AAR615 INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH

AP243 SEP 2016 - JAN 2017

ANALYSIS ON NATURAL
VENTILATION OF MALAY
TRADITIONAL HOUSE IN MELAKA
_______________________
AMANINA BINTI AHMAD RAFI
2014430196

FACULTY OF ARCHITECTURE, PLANNING AND SURVEYING,

UITM PERAK
 AAR615 Research Proposal Sep 2016 - Jan 2017
Amanina Ahmad Rafi

Contents
ABSTRACT........................................................................................................ 2
1. Introduction.................................................................................................. 2
2. Literature Review.......................................................................................... 3
3. Methodology................................................................................................. 4
4. Research Scope........................................................................................... 5
5. Expected Findings......................................................................................... 5
6. Conclusion................................................................................................... 5
References......................................................................................................... 5

1
 AAR615 Research Proposal Sep 2016 - Jan 2017
Amanina Ahmad Rafi

Analysis on Natural Ventilation of Malay Traditional

House in Melaka

Amanina Ahmad Rafi1 and Azhan Abdul Aziz2

1
Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak, 2014430196
2
Universiti Teknologi MARA Perak, Lecturer

ehamanina@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

This research study is conduct to obtain the information about how the system of
natural ventilation helps the occupants achieve the thermal comfort inside the Malay
traditional house. The purpose in this research is to identify the relationship between
the architectural design and natural air ventilation inside the traditional Malay house.
Temperature, humidity and wind speed inside the occupant space is measured using
anemometers in order to identify how the occupants achieve the most optimum
thermal comfort. The main focus of this analysis is to determine how optimum
thermal comfort is achieve inside the house.

2017 Architecture Department, FSPU, UiTM Perak. All rights reserved.

Keywords: natural ventilation, traditional house, Malacca, thermal comfort,

temperature, humidity, wind speed.

1. Introduction

When it comes to architecture, natural ventilation becomes a very vital aspect for
passive design. Nowadays, most architects did not rely on natural air ventilation
as there are alternative ways to obtain the thermal comfort by mechanical
system. Overviewing the hot humid climate country, it is important to creating
sustainable innovation by optimizing the use of natural ventilation to achieve the
thermal comfort. Now, energy wastage becomes a vital worldwide concern. Bad
passive design makes this problem become difficult for the next generation to
sustain energy. Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Systems (HVACs)
consumes almost sixty eight percent of energy (Omer, 2008).

1.1 Research Aim

To identify how the natural ventilation inside the Malay traditional house can
achieve the thermal comfort towards the occupants.

2
 AAR615 Research Proposal Sep 2016 - Jan 2017
Amanina Ahmad Rafi

1.2 Research Objectives

To analyze how the natural air ventilation works inside in order to achieve
the thermal comfort for occupants with a contextual analysis of the
conventional Malay house of Malacca using anemometers.
To identify the natural phenomena that affect the temperature inside the
building.
To study the relationship between the material used in the house and how
it affects the temperature inside the house.

2. Literature Review

The purpose in this section is to analyze various aspects on how natural

ventilation occurs inside the typical Malay traditional house for the passive design
in order to achieve thermal comfort.

2.1 Natural Ventilations definition

One of very main aspect of passive thermal design was sustaining the natural
inputs from surrounding environment (sunlight, wind and air) in order to achieve
thermal comfort for occupants. If the occupants dont feel neither too warm nor
too cold, the thermal comfort is well achieved. (Hassan & Ramli, 2010)

2.2 Cross air ventilation

This is another ways to minimize the electric energy consumption that took
quarter of energy consumption.(Stavrakakis, Zervas, Sarimveis, & Markatos,
2009). This ventilation method is used in the traditional house to obtain a good
air quality thus optimize the thermal comfort inside the space.(Hassan & Ramli,
2010)

2.3 Stack effect

As warmer air go out through the roof openings, the ventilation happens. As
higher density air infiltrates through the ground openings, the lower density air
inside the building rises then go out through the upper openings. Air pressure
happens as warmer air is lighter than the cooler air. Upward air movement is
created. Buoyant force happens as the air inside the house is warmer and less
dense than surrounding air. Warm air rise due to buoyant force.

2.1.1 Figures and Tables

3
 AAR615 Research Proposal Sep 2016 - Jan 2017
Amanina Ahmad Rafi

In this section the 3 different types that is humidity, temperature and wind
speed levels, is taken between indoor and outdoor. Generally, the World Health
Organization (1990) recommend that the ideal temperature range between 18-
28C. (Rahman, 1995) found that the ideal indoor temperature is between 25.5-
28C for Malaysia. The reason is the tropical region climate over a year gives
effects on residents perspective to the thermal comfort at hotter climate
differ to those lives in temperate region. (Feriadi & Wong, 2004)

Table 1: The scale of measurement of wind

Source: (Hassan & Ramli, 2010)

Table 2: The scale of measurement for temperature

Source: (Hassan & Ramli, 2010)

3. Methodology

3.1 Field Observation and Environmental Behavior

understanding
respond
environment.
The
human
was
of
opens
study
to
in their
chosen
thermal
more ofnatural
since peoples
respond
fruitful itareas
Field Observation on human thermal respond is taken since it opens more
beneficial study by understanding peoples respond to the natural
surroundings.

3.2 Focused Interviews

Respondents fill the questionnaires on thermal feeling in each space

hourly inside the house.

3.3 Qualitative Data

Observe and collect the data of the difference humidity, temperature, air
velocity of internal space of traditional house design under the different
space of occupants.

4
 AAR615 Research Proposal Sep 2016 - Jan 2017
Amanina Ahmad Rafi

Simple calculation of thermal comfort scale is compared with the result

from field observation.

4. Research Scope

Three aspects; wind velocity, relative humidity and temperature is taken

and compare between inside and outside the house.
The research is conducted at several Malay traditional houses located in
Melaka

5. Expected Findings

The good ventilation gives beneficial effects towards the occupants

especially for health and work performance. Thus, by analyzing how the
natural ventilation works in this traditional house, this research can helps
by adapting the design methods into achieving the green architecture.

6. Conclusion

By completing this research, I am able to explain the types of natural ventilation

systems that occurs inside the traditional house and other aspects that influence
the thermal comfort inside the Malay traditional house. In addition, this research
can be a solution on integrating the traditional design method into contemporary
design in order to achieve sustainable architecture.

References

Feriadi, H., & Wong, N. H. (2004). Thermal Comfort For Naturally Ventilated Houses In
Indonesia. Energy and Buildings, 36(7), 12.
Hassan, A. S., & Ramli, M. (2010). Natural Ventilation of Indoor Air Temperature: A
Case Study of the Traditional Malay House in Penang American J. of Engineering
and Applied Sciences, 3, 9.
Rahman, A. M. A. (1995). Housing design in relation to environmental comfort. Building
Research and Information, 23(1), 6.
Stavrakakis, G. M., Zervas, P. L., Sarimveis, H., & Markatos, N. C. (2009). Development
of a Computational Tool to Quantify Architectural Design Effects On Thermal
Comfort in Naturally Ventilated Rural Houses. Building and Environment,
45(3), 17.