Design guidelines
A climate-responsive building forms an integrated building concept that combines contextual, architectural and technical solutions into a single design that finds a synergy between comfort demands and energy offer. Due to its complex character the design puzzle will have typically more than one suitable outcome. All of these design options are subject to boundary conditions, a set of design objectives and constraints, determined by legislation or client demand. In climate-responsive design the main objective is the generation of a satisfying (and functional) indoor environment by harnessing the energy potential of the local environment.
The boundary conditions of the design can bound the usage of the energy potential of the local environment. These conditions include restrictions on comfort, accessibility, functionality, safety and sustainability, among others. Some of these conditions are defined in regulations and are legally binding. Other conditions are set by the clients and may be negotiable. As comfort is the starting point of climate-responsive design, the comfort demands encompass the final set of design options. When the principal or design team is more ambitious they can bring the comfort demands to a higher level by setting a goal. This will further narrow down the amount of design options. The final design is the selected design option that best suffice secondary design objectives such as finances, performance and architecture.
Analytical guidelines : exploration of possibilities and limitations
A climate-responsive building concept integrates different contextual, architectural and technical design solutions into a single design. The complex nature of employing the underlying climate-responsive design principles makes it fundamental to develop a climate-responsive design concept (i.e. energy concept following the principles of climate-responsive design) in the initial stages of the design process.