The conditions at the top of supertall buildings in hot, humid climates are generally cooler and dryer than those at grade. What is the impact of these different conditions on design?
Mehdi Jalayerian will present “Designing Super Tall Buildings with Geography and Height in Mind” as part of the HVAC for Tall and Super Tall Buildings in Hot Humid Climates Track during the 2018 ASHRAE Annual Conference in Houston on Tuesday, June 26. Jalayerian will consider the impact of temperature, humidity, wind and oxygen, among other factors, on the upper reaches of super tall buildings and explain how they affect heating and cooling load, stack effect and the suitability of human occupancy (he notes there is a limit on the height of super tall buildings because of a lack of oxygen). He will use weather data provided by another presenter to assess what energy costs would be at the ground level and at the 600-meter level of super tall buildings, as well as look at differences in cooling and heating needs at the apex of these structures.