Bioclimatic Principles in Architectural Design. A Way to Better Buildings

The Academic Book named by its authors “Bioclimatic Principles in Architectural Design: a Way to Better Buildings” focuses on one of the most important aspects of sustainable urbanism and architectural design. This original research report is Volume 5 of annual research publication drafted by the team of students of Architecture at Vilnius Gediminas Technical University. It continues the tradition of the Design Studio project “Recreation Complex in Natural Environment” to collect, analyze and present individual research topic in a comprehensive publication and is performed by the students of Arfu-13 group at the Department of Urban Design at the Fall Term of 2014. We strongly believe that the method of „learning through design“ brings new understanding, skills and professional capabilities for planning and designing recreational spaces and buildings of the most diverse function, structure and architecture in natural and rural sites of Lithuania. The group of students and their tutors had a pleasure of going through theory and practice of Bioclimatic Principles in Architectural Design as much as it concerns quality of for the environment and functional benefits for its users. This year’s series Vol. 5 “Bioclimatic Principles in Architectural Design: a Way to Better Buildings” continues the department’s tradition as it is produced along with the design studio project. The previous volumes of the book focused on other topics of recreational architecture and urbanism: “Sustainable Water Management” 2013, “Sustainable Design in Architecture” 2012, “Environment Elements and Details in Recreation” 2011 and “Sauna in Recreation” 2010. The topic of Bioclimatic Principles in Architectural Design is analyzed in these chapters: Solar radiation control; Heat – cold control; Managing internal gains, Providing natural ventilation and geopathology, all seen as the way towards better buildings in sustainable and healthy urban environment. The collected, reviewed and designed material with its texts, references and numerous figures is a perfect study resource for students, researchers and many of the senior colleagues as well as for the wider public. All those concerned in sustainable urbanism and Bioclimatic Design will find a reliable and professional roadmap that will bring more understanding for making our buildings more comfortable and pleasant to use as well as easy to build and maintain.Four working groups of students have generated the presented Chapters of this Book. The study program of Architecture at VGTU will cover more and more aspects of green urbanism and sustainable design in the next years so this book is a high step forward made by the second-year scholars in architecture. We all strongly believe that this result will certainly build up their professional career and shape personal life-style towards the highest quality and efficiency required by the society. This Book is the must reading for senior students in bachelor and master studies of Architecture, Urbanism, Landscape and related study fields. The material presented herein is a peer-reviewed and co-edited by the Editorial Board comprised of all representatives of the students working groups. Contents of the book are based on international experience of Bioclimatic Design as this topic in Lithuania is still at its roots. The book reveals multiple methods and tools that could be used in the projects of the most different nature. It helps to translate the ideas of Bioclimatic Design from theory of books to practice of urban and architectural design. The authors will appreciate all comments and proposal from the interested readers on the topic of Bioclimatic Principles in Architectural Design that will help to improve the skills of the authors who created in this Book. Prof PhD Gintaras Stauskis, Tutor and supervisorVilnius Gediminas Technical Universit