Performance of naturally ventilated buildings in a warm-humid climate: a case study of Golconde Dormitories, South India

Golconde, the first modern reinforced concrete building in India, remains as one of the most outstanding examples of climate responsive buildings in the country. This paper will present some of the various passive design strategies employed to ensure thermal comfort without the use of a mechanical cooling system. Among others, the building's surrounding vegetation promoting natural ventilation, its orientation minimizing solar exposure, the ventilated double roof reducing indoor temperatures and the louvres working as solar shading devices are appropriate and efficient strategies for the Indian tropical climate context. The hourly data collected for air temperature, relative humidity and surface temperature over one and half years was used to analyse the impact of those passive strategies on the indoor conditions. This exemplary case study represents a strong case for constructing climate responsive buildings which could address the energy crisis in many countries.