INTEGRATION OF PASSIVE COOLING DESIGN STRATEGIES IN SHOPPING MALLS

ABSTRACT

Globally, shopping malls trends have been changing from open precinct to larger shopping malls. This transition is heading towards a more enclosed and air conditioned environment as compared to the older forms of shopping centres such as arcade and plazas, which were designed opened. Shopping malls in Nigeria are therefore evolving into high consumption area of electricity, as a result of reclusive design approach due to minimum or no use of natural ventilation. The aim of this thesis is to investigate the passive design strategies used to achieve passive cooling in shopping malls. The objectives assessed the existing shopping malls and evaluate the passive cooling design measures used to reduce the effect of excessive heat aside the use of energy consuming devices.  A  descriptive  survey  method  was  adopted  with the  use  of an  observation schedule where selected samples within the study area were examined to determine the frequency of use and effectiveness of passive cooling design strategies used in the samples. Findings from the samples were analysed and interpreted to show if the design strategies are appropriately incorporated to serve the purpose of achieving thermal comfort  or  are  rather  used  for  aesthetics.  Findings  shows  the  frequency  of  the parameters used in the course of the study and it is finally observed from the selected samples that shopping malls in Nigeria are mostly dependent on active cooling system rather than the passive cooling strategy. Also, the result shows that most of the facilities adopt the use of courtyard to enhance air circulations within the building than other forms of central openings like atrium and skylights, courtyard were used in about 40% of the samples while the 3 other forms of   large openings shared the remaining 60% from the samples taken. However the highest number of the respondent attest to the fact that they are mostly affected by thermal discomfort in the afternoon than other time of the day these respondents’ population amounts to approximately 73% of the sample population. The findings reveal that a very high proportion of the sampled shopping malls depend mostly on the use of mechanical devices such as fans and air conditioners to enhance cooling in its indoor environment. Lastly, It is worthy of note that this thesis emphasized on the design strategies to reduce dependency of artificial means of enhancing passive cooling. These can be achieved through proper building orientation, adequate planting and installation of green landscape elements, effective use and proper positioning of shading devices and careful selection of building material that allow for proper thermal insulation.

CHAPTER ONE

1.0       INTRODUCTION

1.1       Background to the Study

With increased environmental awareness in the built industry in Nigeria, contexts like energy conservation and passive design strategies have tremendously gained high importance and considerations in building designs. Built environment professionals are not restricted to creating shelter alone but also providing therapeutic and comfortable environment.  A  healthy  and  comfortable  shopping  environment  would  help  in protecting public health as well help enhance economic transactions in the place. Therefore, paying attention to both the internal and external environmental quality of the shopping  malls  is  essential  to  ensure  the  health  and  safety  of  all  users  of the shopping mall (Hu and Li, 2015).

It  was  asserted  that  mechanical  equipment  has  a  higher  maintenance  and  low replacement regime generally than natural ventilation approach (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air Conditioning Engineers, ASHRAE (2004). However, cooling of building through the passive design approach encourages the utilization of natural ventilation and reduces the level of dependency on the mechanical equipment which are more cost intensive and less durable at the same time hence making it a key factor to consider in large commercial buildings such as shopping malls.

With time shopping centres are transforming from simple scaled open shopping plazas to large scale shopping malls which as compared to older types of shopping mall are becoming more enclosed and an air conditioned environment rather than the old opened design, which is naturally lit and ventilated making them are more energy efficient than modern malls. Hence building professionals as a result of this transformation are geared

towards building malls which seems likely to replace the arcades and plazas in the society.

Normally in shopping malls, a larger percentage of energy (about 70%), is consumed by heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems (HVAC) which are used to enhance the indoor environmental quality. The remaining 30% energy are used for other forms of energy consumption (Harper et al., 2006). It is therefore advisable that a definite approach have to be adopted to reduce or possibly eliminate the use of active energy because mechanical indoor comfort provision account for the sizable percentage of energy used in most building (Akande, 2010). However, the use mechanical systems in shopping centre can be reduced drastically by incorporating design strategies for passive cooling hence reducing energy demand. These are passive design means to improve indoor environmental  quality  in buildings.  Passive measures,  specifically  natural  or hybrid  ventilation  rather  than  air  conditioning,  can  significantly  reduce  the  energy intake (Hatamipour and Abedi, 2008). Lastly, renewable energy can be incorporated in the design reducing energy consumption (Charles et al., 2010).

1.2       Statement of Problem

It requires a very high energy consumption to achieve the desired indoor environmental quality inside shopping malls. Hence there is the need to design shopping malls with passive design features that would enhance indoor air quality as well reduce the energy demands at the same time, one of the ways of preventing high rate of dependence on active energy system for indoor comfort is for the designers to cater for the extreme temperature which is a major challenges of the dry-hot climate from the design stage (Akande, 2010). This study from the various research consulted shows that the need for

passive cooling design strategies in building cannot be over emphasised especially in hot-dry climate.

1.3        Aim and Objectives of the Study

The study  is aimed  at  integrating  design  strategies  that  can  be adopted  to  achieve passive cooling and improve the indoor environmental quality in shopping malls especially in a hot-dry climatic location. The following objectives have been set to guide the study:

1.   To determine the design strategies used to achieve passive cooling in shopping environments.

2.   To investigate the degree of presence of passive cooling design features in the existing samples.

3.   To evaluate the effectiveness of the passive cooling design strategies examined in the samples from both observation and user perception.

4.   To design a proposed shopping mall using passive design features to achieve a good indoor environmental quality.

1.4       Justification to the Study

The use of reclusive design approach has led to high consumption of electricity in shopping environments today, this is attributed to the fact that natural daylight and ventilation are used minimally or not used at all, thus increasing the need for mechanical ventilation which in turns increase energy consumption. In most shopping malls, air conditioning systems are used to provide indoor air quality. However, older shopping centres used design augmented natural ventilation in spaces to provide good environmental quality. Thus, there is need for the architects and planners to examine

and evaluate passive design of shopping malls to identify the associated problems with a view to sustain these older energy efficient forms.

1.5       Scope and Limitation of the study

1.5.1    Scope of the study

This research work covers only the design of a shopping mall in Zaria town, Kaduna State having large supermarket bigger than 5000m2. The tenants mix for the proposed mall include convenience, retailers shop, major anchor boutiques, clothing stores, shoe shops, entertainment  (cinemas),  restaurants,  and other services like accommodation, medical and banking facilities.

1.5.2    Limitation to the study

This thesis encountered some draw back due lack of sufficient statistical information on thermal discomfort, indoor air quality and energy consumption in the area of study and Nigeria as a whole.

1.6       Contribution to Knowledge

This research work would assess and integrate the design features for passive cooling in shopping malls and hence be of help to architects and other built environment professionals  to  achieve  the  desirable  indoor  environmental  quality.  This  would motivate innovative trend of shopping mall design and encourage the use of passive cooling design techniques in mall designs especially in the hot-dry climatic region.

1.7       Study Area

Zaria is a one of the metropolitan cities in Kaduna state with a population estimated as

408,198 according to the 2006 census population. Being the 11th largest city in Nigeria, Zaria has a population count of about 695,089 inhabitants. It falls within the North

western region of Nigeria and was formerly known as the capital city of the Zazzau kingdom.

Zaria has a tropical wet and dry climate with warm or hot weather throughout the year, a wet season that starts from April and end at September and another dry season from October to March. Dogara et al. (2017) came up with the result of an analysis that revealed the gradually annual temperature rise in Zaria as a result of intense radiation from the sun just as observed globally. This analysis justify the need for a passive cooling design strategy to be adopted in buildings in Zaria as a result of its continuous increase in temperature.

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