"Snow, ice and icicles on roofs - physics and risks", 7th Nordic Symposium in Building Physics by A. Nielsen. The current state of the industry is largely due to the complexity of the issues and corresponding number of variables that need to be considered. The choice of building systems can also have an impact on the potential for hazardous ice and snow formations. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada: 2008. The Best Home Design Features for Cold Climates. [13] solar heat gain. Disclaimer, Unified Facilities Guide Specifications (UFGS), Minimizing the Adverse Effects of Snow and Ice on Roofs, Beware of Falling Ice and Snow: A winter perspective on building design, Winter Weather Considerations: Avoiding Ice and Snow Damage During the Winter Months, U.S. Army Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory Facilities and Products, falling ice or freezing rain accumulations, obstructed views from skylights & clearstory windows, orientation of building form (long axis vs. short axis) or shape (curved, round or block forms, etc. Using warm beds and other techniques you can potentially … The temperatures ranges between 20 – 30 C in summers; while in winter, in rages from -3 – 8 C, making it quite chilly. Consequently, the effort to create an aesthetically pleasing, efficient, and economical plan can have immense challenges and trade-offs. This is where an assessment from an experienced ice and snow consultant can prove invaluable, if utilized during initial design rather than in a retrofit condition, which is often the case. (c) Providing buffer spaces between the … That said, the purpose of this particular resource page is to bring awareness to one specific non-physical microclimate factor for consideration in design: winter weather or winter precipitation and its potential for hazardous conditions to people and property if not adequately anticipated. Cool roof construction, which is typically made up of increased insulation values combined with light colored roofing materials, has a significant impact on the rate of snow melt. Put gravity to work by selecting a steep roof design for … The orientation of the building materials is also important. All rights reserved. However, there is no corresponding requirement for the acceptability (return period or otherwise) of a falling icicle, windblown ice or snow piece, or sliding ice and snow accumulation from a roof or façade surface. Strategically place hand rails along outdoor stairways so that you have a way to stabilize as you walk. Climate responsive architecture takes into consideration seasonality, the direction of the sun (sun path and solar position), natural shade provided by the surrounding topography, environmental factors (such as wind, rainfall, humidity) and climate data (temperature, historical weather patterns, etc.) Minimizing footprint is a strategy for both cold and hot climates; however, the type of roof varies for cold locations. For example: An example of increased exterior surface area created by the addition of sun shades.Photo Credit: Northern Microclimate Inc. An example of snow formation on curtain wall glazing.Horizontal shading device wraps around the façade of the Center.Photo Credit: Northern Microclimate Inc. Given these differences, there are two specific areas where the ice and snow assessment can contribute significantly to the structural design. Elements that contribute to passive cooling include the … Modern heating and ventilating systems, in conjunction with improved exterior wall performance, are reducing the reliance on perimeter heating, which in turn can increase the formation of ice and snow on exterior building elements. Solar shading devices, high-performance wall assemblies and glazing products are generating significant energy savings in terms of long-term building heating and cooling requirements. This process is typically accomplished by conducting a full-scale physical test in a controlled cold room environmental chamber. Williams; M. Carter; F. Hochstenbach and T. Lovlin. These last non-physical examples have been traditionally grouped into an area called Environmental or more accurately Microclimate Studies. ); all contribute to falling ice and snow. Circumstances that can lead to a sliding ice and snow scenario can be complex and are not well documented within the industry. Thus, the industry must rely on experience-based assessments conducted by consultants having a broad knowledge and experience in: microclimate analysis, building science, cold climate testing, and field investigation. In densely populated urban centers, such as New York City, Boston, Chicago, Toronto, Denver, and Washington D.C.; where prominent tall buildings are constructed on small sites with pedestrian and vehicular traffic mere feet from their base, the tolerance for any potential hazard or interruption of building operations due to falling ice and snow, or the erection of yellow "caution tape" is significantly less. No matter what climate you live in, you should have double-paned windows. High diurnal … MODERN COLD CLIMATE BUILDING 3 The type of building materials used to build Antarctica houses should be carefully considered. Schematic of a frost protected shallow foundation. Have a steep roof. This task of optimizing the readily observable attributes of a plan to its physical landscape can be a daunting task further complicated by the analysis of additional unseen non-physical factors. Some homeowners already struggle with climbing stairs, and poor weather conditions only makes the situation more dangerous. in a cold climate an architects’ aim would be design a building in such a way that solar gains are maximised, but in a hot climate his primary aim would be to reduce solar gains, maximise natural ventila-tion and so on. Some documents have gone further and acknowledge the potential for hazard and damage due to sliding ice and snow formations. Buildings in cold climates have struggled throughout the ages with ice and snow formations that slide, fall, or get windblown from their roofs, ledges, and window sills, causing harm to people and damage to property below. You have to design your project to withstand the extra weight of snow (if it's a snowy region) and/or to make sure it won't create puddles that may … Vegetative and cool roof construction techniques can each bring independent challenges to winter design. This means reducing cooling requirement during the summer and heating in the winter through appropriate orientation, external shading, appropriate amount of glazing, and natural ventilation. "Sliding Snow and Ice on Buildings: a balance of risk cost and aesthetics", Proceedings of Snow Engineering V by C.J. Entryways can be a blessing or a curse, depending on the amount of shelter they provide. For example: which building façade will be most affected by strong winter winds during snowfall; which direction will freezing rain storms impact the proposed building most frequently; and, where on the exterior of the building are hazardous ice and snow accumulations most likely to form. ), complex roof shapes that include slippery sloped surfaces, barrel vaults, roof steps, tower and podium interactions, complex wall assemblies and sloped surfaces (double façades, trombe walls, complex curtain walls, etc.). The “Performance House” demonstrates how a home can be designed and constructed in the cold climate zone to be energy efficient, low maintenance, sustainable, and comfortable. Chrysalis Childcare Centre / Collingridge and Smith Architects the addition of exterior solar shading devices has significantly increased the exterior surface area available for ice and snow formation, to obtain increased resistance to heat loss, exterior wall assemblies have in some cases increased in thickness thereby creating larger ledges and window sills, high-performance glazing products have reduced heat loss thereby promoting increased volumes of ice and snow formations on glazing, Placement and detailing of canopies, wing-walls, wind screens, etc., as effective protection for building entrances and exits. The architect must get this right. design, available at foundationcalc.cchrc.org. Cold Weather Construction Issue#3: Mechanical Ventilation is Important. However, if the concern is identified during the design of a building and awareness brought to the potential for hazard, solutions can be sought. Thus, building in cold climates to achieve high performance is the result of designers and contractors working together to … Therefore, the floor's design and the inside walls must be wooden. As well, freeze expansion damage to roof materials and flashing details can occur. Active cooling strategies 5. Should you have any questions or comments on the WBDG, please feel free to contract our team at wbdg@nibs.org. 4.3 Cool temperate climate In cool temperate climate the use of solar radiation for passive heating is an effective design strategy during the longer winter period from October to March. The purpose of conducting these non-physical studies is traditionally two-fold; first to understand the existing microclimate of the site from the various points of study; and secondly to predict the negative impacts, interaction, and influence of the proposed building design on the microclimate and modify the design to mitigate negative impact. An increased use of solar shading devices or double façades has contributed to an increase in falling ice and snow incidents (these elements provide greater surface area for ice and snow to collect). Exposure to cold winds should also be minimized.The main objectives of building design in these zones are:(A) Resisting heat lossTo resist heat loss, the following measures may be taken into consideration: (a) Decrease the exposed surface area of the building. However, without specific knowledge of the ice and snow formations expected to be experienced, the application of heat trace can be ineffective or in some extreme cases cause problematic or hazardous ice formations. The recommendations are typically derived from past experience, including cold room test results and research of previous successful designs and/or field studies. to the other e.g. Complicated roof designs invite problems — pine needles, snow and ice can accumulate in nooks and crannies, causing major damage. Cold & Dry Regions • Regions that lie in the cold climate zone are situated at the high altitudes. Furthermore, the analysis and computational models that would be required to predict the potential for building designs to experience hazardous ice and snow formations is beyond the current capabilities of economic study. Figure 2. What kind of design decisions can you make? tial or superficial design elements that differ from the origi­ nal basic concept will naturally cause problems. Furthermore, an ice and snow assessment focusses on events that would interrupt building operations, services, or create a perceived or real hazard to people or property, compared to snow loading studies that are focused mainly on structural integrity and the potential for failure at a prescribed criterion target. The building type and operation determine which strategies will have the best overall impact on energy performance. Building crowns, wing walls, large mullions, low or no parapets, green roofs, sloped walls and glazing (etc. Therefore, when building to hot and humid climates, we use lightweight and low heat-storing materials. To demonstrate the varied aspects of ice and snow assessment, the following topics are discussed: Once historical meteorological statistics have been reviewed and assessed in combination with the proposed building geometries, potentially negative influences of the building's performance within the local microclimate can be realized and improved upon. Since energy is the number one contributor to global warming, an obvious way to mitigate climate change is to design low or no-energy use buildings. 40% Whole-House Energy Savings in Cold and Very Cold Climates — Volume 12; Optimized Climate Solutions Tool. The main criteria while designing are its built form, orientations, wall area, window area, thermal insulation, and thermal mass. The first topic has to do with ice and snow accumulations that in the correct meteorological conditions can slide or move, damaging roof projections, mechanical equipment, lighting protection, roof seams, parapet walls and in severe conditions the sliding ice and snow can slide completely from the roof surface damaging property or injuring people below. The content of this section of the BEDG in the WBDG is intended solely as a means to create awareness of the relevant topics and concepts. Distinct seasons with low humidity all year round. If potentially problematic ice or snow formations are anticipated, design modifications can be recommended to reduce the frequency and severity of hazards. For … Similarly, the ice and snow assessment can contribute to the decision process regarding envelope design. A simple gable roof is strong and sturdy, and sheds snow easily. Best Practice Guide. In temperate climates the strategies must be combined. Wood is known to be an excellent heat insulator. While winters in some areas can be brutal, incorporating the strategies discussed into your home design will keep you and your family warm throughout the year. WBDG is a gateway to up-to-date information on integrated 'whole building' design techniques and technologies. Tall buildings can experience frequent wind driven icing at higher elevations. Passive design strategies vary with climate. 1090 Vermont Avenue, NW, Suite 700 | Washington, DC 20005-4950 | (202) 289-7800 He began with existing greenhouse plans and adapted them to meet his specific needs & the needs of a cold climate. Here are a few strategies…. Further it is important to note that the occurrence of hazardous winter ice and snow formations cannot be eliminated and can only at best be reduced in frequency or severity. In contrast to warm temperate climate a compact building layout is recommended by the Mahoney Table. Currently, there is little guidance available to address moving ice or snow on buildings. Pierre Fisette built his passive solar greenhouse by himself after extensive internet research and attending workshops. Whether or not you go with the gable design, be sure your new home can carry a heavy load of snow, as cold climates may be prone to winter storms. Buildings contribute close to half of the energy use in the United States. It does not affect the environment. 7. Passive cooling strategies 4. The use of passive design techniques may help the environment free from pollution. Indoor climate control becomes a major concern in winter, especially because heating costs can increase. locations of pedestrian access and/or exterior amenity areas such as courtyards, parking spaces, etc. In an effort to improve the overall energy performance of buildings, the profile of the exterior envelope or façade is changing. Hot and Dry, Warm and Humid, Temperate, Composite, and Cold. An ice and snow assessment can also help avoid potential issues: at clearstory windows and skylights (maintaining vision or sunlight as well as reducing leakage potential), at mechanical equipment and louvers (reducing snow ingestion or the drifting-in of equipment); and with the placement and size of screen walls and/or parapet walls. Fortunately, you can decrease your winter heating bills, prevent structural damage and enjoy your home whether you have to deal with a perpetually hazardous climate or an intense winter. A simple gable is best. London, England: Published 2004. Sloped roofs: Most times, colder climates are tied to heavy rain and sometimes snow. Design Solutions: You can also use your project's shape configurations to make it cold-climate friendly. and Roman Stangl, C.E.T.Northern Microclimate Inc. Gutters and roof drains have been known to freeze over with ice formations; alternatively, ice formations (an ice dam) at some location along the drainage path can block large roof areas from draining. Cold climate strategy #1: Minimize the school’s footprint. If there is limited knowledge of the performance of a particular design feature, material or the affecting microclimate condition with the corresponding design feature or material, the refinement and validation of a mitigation concept can be recommended. When not writing, she enjoys reading and indoor rock climbing. by Mike Carter, C.E.T. As the risk of hazardous ice and snow falling, sliding, or being windblown from a completed building cannot be eliminated under all possible winter conditions, it is therefore beneficial to provide guidelines to the building owner and future operations staff for the creation of operational protocols and winter maintenance plans with respect to ice and snow formations. When I was a boy, … The nation’s climate is strongly influenced by the Himalayas and the Thar desert. Design energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems (heating, ventilation and Passive Design Strategies. It may help in environment to save energy. It involves less use of fossil fuels. For example, passive design mandates that living room windows face within 30 degrees of true south. Don’t overlook stairs in the backyard or at the side of the house. (b) Using materials that heat up fast but release heat slowly. If your roof has too much snow, it may be more than the home can handle, causing damage to your house. Thermal strategies are to maximize warming effects of solar radiation and to reduce impact of winter wind. Under each State’s legislation and the BCA, there are different construction requirements for each of these zones. The assessment of the potential for ice and snow hazard is generally accomplished through a design review process that considers historical meteorological statistics, local topography and surrounding buildings or structures in combination with the proposed building design. The cables or mats – depending on the manufacturer – are installed beneath your sidewalks or driveway and use radiation to produce enough heat to melt falling snow. heating strategy is needed to bring it in comfort zone. Ice piece found on sidewalk that had fallen from a building ledge.Photo Credit: Northern Microclimate Inc. A sight becoming far too common on city sidewalks in winter.Photo Credit: Northern Microclimate Inc. At this time in the advancement of the study topic, the answer to those questions has not been agreed upon within regulatory organizations. 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