Building to Face which direction?

[patongphil]

I am looking at building a school building in the South. Main building will basically be a rectangle with classrooms along both the longer sides and a hallway down the middle.

Which is the best orientation for such a building wrt the sun, aircon requirements, light etc. bearing in mind school hours from 8am to 4pm odd?

[Riley'sLife]

The longest dimensions should run along an East-West axis as this will minimise the exposure of external classroom walls to direct sun. 2m minimum overhanging eaves on the north and south elevations of a pitched roof with a vented gable at the west and east, each with long 3m overhanging lean-to roof slopes below the ventilation providing shade to the west and east walls if site conditions allow. At least try to shade the east wall, as the west wall will be less of a problem if the west rooms are not used after 4pm.

Edited November 19, 2013 by Riley'sLife

[isawasnake]

I would face the longest dimension to the northeast. We are in the northern hemisphere, and the sun tends to hit south facing slopes harder and for a longer period of time (although not nearly as much as when you go up a bit more in latitude). Tomorrow, look at the shadows at about midday, and you will see the point. They will be pointing north, and this effect will get more pronounced until December 21st or so. The period of time the sun is in the northern horizon is not nearly as long as in the southern here in Thailand. We are in between the equator and tropic of cancer, so you will have to "take a beating" so to speak at some point in the year, bur best if that beating is for 3 months of the year, as opposed to about 9 (slide the bar along the months of the year after inputting latitude in the link below to see what I mean, only june, july and maybe august get strong exposure on north facing slopes).

Those overhangs do wonders for sure, as mentioned.

This simulator is awesome. You gotta set your latitude is all.

http://astro.unl.edu/naap/motion3/animations/sunmotions.swf

Edited November 19, 2013 by isawasnake

[trogers]

If land space is sufficient, I would have two long rectangular blocks separated by a landscaped courtyard. The long sides of the buildings would face North and South and will be the corridors and classroom entrances. Windows would face the courtyard.

The main entrance/lobby/office links the two buildings would face East and has a porte cochere (sheltered driveway). And the rear facing West would be the toilets and storage/service rooms

[Senechal]

You should consider Feng Shui also. (I'm extremely serious). It's a very big deal to many Thais.

[steelepulse]

If you're still in Phuket, keep in mind the wind usually blows from the east and west depending on the season.