, ~ ,

UNDERSTANDING BIOCLIMATIC
SKYSCRAPERS
ELAINE DAVIES
ESSAYl
IDBE4
SUPERVISOR DAVID CROWTHER
JUNE 1999
INTRODUCTION
Skyscrapers have traditionally been intensive developments, demanding huge financial investment and
consuming vast amounts of energy. In an age when 'the need to conserve energy and design for a
sustainable future is becoming imperative for all designers" the future of the skyscraper could be
described as doubtful. However Malaysian architect, Ken Yeang, has developed a successful low energy
design methodology for skyscrapers. This is known as the bioclimatic approach.
Professor Alan Balfour,' commentating on Yeang's work, says that it has two distinct qualities. The
first is the 'aggressive body langnage of the work as it struggles to reconcile the discontinuity between
architectural form and climate.' And the second .... ' can be found in the way the work achieves a
defmition and a presence of a new culture. '
So what is a bioclimatic skyscraper? What are its characteristics? What are the design principles? Are
these new principles? And are they really low energy buildings? This essay discusses bioclimatic design
by reviewing what it is and how Ken Yeang has incorporated this in to his skyscrapers. Brief reference
is made to the jnstification for skyscrapers. However the main reason for the essay is to gain an
understanding of bioclimatic design by considering Ken Yeang' s bioclimatic skyscrapers.
BIOCLIMA TIC THEORY
A bioclimatic design is, according to Ken Yeang, 'one which nses passive low energy techniques to
produce buildings which are environmentally interactive, efficient and increase occupant comfort.' 3 This
description incorporates three basic elements; bnildings (i.e. architecture), enviromnent (i.e. climate)
lYeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p9
'Yeang, Ken, Bioc!imatic Skyscrapers, London, Artemis London Ltd, 1994, p7
3Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy, 1996, Cover
1
and comfort. The relationships between these three elements is, according to Dean Hawkes, 1 described
by Vitruvius's 1ri-partite model. Vitruvius in his Ten Books On Architecture' describes the fundamental
relationships between climate, comfort and architectme in Iris model of envitonment. This is illustrated
in Figure 1.
ARCHITECTURE
CLIMATE COMFORT
Figure 1. Vitruvian Tri-partite Model of Environment.
This model defines the architecture of a building as the primary link between the external environment
(climate) and the internal environment (comfort). However it does not account for the influence of
technology in buildings and implies that the architect is responsible for the internal environment.
Reyner Banham in 'The Architecture of the Well Tempered Environment' desclibes the effect of
technology on building design. He states that' Because of this failure of the architectural profession to,
almost literally, keep its house in order, it fell to another body of men to assume responsibility for the
maintenance of decent environmental conditions.,2 Architecture and technology have increasingly been
pulling in different directions since the Indus1rial Revolution and the invention of the elec1ric light bulb.
TIle influence oftechllology prompted Olgyay' in the 1960's to propose a development of the Vitl1lvian
IHawkes, Dean, The Environmental Tradition, London, E & FN SPOil, 1996, p12.
2Banham, Reyner, Thearchilecture of the Well-tempered Environment, Chicago, Uuiversity of
Chicago Press, 1984 (2nd edition). pll.
3 Olgyay, Victor, Design With Climate, New Jersey, Princeton Uuiversity Press, 1963. p12.
2
model and a method of achieving environmental control by working with climate. This is shown in
Fignre 2.
BIOLOGY
TECHNOLOGY
Fignre 2 Olgyay's development of the Vitrnvian Tri-partite model.
Olgyay's method, for achieving environmental control by working with climate, can be summarised as
follows :'
Step 1. Survey the climate at the proposed building location. This shonld include temperatUl'e, relative
humidity, solar radiation and wind.
Step 2. Evaluate the climate and assess the relevant importance of each of the various elements.
Step 3. Propose a technical solution to solve each of the climate - comfort problems. The technical
solutions shonld include site selection, site orientation, shading calculations, building form and shapes,
air movement and indoor temperature balance.
Step 4. The ftrst three stages shonld be incorporated in to the architectural solution.
'Olgyay, Victor, DeSign With Climate, New Jersey, Princeton Uuiversity Press, 1963. pl1.
3
This design process, as proposed by Olgyay is reflected in Ken Y eang' s philosophy for bioclimatic
design as described in his introduction to ' The Skyscraper - Bioc1imatically Considered'
We can define the bioclimatic skyscraper as a tall building whose built form is
configured by design, using passive low-energy techniques to relate to the site's climate
and meteorological data, resulting in a tall building that is environmentally interactive,
low energy in embodiment and high quality in 1
In addition Ken Yeang accepts the responsibility for the internal environment rather than depending
solely on others to correct.
In the bioclimatic design approach, the low energy imperative is achieved through
passive means (such as through shaping the built corifiguration, placement of the
building components and selection of materials) rather than through the use of electro
mechanical devices and systems. While these electro mechanical devices and systems
might subsequently be added to the buildings, M & H and facade systems to further
enhance its low energy pelformance these should be regarded as secondmy to design
by low energy passive means.
2
Furthelmore, Yeang goes on to acknowledge that, if the built fonn is not correct the mechauical and
electrical systems would need to correct these mistakes and this wonld make 'a mockery of undertaking
low energy design in the frrst place. ,3
lYeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically ConSidered, London, Academy 1996, p18
2Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p8
3Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p9
4
It would appear from these statements made by Yeang that the enviromuental design philosophy as
described by Vitruvius, Olgyay and Hawkes has been in incorporated in to his design methodology for
bioclimatic skyscrapers, Before reviewing how this has been achieved in practice it is worth just
considering why skyscrapers ?
SKYSCRAPERS
Skyscrapers consist of large areas of built space concentrated over small building footprints, They
provide developers with the ability to make more money from the land due to the concentration of
goods, people and rent. Skyscrapers are viewed as being the ouly way in which the demand for space
can be satisfied in city centres, They are also seen as the status symbols of world class cities, They have
huge energy requirements and traditionally consist of close control air conditioned enviromuents that
are artificially lit and cut off from the outside world,
So then what is the jnstification for designing and building skyscrapers? Huxtable's opening statements
in 'The Tall Building Artistically Reconsidered' are :
The skyscraper and the twentieth century are synonymous, the tall building is the
landmark of our age ..... the skyscraper is this century's most stunning architectural
phenomenon .... , Shaper of cities and fortunes, it is the dream, past and present,
acknowledged or unacknowledged, Qf almost every architect, I
So every architect wants to design one! Is this justification? Clearly not Huxtable does recognize
that skyscrapers are not just abont 'celebrating modern building technology', It is also about money
markets, real estate, politics and investment. As the need for space in western cities has increased the
solution has tended to be to build skyscrapers. Harley Sherlock believes that 'a city with a spectacular
'Hnxtable, Ada Louise, The Tall Building Artistically Considered, Oxford, University of
California Press Ltd, 1992. p7.
5
group of tall buildiugs at its centre is likely to make a far more interesting townscape than one in which
building heights have been standardised.' I
Interesting though the townscape may be Sir Leslie Martin and Lionel March would disagree that
skyscrapers are the ouly solution. In an article titled 'Land Use and Built Forms" Sir Leslie Martin and
Lionel March stated that 'if urban land is to be developed economically ........ .it is desirable to know
which forms of building appear to make the most effective use of ground area.' Working against the
'prevalent notion that high tower buildings are necessmy in order to use land efficiently' they
demonstrated that, in terms of the land that they occupy, court buildings are more economical than tall
buildings. Court buildings also provide more open space.
Whilst the search for the skyscraper style continues Huxtable argues that the effect of skyscrapers on
the lives of cities mld people is not being considered at all. 'The effect of the tall building on our
overcrowded, malfunctioning and deteriorating cities has become demonstrably destructive and
dehumanizing.'3 The responsibility of considering the impact of the skyscraper is according to Huxtable
the duty of the architect as part of the desigu process.
In New York, the impact of these concentrated superskyscrapers on street scale and
sunlight, on the city's antiquated support systems, circulation and infrastructure, on
its already tenuous liveability, overrides any aesthetic. As bulk and density increase,
avenues darken, shadows lengthen and down drafts multiply. Winter sun becomes a
fleeting penetration of cold canyons at midday, leaving neither warmth nor
'Sherlock, Hmley, Cities Are Good For Us, London, Paladin, 1991. p153
'Leslie Martin & Lionel March, [,and Use & Built Form - Cambridge Research No 3 April
1966, University ofC3111bridge, 1966, p8
'Huxtable, Ada Louise, The Tall Building Artistically Considered, Oxford, University of
California Press Ltd, 1992. p9
6
cheer ....... Architecture, in this context, is only a game architects play. Art becomes
worthless in a city brutalized by overdevelopment. 1
Huxtable, describing the chauge in style of the skyscraper since its inceptiou in Chicago in 1890's,
believes that the future of skyscrapers in their present fonn is in doubt aud that a search for a new
skyscraper design is needed. Is the bioclimatic skyscraper the new style? Ken Yeaug does refer to his
bioclimatic skyscrapers as vertical urbau streets. But are they the complete solution?
THE BIOCLIMA TIC SKYSCRAPER - THE DESIGN PRINCIPLES
The investment in infrastmcture aud the cost of urbau laud in Asiau cities has already 'locked' Asiau
cities in to a 'high rise' future according to Yeaug. However he says there are ways in which high rise
buildings cau be designed 10 fit in to the local climate and into symbolic social and cultural needs of the
community without adopting the western skyscraper model.
In the growth in office development in Malaysia over the last decade Ken Yeaug aud his design practice
chose to go against the western trends aud propose the tropical skyscraper design. In Malaysia there are
few incentives for low energy designs, the labour force is cheap and I.lIlskilled, bigh perfollnance
materials attract a higb import tax aud most commercial buildings are speculative. It is therefore
surprising that despite all of these factors Yeaug bas succeeded at all.
In 'Natnral Energy aud Vernacular architecture' Hassau Pathay2 describes how adopting 'international
architecture' in tropical climates has forced the abaudomnent of traditional solutions to the local climate.
Pathay estimates that a ' 3m x 3m glass wall exposed to solar radiation on a warm tropical day will let
'Huxtable, Ada Louise, The Tall Building Artistically Considered, Oxford, University of
California Press Ltd, 1992. pl05
2PatllY, Hassan, Natural Energy and Vernaculararchitecture, London, University of Chicago
Press, 1996, p8/9.
7
in approximately 2000 kilocalories per hour. To maintain the microclimate of a building thus exposed
within the human comfort zone, two tons of refrigeration capacity are required.' Fathay completely
understates this ' international' design approach by saying that all 31'clutect who uses this concept is
'approaching the problem inappropriately. ' , It wonid appear therefore that for a similar tropical climate
F athay agrees with Yeang' s approach.
Ken Yeang's PhD thesis' Design with Nature: the Ecological Basis for Design' was completed in 1972
at C31Ubridge Uluversity. The thesis appears to have been the base for the development of his ecological
approach to all of his design work in practice. In his book 'Designing with Nature' Yeang defmes a
fr31Uework for understanding the impact that building works have on the enviromnent and snggests ways
in which the impact can be minimised.
Ecological design is a design process in which the designer comprehensively minimizes the
anticipated adverse effects that the product of design process has upon the earths's ecosystems
and resources and simultaneously gives priority to the continued elimination and minimization
of these effects. Z
Ye31lg has developed the bioclimatic principles into design solutions for skyscrapers. The way in which
these principles are applied to some of the skyscraper designs are as follows:
1- Service Core Positions
The core position affects the strnctural design and the thermal performance of the bioclimatic
skyscraper. Yeang identifies three core types. These are central core, double core 31ld single sided core.
'Fathy, Hassan, Natural Energy and Vernaculararchilecture, London, University of Chicago
Press, 1996, p8/9.
2Yeang, Ken, Designing with Nature, USA, McGraw-Hill, 1995, p187.
8
The double core is preferable in the tropics with the cores on the east and west side of the building. That
is, on the elevations receiving most solar gain. In this position the cores provide a buffer zone.
Figure 8 - Central Core and Double Core.
2- Lift Lobbies, Stairways and Toilet Positions
If on the periphery of the building the lobbies, toilets and stairways can be naturally ventilated and have
a view to outside then this is where they should be located. Thus saving on mechanical ventilation and
artificiallightiug.
3 - Building Orientation
Tall buildings are exposed to the full impact of external temperatures and
radiant heat. The longest elevation should therefore face the direction of
least solar irradiation. (This is north and south in the tropics.) This will
reduce the ail' conditioning load.
Figure 4 - Building Orientation
9
4- Window Openings
Window openings should also be on the elevations with least solar irradiation.
Solar shading is required on the elevation receiving most solar. (In temperate
zones balconies or recesses on the elevations receiving the least solar can act
as 'sun spaces' and collect solar heat. )
Figure 5 - Wiudow Openings.
5 - Deep Recesses
Deep recesses can provide shading to sides of the building receiving the most heat. Altematively if the
window is recessed skycourts or balconies can be fonned to provide a flexible space.
.. '
/'
/
Figure 6 - Deep Recesses.
10
6 - Transitional Spaces
Transitional spaces are described as the zone in between the interior and the exterior. These can either
be just air spaces or unenclosed al1iums. A 10uVl'ed roof over the top of the allium could act to encourage
air or wind flow through the internal spaces in the building.
7 - External Wall Construction
Yeang describes external walls as acting as ' an enclosing filter between the building's interior and
exterior." In temperate climates eg the Uuited Kingdom, the extemal wall should provide good
insulation for winter use and openable parts for ventilation in warmer periods. In the tropics the external
wall should enable good cross ventilation, protect from solar and wind driven rain and accommodate
heavy, rapid rainfall.
8 - Building Plan
The building plan should incorporate both the culture and work style of
the place. It should allow air movement through the building and allow
sunlight in to the building. In the tropics the ground floor should be
naturally ventilated and make a connection to the street by being open to
the outside.
Figure 7 - Natural Ventilation at Street Level.
9 - Planting and Landscaping
Yeang states that plants should be used because of their ability to cool the environment and not just
because of their aesthetic or 'ecological' qualities. Planting as vertical landscaping will provide benefit
to the surroundings by absorbing carbon dioxide and generating oxygen.
'Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p154
11
10 - Solar Shading
Solar shading is essential for all glazing facing the sun. In the tropics this is essential all year round and
in the temperate regions it is essential in the summer months.
11 - Natural Ventilation
Good air circulation is essential for maintaining comfort in a building. Cross ventilation allows fresh
air in and exhaust air out. Air and wind flow in to the internal spaces are encouraged by wind scoops,
side vents, SkyCOUlts, atrimns and transitional spaces.
Figure 8 - Side Vents and Wind Scoops.
12 - Thermal Insulation
Heat loss from the building and heat gain to the building can all be reduced by good thermal insulation.
12
13 - Building Mass
Wanuth or coolth can be stored in the building structural mass to reduce the mechanical heating and
cooling loads.
These design solutions are not unique to the bioclimatic skyscrapers that Ken Yeang has designed. Many
of them have been well tried and tested on building design throughout the world. Edward Cullinan in
the foreword to Randall Thomas's book 'Envh'omnental Design' desctibes envh'omnentaI design, as
a Pandora's Box 'As soon as the seal is broken on it you fmd yourself tossed about in a welter of
considerations that fundamenta11y alter the form and the aesthetic of buildings.' ,
At present buildings are increasingly serviced by mechanical and electrical systems. In addition
architects and engineers (through poor education, ignorance and possibly commercial market forces )
are designing in isolation of external climatic influences and with little regard to energy consmnption
within buildings. It is refreshing therefore to see Ken Yeang skyscrapers disregarding this way of
designing buildings.
For myself, as a building services engineer, the enviromnentaI design principles or bioclimatic design
principles, open up a whole new world of understanding of buildings and their services requirements.
How this understanding is integrated into the design process within the design team consisting of
architect, structural engineer and services engineer is outside the scope of this essay. Identifying and
understanding how it is achieved will be the key to future successful bioclimatic design projects. The
existing teudency in many design project of architect and selvices engineer to ignore these principles will
not lead to a sustainable future.
'Thomas, Randall, Environmental Design, London, E & FN Spon, 1997, Foreword.
13
THE BIOCLIMA TIC SKYSCRAPER - THE CLIMATE
Before reviewing a few of the buildings that Ken Yeang has designed it is impOltant to consider the most
important factor affecting the design, that is climate. Climate is clearly fundamental to Yeang's whole
design philosophy.
We can define the bioclimatic skyscraper as a tall building whose built form is
configured by design ......... to relate to the site :y climate and meteorological data ... I
It is important therefore to understand what the climate is like in Malaysia where most of his buildings
have been built. Tables 1 to 3 compare the climate iu three cities in Malaysia with two cities in Europe.
This data clearly demonstrates the difference between a tropical climate, eg Malaysian, and a temperate
climate, eg European.
Malaysia has high temperatures and wet months throughout the year. Temperatures vary little from uight
to day and from month to month. 'Wind speed is the most important influence in Malaysia in mitigating
the oppressive sultry heat.,2 Germany and the United Kingdom have a variable climate and the weather
changes frequently from day to day.
IYeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioc!imatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, pIS
2Smith, C G, The World Weather Guide, E A Pearce, 1994
14
TABLE 1 TEMPERATURE
Highest TEMPERATURE (DEG C
Country City Degrees north Recorded JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
of the eauator Temp Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Min Max Mil'! Max Min
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 3 37 32 22 33 22 33 23 33 23 33 23 33 22 32 23 32 23 32 23 32 23 32 23 32 23
Kuching (Sarawak ) 1 36 29 22 30 22 32 23 32 23 32 23 33 23 32 23 33 22 32 22 32 23 31 22 31 22
Penana 5 37 32 23 33 23 33 23 33 24 32 23 32 23 32 23 32 23 31 23 32 23 31 23 32 23
Germany Berlin 52 37 2 -3 3 -3 8 0 13 4 19 8 22 12 24 14 23 13 20 10 13 6 7 2 3 -1
EnQland London 51 34 6 2 7 2 10 3 13 6 17 8 20 12 22 14 21 13 19 11 14 8 10 5 7 4
TABLE 2 RELATIVE HUMIDITY
RELATIVE HUMIDITY %
Country City Degrees north TIme JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC
of the equator
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur 3 0700 hrs 97 97 97 97 97 96 95 96 96 96 97 97
1300 hrs 60 60 58 63 66 63 63 62 64 65 66 61
Kuching Sarawak) 1 1400 hrs 75 74 73 71 70 66 66 68 70 71 74 75
Penang 5 0830 hrs 75 74 75 79 78 77 77 78 80 81 79 76
1430hrs 68 64 64 66 66 67 67 67 69 70 71 68
Germany Berlin 52 0700 hrs 89 89 88 84 80 80 84 88 92 93 92 91
1400 hrs 82 78 67 60 57 58 61 61 65 73 83 86
England London 51 0900 hrs 86 85 81 71 70 70 71 76 80 85 85 87
... .
, 1500 hrs 77 72 64 56 57 58 59 62 65 , 70 , . 78
...
81
TABLE 3 RAINFALL
C:\TEMPSWS2
THE BIOCLIMA TIC SKYSCRAPER -THE BUILDINGS
Many articles and books have been written describing the bioclimatic
skyscrapers that Ken Yeang has designed over the last twenty years. Ken
Yeang's own book 'Bioclimatic Skyscrapers' describes many of the
projects that he designed between 1981 - 1993. These inclnde the Menara
Mesiniaga building in Selangor in Malaysia. This 15 storey building was
built for IBM's Malaysian agency.
Figure 9 - The Menara Mesiniaga Building.
The service core is on the east side of the building
to block the moruing sun. This allows the lift
lobbies, stairs and toilets to be naturally lit and
ventilated. On the west side the building has
aluminimn screens and shaded skycourts to
miniruize the impact of the sun. The most amount
of curtain wall glazing is on the north elevation ..
Figure 10 - Typical Floor Layout - Menara Mesiniaga.
The skycourts spiral around the perimeter of the tower providing shaded ontdoor retreats for the
employees. The planting absorbs some of the sun's heat. If the tenants needs change then the skycourts
can be enclosed and adopted as extra office space.
15
Many of the bioc1imatic design
principles have been incorporated in to
this building.. They include service
cores on the east / west orientations,
solar shading, deep recesses at
windows, natural ventilation of selvice
cores and vertical landscaping.
Figure 11 - Built Form, Vertical Landscaping, Orientation and Glazing.
Ho Chi Minh Tower is another of Ken Yeangs" bioc1imatic skyscrapers. Yeang desctibes this as 'a
Figure 12 - Ho Chi Minh Tower
boulevard in the sky" It is located in a city made up of tree
lined avenues and boulevards. Yeang sees the tower as
being a continuation of the boulevard on the ground. The
sides of the building and the elevators are lined with
vegetation. The skycourts and atriums in the builrullg are
desctibed as being the equivalent of the squares along the
city boulevards. This linking with the urban planuing of the
street has been further developed by Yeang in the
Exhibition Tower designed for Singapore.
'Yeang Ken, Bioclimatic Skyscrapers, Aedes, Berlin, 1994, p41.
16
Figme 13 - Exhibition Tower - Singapore.
This tower is what Yeang calls' a prototype ecological
building design" in which his 'green' ideas can be
exploited to the full.
In developing his links with mban design, Yeang has
created ramps up from street level to bridge the
difference in floors. They are created to be a extension
of the street and it is planned that there will be shops
and cafes along the ramp.
The building will be covered in vegetation. Ken Yeang
has carried out studies of the local ecosystem to
identify species of plants that are to be utilised.
The planting will provide shading and will help to improve the local interior microclimate. The plants
will be watered from recycled rain water (grey water) which will also serve the toilets. Wind walls
positioned parallel to the prevailing wind will direct breezes to internal spaces. Solar collectors will be
used to heat the domestic water and photovoltaic cells will help to reduce the buildings' electticity
demand.
Yeang also intends for the building to be recyclable ie it is flexible enough to be able to be rearranged
to suit a change of use. The structure will apparently be demountable and could be demolished with
minimum wastage.
'Yeang, Ken, The Architectural Review, February 1999, p52.
17
Each of these three buildings that have been discussed have air conditioning in the office areas. One
of the major justifications for the bioclimatic design approach is, according the Yeang, the lowering
of life cycle energy costs. 'Significant savings in operational costs (ie energy costs) justify the
climatically-responsive design features despite a moderately higher initial capital construction cost.' I
(Words in italics authors own.)
In all of the articles and books describing the Ken Yeang buildings there has been no assessment made
of what the actual energy costs are. Claims are made that these bioclimatic skyscrapers are low energy
buildings.' Bnt this is probably when compared to a 'conventional western type skyscraper' built in a
tropical climate. Which, as we have heard from Fathay, would be an 'inappropriate' solntion to the
problem. In the tropical climate, where many of these skyscrapers have been built, the air temperature
is in excess of 30C all year round.
The question is how much energy is saved by adopting a bioclimatic design approach rather than a
conventional approach? (ie, glass sealed air conditioned box.) Yeang states that the savings can be as
much as 30 % to 60 % . 'The reader assumes that this is a comparison with a fully airconditioned glass
box type 'western' skyscraper.
An E-mail received from Ken Yeang (see appendix) states that a recent study showed that an average
office building in Singapore uses about 230 KWhsq.m per annum and that one of his recently completed
designs achieves 170 K Wh/sq.m per annum.
lYeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p24
2Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioclimatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p4
'Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioc!imatically Considered, London, Academy 1996, p24
18
The Commerzbank recently completed in Frankfurt conld be described as
the ftrst bioclimatic skyscraper in Europe. Energy consumption ftgures for
the COImnerzbank are estimated to be half tlmt of the equivalent sealed
facade skyscraper. Figures estimated for just the heating and ventilation
equipment are 63.6 Kwhlsq.m.
1
Figure 14 - The Commerzbank.
CONCLUSIONS
The bioclimatic skyscrapers as designed by Ken Yeang clearly incorporate some classic bioclimati.c
design principles as expounded by Oglyay et aI. However the justiftcation for the buildings being
skyscrapers is not apparent and is probably due to market forces outside the control of Ken Yeang.
The energy consumption ftgures for the building do demonstrate that they are apparently lower energy
buildings than the conventional western type glass box aU'conditioned skyscraper. The buildings are
undeniably a more suitable alternative to 'western' skyscrapers in a tropical clhnate. The future of the
bioclimatic skyscraper outside of Malaysia may depend on how low the energy consumption is and this
will require the incorporation of more passive sustainable systems in to the design. The Commerzbank
does show a move towards bioclhnatic principles in western skyscraper design and this is to be
welcomed
The concerns voiced by Huxtable of the failure of skyscraper designers to concern themselves with the
urban setting and the affect of the skyscraper on urban life do appear to be a concern of Yeang also. The
IGreen Engineering in Practice at the Commerzbank, Consulting Engineer No 7 Spring 1997
19
wind flow around the buildillg, the shadillg of the street caused by the buildillg and the links to the street
for the pedestrian are all issues that Yeang takes great care in assessing during his design.
The author of the Ken Yeang article in 'The Architecture Review' February 1999 issue, speaking of the
design of the Exhibition Tower in Singapore, said:
It will be marvellous if the whole of the proposal can be realized, but even if only three
quarters of the ideas are implemented, the shaggy tower should be an example for
development in all tropical regions. J
This statement should, I believe, be extended to encourage bioclimate design in all regions.
1 The Architectural Review, February 1999, p54.
20
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. Yeang, Ken, Biociimatic Skyscrapers, London, Artennis London Ltd, First pnblished 1994.
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buildings, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, First pnblished 1984.
3.Thomas, Randall, Environmental Design, Oxford, Acorn Press, First published 1996.
4. Daniels, Klaus, The Technology of Ecological Building, Berlin, Birkhauser, First published 1995.
5. Cerver, Francisco Asensio, The Architecture of Skyscrapers, New York, Hearst Books
International, First published 1997.
6. Behling, Sophia and Stefan, Sol Power The Evolution of Solar Architecture, Munich and New
York, Prestel-Verlag, First published 1996.
7. Banham, Reyner, The Architecture of the Well-tempered Environment, Chicago, University of
Chicago, Second edition 1984.
8. Hawkes, Dean, The Environmental Tradition, Oxford, The Alden Press, First edition 1996.
9. 01gyay, Victor, Design With Climate - Biociimatic Approach to Architectural Regionalism, New
Jersey USA, Princeton University Press, Fourth Edition 1973.
1O.Yeang, Ken, Designing With Nature - The Ecological Basisfor Architectural Design, USA,
McGraw-Hill, First Edition 1995.
11 Sherlock, Harley, Cities are Good For Us, London, Paladin, First Edition 1991.
12. Piano, Renzo, The Renzo Piano Logbook, London, Thames and Hudson Ltd, First Edition 1997.
13. Smith, C G, The World Weather Guide, E A Pearce, Third Edition 1994.
14. Beunett, David, Skyscrapers Form and Function, London, Marshall Editions, First Edition 1994.
15. Huxtable, Ada Louise, The Tall Building Artistically Considered, Oxford, University of
California Press, First Edition 1982.
16. Yeang, Ken, The Skyscraper Bioc!imatically Considered, London, Academy Group, First
Edition 1996.
17. Fathy, Hassan, Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture, Londou, University of Chicago
Press, First Edition 1986.
APPENDIX
From: Dr. Ken Yeang <kyrmet@pc.jaring.my>
To: <e.davies@tesco.net>
Subject: Bioc1imatic Skyscrapers
Date: 09 April 1999 03:08
Elaine Davies,
Thanks for your query on bioclimatic skyscrapers.
Generally most of he users of my sksycrapers are pleased with the
opportunity to control natural light and ventilation. A study has shown
that over 60% of users would like these to be controllable by them (i.e.
improves their well-being)
The quality of daylight is better: less glare.
The ability to get a view out once they emerge from the elevators (as
the elevators cores are at the periphery of the floor-plate) improves
their awareness of place.
A recent study has shown that an average office building in Singapore
uses about 230kWhlsq.m.lannum energy, whereas one of our recent designs
achieves 170kWhr/sq.m.lannum.
Our UMNO Tower in Penenag (featured in RlBA International May 1998) uses
188 kWhr.lsq.m.lannum using natural ventilation mode.
Best wishes.
Ken Yeang