Advancements in Integrating Passive Solutions for Sustainable Thermal Comfort in Tropical Buildings

Abstract

Tropical climates present distinctive challenges for achieving sustainable thermal comfort in buildings, characterized by elevated temperatures and humidity levels. Addressing these challenges, this comprehensive review paper asserts the efficacy of passive design strategies as a promising solution to manage indoor thermal conditions in such environments. This necessitates the meticulous examination of the latest research and developments, underscoring the critical importance of thermal comfort and its profound impact on human health, productivity, and energy consumption within tropical buildings. A navigation through the foundational principles of passive cooling and heating strategies emphasizes their potential to ameliorate the adverse effects of harsh tropical climates. The study examines the efficacy of several passive design strategies, including solar shading, evaporative cooling and thermal mass, and natural ventilation, in various tropical climates and building types. The analysis is based on empirical research. The paper deftly examines how active cooling systems and passive design techniques intersect, clarifying hybrid strategies that maximize thermal comfort and energy economy. It emphasizes how crucial it is to add passive design techniques early on in the design process so that they are easily integrated into the overall building design scheme. Future directions for passive design application and research in tropical buildings are outlined in the paper's conclusion. The review presents itself as an invaluable resource for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, emphasizing the need to advance novel passive cooling and heating techniques and to encourage awareness and adoption of passive design principles among architects, engineers, and policymakers.