What i mainly want to know is what are the best materials and methods for building here to keep the house as cool as possible without the use of air con all the time. Back home we say its best to build facing north, should the same be done here? im interested in building a modern, single level style house, so would brick or those concrete blocks be the best option? i read having the long axes of the house east to west and most of the windows on these sides?

anybody know what the prominent wind direction in chonburi area is? does a certain style of roof tile help, roof insulation etc?

my current house is like a sauna during the day and spend a fortune on air-con to cool it so just want to make sure i do everything possible make the next place alot better.

thanks for any info or advice, your time is appreciated.

[Naam]

i don't want to disencourage you but even if you spend a fortune on your house, use optimal building design, best available materials and are able to place the house on the land as you please there is no way to have a "cool" house in a tropical environment like Thailand if you demand reasonable and comfortable temperatures inside the house even at ambient temperatures as we face them now. the laws of physics cannot be bent. moreoever, the bad news is that the capital cost, respectively the lost yield of your initial investment (if you go overboard) will be higher than any energy savings.

my opinion is based on the assumption that you don't belong to the group "acclimatised, never need airconditioning, it's not that hot, use ceiling fans, can't afford an electricity bill above xxx Baht, have more cold beer, shower more often, live naked... etc."

i have tried to do to my and the contractor's ability level best to design and build my house in which to live comfortably without wasting too much energy. but besides the financial considerations (as mentioned above) one faces limitations as far as the availability of material and -last not least- the execution of construction is concerned.

[chiangmaibruce]

I'm not sure what research you have done already, but two credible sources of info are www.coolthaihouse.com and the book noted here: www.amazon.com/How-Land-Build-House-Thailand/dp/1887521712

[Naam]

I'm not sure what research you have done already, but two credible sources of info are www.coolthaihouse.com and the book noted here: www.amazon.com/How-Land-Build-House-Thailand/dp/1887521712

i haven't done to much research except that i majored in physics and mechanical engineering, live since 35 years in tropical countries, have been building half a dozen single family houses and was in charge of building industrial plants in these countries. "coolthaihouse" contains a number of interesting and helpful facts but also a lot of fiction and subjective advice which is not useful at all and in some respects completely wrong and confusing for a layman.

let me repeat that building a house in Thailand which is [temperature wise] even during the hot season cool or cooler than the minimum ambient temperature without using any airconditioning is nothing but fiction or the claim of "experts" who posses a wealth of "no idea".

[Naam]

...but two credible sources of info are www.coolthaihouse.com

quote: "This site provides information on building a house in Pattaya, Thailand and Thailand in general. How to go about getting a nice luxury house built for under $25,000 (1,000,000 Baht)?"

a credible source indeed

[canopy]

Too few people ask this question. Short answer: no matter what material you choose, the best two things for a cool house are shade and encourage breeze.

I find generally thai houses to be masonary ovens. They soak up the heat by day and reflect this heat right into the house. Even as the outside cools the inside is still radiating this stored heat for hours on end.

If you don't have perfect shade, then the key thing is to choose a material that does not act like a thermal mass that will absorb heat. Concrete and brick are the absolute worst thermal resistance building choices possible and create a terrible thermal mass. You can't do worse than choosing these from a cooling standpoint. See below table:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R-value_(insulation)

Orientation plays a crucial role. The west side gets hot sun at the end of the day. The south side gets hot sun throughout the day unless the roof overhang is such that it can be sufficiently shielded. Don't put a large wall area broadside into the sun. Remember shade, and if not provide a high r-value wall system.

[Thai-Aust]

One drawback for building a house with concrete blocks is it's not possible to add additional parts if you want to expand your house. My house was built with concrete blocks and there is no way that we can make more windows here and there or collapse parts of the wall to make more entrance like the house built from bricks.

[canuckamuck]

Naam is correct of course, but certainly there are things you can do to create a more energy efficient house. One that would resist the heat longer or hold on to the air con cooled air longer. I am surprised that I see very little insulation used here, or double glazed windows. At least you can find super blocks which must be a bit of an advantage.

Roof design can also help.

[seedy]

Insulation works both ways - in a cold climate it keeps the heat in (or the cold out) and in a tropical climate you want the same thing, just reversed. Keep windows and doors on south and west side small, provide shade via roof overhangs. A large porch does both jobs as well as providing outside areas to relax in during the 'Wet'. Natural shade works well, if you can get it. Site selection by allowing prevailing breezes to ventilate your living areas, if possible. But I think for most building sites in LOS your best bang for the buck is to insulate well.

[Jonny B]

cheers guys. keep em coming, would like to hear from some people that have done such steps and exactly what products you used, especially for insulation. w

NAAM - thanks for input, appreciate it and understand what your saying that there is of course a limit to how cool you can make a house in this heat but any little steps to make it even a few degrees cooler inside will help. well i wouldnt live here if i didnt like the heat but i like to be cool and comfortable in my house so it has nothing to do with acclimatising.

cheers

[Crossy]

One drawback for building a house with concrete blocks is it's not possible to add additional parts if you want to expand your house. My house was built with concrete blocks and there is no way that we can make more windows here and there or collapse parts of the wall to make more entrance like the house built from bricks.

A gas powered disc cutter is your friend

[Jonny B]

One drawback for building a house with concrete blocks is it's not possible to add additional parts if you want to expand your house. My house was built with concrete blocks and there is no way that we can make more windows here and there or collapse parts of the wall to make more entrance like the house built from bricks.

A gas powered disc cutter is your friend

please tell more crossy? what is that?

[slapout]

The British built homes throughout the tropical climate countries around the world with one predominate feature. They raised and extended the roof so that there was a overhang (extended), thus a shadow around the inner living area throughout the day. If the window units installed (outside walls adjoining the porch area) are the type that a small gap can be left at the bottom or top. this in conjunction with a large attic/exhaust fan can pull air thru the house and the breeze can be somewhat bearable.

These two adjustments to Thai building design are fairly inexpensive to overall cost of construction, but you comfort level may require air con as mentioned.

[Jonny B]

One drawback for building a house with concrete blocks is it's not possible to add additional parts if you want to expand your house. My house was built with concrete blocks and there is no way that we can make more windows here and there or collapse parts of the wall to make more entrance like the house built from bricks.

A gas powered disc cutter is your friend

please tell more crossy? what is that?

ahh sorry, didnt realise you meant for cutting the bricks, got ya.

[chiangmaibruce]

I haven't done to much research except that i majored in physics and mechanical engineering <snip>

1. Oh dear. Naam, be a good chap and give your XL ego a rest for a moment or two. My suggestion/comment was directed to the OP

2. If the OP was just starting out in researching this topic then the two sources I suggested would be as good a place as any to start. Scanning these sites - and following the leads to other sources within them - would surely be a lot more helpful to the OP than someone telling him not to bother as it <his goal of cooling his house at least to ambient outdoor temp> can't be done. The Coolthaihouse web site, is as I am sure you know, is far broader in the reach of topics it addresses than is suggested by the opening line you have quoted.

3. One or more posters have suggested the wider eaves to shade the windows and walls. It surprises me that there are not more houses along the lines of the traditional "Queenslander" houses in Australia (you can google on this name for pics and details of what I mean). It would seem to be so much better suited to Thai climate than the North-East American inspired homes that seem to be all the rage here.

Edited May 9, 2010 by chiangmaibruce

[Jonny B]

I haven't done to much research except that i majored in physics and mechanical engineering <snip>

1. Oh dear. Naam, be a good chap and give your XL ego a rest for a moment or two. My suggestion/comment was directed to the OP

2. If the OP was just starting out in researching this topic then the two sources I suggested would be as good a place as any to start. Scanning these sites - and following the leads to other sources within them - would surely be a lot more helpful to the OP than someone telling him not to bother as it <his goal of cooling his house at least to ambient outdoor temp> can't be done. The Coolthaihouse web site, is as I am sure you know, is far broader in the reach of topics it addresses than is suggested by the opening line you have quoted.

3. One or more posters have suggested the wider eaves to shade the windows and walls. It surprises me that there are not more houses along the lines of the traditional "Queenslander" houses in Australia (you can google on this name for pics and details of what I mean). It would seem to be so much better suited to Thai climate than the North-East American inspired homes that seem to be all the rage here.

thanks mate. haha yeah pretty funny about naam, get them tho.

what makes the queenslander homes cooler, is it mainly just the big awnings/eves going running around them?

[chiangmaibruce]

... and here is the Queenslander

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queenslander_(architecture)

[Rimmer]

One drawback for building a house with concrete blocks is it's not possible to add additional parts if you want to expand your house. My house was built with concrete blocks and there is no way that we can make more windows here and there or collapse parts of the wall to make more entrance like the house built from bricks.

A gas powered disc cutter is your friend

I also had to puzzle why he can not add doors and windows.

[chiangmaibruce]

what makes the queenslander homes cooler, is it mainly just the big awnings/eves going running around them?

Jonny, I'm only a mere mortal, but if I might be permitted to speak ... I think it's mainly the elevated (stilt) construction that catches the breeze plus the sun can't hit any walls or windows due to the wrap-around verandahs plus the timber construction doesn't hold the heat like masonry. Some of the lanna style buildings have some similar features but most thais don't like this type of house as it's seen as old-fashioned and dusty.

[doggie888888]

Went through exactly what the OP is going through before building. Wide verandas, single depth (so house is longish, apparently to encourage airflows indoors), lots of windows on opposite sides of each room, insulation on roof, high windows to allow heat to escape, high ceilings etc.

My experience of the finished product:

1) east side with 3m veranda - still gets hot because not enough shade trees and also not so breezy. Sun angle now (APr/May) means sun is beating in till around 10am

2) west side with a smaller veranda of only 1m due to builder error, but has many shade trees and breezier - stays cool until about 2pm, after that warms up a little but trees provide some relief. I can sit here without fans on breezy days.

3) bedroom on west side cools down quickly at night so it's fine with just fans by the time I sleep. I still use air con on some nights when it is very very humid and still (usually around 10 days March-May period). Breeze flowing thru room dissipates the heat I think. I never shut windows in my house.

4) I think the positioning of high windows not right in my case, because the sun comes in at 3pm-4pm and heats up indoors. Only happens around this time of the year due to angle of sun.

5) My roof insulation, the thin aluminium foils that is the standard minimum, is inadeqaute I feel but I am not sure if it'll help by increasng insulation on roof.

6) A perimeter wall blocks the breeze on the east side so it tends to feel warmer here than the west.

7) SOme days when it is still, very hot and very humid (probably one week in the entire year according to my own tolerance level) I still use the air con but house is not built for air con due to high ceilings and many windows and vents in ceiling, so not energy efficient to use air con I think compared to a very well insulated smallish room with low ceiling.

My conclusion: passive cooling works to some extent but without a doubt if you can catch the breeze and plant as many shade trees as possible even to extent of shading entire roof, then like the west side of my house, it can feel cooler most of the time. If I had to do it again, I'd make very sure about breeze direction and orientate house accordingly, plant more trees to make sure roof/external walls are not exposed to direct sun, improve roof insulation and wider verandas all around.

[Jonny B]

Went through exactly what the OP is going through before building. Wide verandas, single depth (so house is longish, apparently to encourage airflows indoors), lots of windows on opposite sides of each room, insulation on roof, high windows to allow heat to escape, high ceilings etc.

My experience of the finished product:

1) east side with 3m veranda - still gets hot because not enough shade trees and also not so breezy. Sun angle now (APr/May) means sun is beating in till around 10am

2) west side with a smaller veranda of only 1m due to builder error, but has many shade trees and breezier - stays cool until about 2pm, after that warms up a little but trees provide some relief. I can sit here without fans on breezy days.

3) bedroom on west side cools down quickly at night so it's fine with just fans by the time I sleep. I still use air con on some nights when it is very very humid and still (usually around 10 days March-May period). Breeze flowing thru room dissipates the heat I think. I never shut windows in my house.

4) I think the positioning of high windows not right in my case, because the sun comes in at 3pm-4pm and heats up indoors. Only happens around this time of the year due to angle of sun.

5) My roof insulation, the thin aluminium foils that is the standard minimum, is inadeqaute I feel but I am not sure if it'll help by increasng insulation on roof.

6) A perimeter wall blocks the breeze on the east side so it tends to feel warmer here than the west.

7) SOme days when it is still, very hot and very humid (probably one week in the entire year according to my own tolerance level) I still use the air con but house is not built for air con due to high ceilings and many windows and vents in ceiling, so not energy efficient to use air con I think compared to a very well insulated smallish room with low ceiling.

My conclusion: passive cooling works to some extent but without a doubt if you can catch the breeze and plant as many shade trees as possible even to extent of shading entire roof, then like the west side of my house, it can feel cooler most of the time. If I had to do it again, I'd make very sure about breeze direction and orientate house accordingly, plant more trees to make sure roof/external walls are not exposed to direct sun, improve roof insulation and wider verandas all around.

thanks alot mate, nice to hear from someone that has actually tried to do the same thing. that helps. it does seem like the best option is definately to plant many trees around the house and extend a nice verandah around the whole house and have some good roof insulation. What material did you use to build, just brick?

do floorboards instead of tiles make a difference. what about structure wise, i read those q-con type blocks are suppose to be better than normal brick, has anyone built a house with these and noticed much of a difference.

[Crossy]

please tell more crossy? what is that?

One of these chaps = instant door

[doggie888888]

thanks alot mate, nice to hear from someone that has actually tried to do the same thing. that helps. it does seem like the best option is definately to plant many trees around the house and extend a nice verandah around the whole house and have some good roof insulation. What material did you use to build, just brick?

do floorboards instead of tiles make a difference. what about structure wise, i read those q-con type blocks are suppose to be better than normal brick, has anyone built a house with these and noticed much of a difference.

We used normal concrete bricks, double for external walls. Most of the external walls are shaded ie no direct sun except in mornings or late afternoons. I try to plant near exposed areas, a matter of trial and error as I see the sun at different angles as the year progresses. SO I have no experiece with Q Con.

My bedrooms floors are wood, other areas are ceramic tiles...again I do not notice any difference maybe becasue the house is built on a concrete slab? I have heard that wood floors being low thermal mass do not retain heat as much but probably need to confirm that and also if it makes a difference what type floor covering if the house is all on a concrete slab.

[Rimmer]

Our South facing deck is 5 meters deep a further 1 1/2 meter roof overhang. All walls Q Con, House is 1 mtr off the ground with air flow under. High ceilings maybe 7 or 8 meters with vented roof space. Back wall never sees the sun. Place stays pretty cool.

Some pictures if anyone wants some ideas http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjopicker/ Search around for the deck and outside kitchen pictures, they are all in there somewhere.

[canuckamuck]

Beautiful property Rimmer, thanks for the peek

[Jonny B]

Our South facing deck is 5 meters deep a further 1 1/2 meter roof overhang. All walls Q Con, House is 1 mtr off the ground with air flow under. High ceilings maybe 7 or 8 meters with vented roof space. Back wall never sees the sun. Place stays pretty cool.

Some pictures if anyone wants some ideas http://www.flickr.com/photos/banjopicker/ Search around for the deck and outside kitchen pictures, they are all in there somewhere.

awesome place mate, done a nice job there, if u dont mind me asking where is that you live and approx how much would you have spent doing all that?

cheers

[Naam]

... and here is the Queenslander

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queenslander_(architecture)

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/House-Face-t...83#entry3493783

"in the south-west of the U.S. as well in QLD, Australia you find the ideal house. it's called "Queenslander" which has huge wrap-around porches attached to all four sides."

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/House-Face-t352525.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/House-Face-t...91#entry3490291

[songhklasid]

My house in sankhaemphaeng (east of chiang-mai) is brick, rendered cement, Tinted windows, inside all tile floors, my wife's last trip back she installed 2 big whirlybirds ( wind powered extracter vents ) & the hardest of all was light coloured roof, I got looks like I just landed from mars, I choose biege colour for outside house, with a light green roof which of course reflects heat, I am sure if you do all of above & other people's ideas your'e on a winner, we just have air-con in main bedroom.

regards songhklasid.

[craigt3365]

How are the whirlybirds working? I am considering that, but worry about introducing roof leaks!!!!

[songhklasid]

How are the whirlybirds working? I am considering that, but worry about introducing roof leaks!!!!

Personally I dont know but we have 2 in our aussie house, they work fine, the thai ones were twice the size & half the cost, I'll be back @ the thai house in nov , I,ll give a report then.

regards songhklasid.

P.S. my next project is roof insulation ( the thick fibreglass bats like we have in aus) any suppliers around C.M.?