Passive Solar Control Strategies in Hot Climates: An Assessment of Shading Device Efficiency at Federal Polytechnic, Mubi
Author
Sani Ajuji Mohammed , Umar Gidado Marafa , Abdulwahab Muhammad Iya
Abstract
Hot climatic zones such as Mubi, Adamawa State, Nigeria, experience intense solar radiation and high ambient temperatures for most of the year, placing considerable thermal stress on building occupants and increasing reliance on mechanical cooling. Passive solar control through shading devices offers a low-energy, cost-effective alternative for regulating indoor thermal environments. This study assesses the effectiveness of shading devices deployed on selected buildings within Federal Polytechnic, Mubi Campus, evaluating their influence on indoor air temperature, solar heat gain, and occupant thermal comfort. Literatures were reviewed to analyze and recommend appropriate shading techniques for each elevation of randomly selected 10 buildings within the campus. A descriptive survey and comparative field-assessment design was adopted, combining on-site temperature measurement, building orientation analysis, and structured questionnaires administered to staff and students, were scored using Likert scale. Findings indicate that horizontal overhangs and vertical louvers on west- and east-facing facades produced measurable reductions in indoor temperature and glare relative to un-shaded openings as found in; Polytechnic Library & Engineering complex have effective shading. While, ICT & School Clinic had lowest existing shading elements were found to be undersized or poorly oriented relative to the sun-path geometry of the site. It was observed whether climatic principles were generally overridden by the requirement of proportion, symmetry & aesthetic by Architects in Mubi. The study recommends climate-responsive shading design guidelines, informed by solar geometry and local material availability, for future institutional building projects in hot climatic zones of Nigeria.
Keywords
Passive design, solar shading, thermal comfort, Hot-climate, sustainable architecture; Mubi
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References
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