Design Features of Building in Similar Climates

This paper discusses the design features of buildings in similar climates and their implementation in Coober Pedy, South Australia. It explores the use of underground buildings made from sandstone rocks to provide a sustainable and climatically fit building design. The paper also highlights the benefits of using photovoltaic solar panels for lighting in these structures.

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Civil Engineering
28 May 2019
Construction technology 5
1. Introduction
Various locations have different weather patterns and hence climates over time. While
others consist of vast and evergreen vegetation with regular precipitations, sunshine etc.,
other places experience dry desert climates characterized by scarce and unique
vegetations, dusts due to limited vegetation covers, high sunshine intensity and hence hot
temperatures etc. climatic conditions also therefore influences type of vegetations, sand
from river and flood depositions etc. hence a determinant of the available materials for
building and maintenance of structures for shelter such as houses, stores or infrastructural
projects so viable. It has been established that traditional designs of buildings were based
on the existing climatic and weather conditions within an area/ region while using the
readily available construction materials in building their houses. Such designs produced
minimum carbon footprints as the materials utilized were sustainable hence produced
minimum ecological effects on the environments. This paper aims to inform on
ecological, and climatically suited building designs based on the climate of Coober Pedy
in South Australia.
2. Chosen location and climate
Coober Pedy has a desert climate ( see figures A-1, A-2). Virtually, no precipitations
occur all the year long with the average rainfall of 168 mm annually. The annual
maximum temperatures and minimum temperatures are 27.6 and 13.5 degree-Celsius.
Humidity levels are estimated at 62% with wind velocity reported at 13km/h ("Climate &
Weather Averages in Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia" 2019). when it rains,
torrential floods are common and fill into depressions forming seasonal salty water lakes.
Due to high temperatures, high windspeeds and humidity, incidences of fire are
dangerous ("Coober Pedy, Australia Monthly Weather Forecast" 2019). Furthermore,
occurrence of dust is quite motivated facilitated by lack of vegetation, dry conditions and

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exposed landscape hence wind erosion effects. Coober Pedy is a mining town in South
Australia, which considers itself the "Opal mining capital of the world"(Naessan 2011).
3. Design features of building in similar climates
In Luxor, Egypt which shares similar desert climate as Coober Pedy, South Australia, the
design features of buildings is as follows. Because of the lack of wood, the two
transcendent structure materials utilized in antiquated Egypt were sun-prepared mud
block and stone, primarily limestone, yet in addition sandstone and rock in significant
quantities. From the Old Kingdom forward, stone was commonly set aside for tombs and
sanctuaries, while blocks were utilized notwithstanding for imperial castles, fortifications,
the walls of sanctuary areas and towns, and for auxiliary structures in sanctuary edifices.
The center of the pyramids comprised of locally quarried rock, sand, mudbricks, or stone.
For the exterior stones were utilized that must be transported from more remote away,
dominatingly white limestone from Tura and red rock from upper Egypt. Ancient
Egyptian houses were made out of stone gathered from the clammy banks of the Nile
stream (Maher 2013). It was set in molds and left to dry in the hot sun to solidify for use
in development. In the event that the blocks were expected to be utilized in an illustrious
tomb like a pyramid, the outside blocks would likewise be finely etched and polished.
4. Implementations use of design features at Coober Pedy, SA
In Coober Pedy, due to high temperatures and hot weather, underground buildings are
growingly becoming popular (see figure B-1). While Aboriginal individuals have since a
long time ago occupied the territory, diggers originally moved to Coober Pedy in 1916
after the disclosure of opal in the encompassing rocks (Condello 2017). Because of the
exceptional warmth, various excavators living around the local area have lived
underground, either in the beginnings of old mines or in reason burrowed underground
houses (Michalak & Kościńska-Grabowska 2017). This has proceeded with a significant
part of the cutting-edge town being fabricated underground. Among the nearby open
structures discovered underground are three houses of worship, a book shop, a
craftsmanship exhibition, a bar, and inns (see figure A-3). Opals can be seen installed in
the dividers of a portion of these lodgings ( see figure B-1). The temperatures are
scorching hot sometimes reaching 45degree-Celcius. Given vast and solid occurrence of
sandstone rocks, buildings are made by digging through the rock to create an

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underground structure. The entrances are made smaller and much digging and carvings
continues from the inside (see figure B-2). Basically, no construction materials are
brought it except for tools. The carving is done carefully and in stable rocks to prevent
caving in from weak rock faults. Where the construction is massive as for churches,
drilling equipment’s and machines are deployed (see figure B-3). High vaulted ceilings
and stained windows are curved from the sandstone rock bearings. This designs as
cheaper since only costs of machinery are incurred and only in large constructions. The
buildings also offer a comfortable cool environment despite the harsh hot weather on the
surface (Shan, Hwang, & Wong 2017). Basically, no vegetation survives the harsh
weather at Coober Pedy but this alternative of underground buildings could offer an
opportunity to create a regulated environment for indoor decoration plants and at
entrances minimizing exposure to dust when wind blows ("Pedy, Nicol." 2011). Like in
Luxor, Egypt, this alternative offers a sustainable, ecologically and climatically fit
building design and methodology with little carbon emissions. Due to hot weather, solar
energy through voltaic panels should be used to provide lighting in these structures. Solar
power is a sustainable energy source hence a plus in realizing lower carbon footprint. A
complete underground and finished building appear as in figure B-4.
The building acoustic background basically includes aspects of external noise levels and
internal noise levels. In megastructures like churches, the acoustic sensitivity is high but
in small residences it is low. Limited structure borne sound occurrence has been reported
as well as vibrations found to be low within suitable audible spectrum hence these
buildings do not requires vibration isolation to reduce vibration. However, where such
vibrations are reported a concern, rerouting of ductwork with additional acoustically lined
ductwork and silence can be used. Buffer spaces can also be created where adjacent
vibrations are common. External noise levels are expressly low hence not a concern in
these underground building designs. The dense soil and rock materials forming the
exterior wall and surface of these buildings protect from exterior buildings through sound
attenuation.
5. Conclusion
It is advisable that construction based on local available materials and unique climatic
characteristic govern building designs in Coober Pedy. One such construction is

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underground building made by carving through naturally occurring sandstone rocks and
providing lighting through photovoltaic solar panels. In this way, sustainable construction
based on locally occurring materials and human comfort against harsh climatic conditions
is achieved.

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6. References
“Climate & Weather Averages in Coober Pedy, South Australia, Australia.”
Timeanddate.com, 2019, www.timeanddate.com/weather/australia/coober-
pedy/climate.
Condello, Annette. “Opal Entrepreneurship: Indigenous Integration of
Sustainable Luxury in Coober Pedy.” Environmental Footprints and Eco-
Design of Products and Processes Sustainable Luxury, Entrepreneurship, and
Innovation, 2017, pp. 131–146., doi:10.1007/978-981-10-6716-7_7.
“Coober Pedy, Australia Monthly Weather Forecast.” The Weather Channel, 28
May 2019, weather.com/weather/monthly/l/ASXX0408:1:AS.
Maher, Dennis. “Luxor, Endlessness and the Continuous Key: Architecture and
the Esoteric in Breton, Kiesler, and Schwaller De Lubicz.” "Wonderful
Things":Surrealism and Egypt Dada/Surrealism, vol. 19, 2013, pp. 1–22.,
doi:10.17077/0084-9537.1278.
Michalak, H., and K. Kościńska-Grabowska. “On Designing Underground
Extensions in Existing Heritage-Listed Buildings.” Underground Infrastructure
of Urban Areas 4, 2017, pp. 149–160., doi:10.1201/9780203712573-16.
Naessan, Petter. “The Etymology of Coober Pedy, South Australia.” Aboriginal
History Journal, vol. 34, 2011, doi:10.22459/ah.34.2011.09.
“Pedy, Nicol.” Benezit Dictionary of Artists, 2011,
doi:10.1093/benz/9780199773787.article.b00137739.

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Shan, Ming, et al. “A Preliminary Investigation of Underground Residential
Buildings: Advantages, Disadvantages, and Critical Risks.” Tunnelling and
Underground Space Technology, vol. 70, 2017, pp. 19–29.,
doi:10.1016/j.tust.2017.07.004.

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7. Appendix
Appendix A
Figure A-1. Climate of Australia.

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Figure A-2. Location of Coober Pedy, Australia.
Figure A-3. Aerial view of Coober Pedy, SA.

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Appendix B
Figure B-1. Underground church and residences.
Figure B-2. Digging and carving to create an underground building.

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Figure B-3. Drilling machine on site in underground building.
Figure B-4. Complete and furnished underground building.