UTILIZING LANDSCAPE FEATURES IN ACHIEVING THERMAL COMFORT IN HIGHRISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING IN ABUJA FEDERAL CAPITAL CITY

Abstract

Humans are complex social beings with constant need for shelter, the types of shelter needed evolves with the evolution of technology and social trends. Due to factors such as space optimization and increase in the complexity of societal and social needs, these shelters have evolved in the form of high-rise buildings. These type of buildings in hot dry climates have a major problem of thermal comfort due to the increase in exposure with increase in height. This study is aimed at evaluating the effects of landscape elements in high rise residential buildings as a tool to enhance thermal comfort in Abuja, the capital city of Nigeria. To achieve the above stated aim, the research adopted a mixed research approach, using case studies and computer simulation as instruments of data collection. While visual surveys and simulations was used as the tools for data collection. The research samples purposely three case studies which satisfy at least two of the three selection criteria set through examples from previous similar studies. Results from the study shows that, application of green walling systems increase the internal thermal comfort of high-rise residential buildings and 95 percent of high-rise buildings withing FCT do not adopt this. These findings revealed that, a 200mm air cavity is 50 percent more effective than a 400mm air cavity for green walls in the bid to enhance thermal comfort in high-rise residential buildings. The research closes out by making a few recommendations of which the most prevalent one is the importance of the use of green walling systems especial on building envelops on the sun path.