Reduce A/C. Reducing the Utilisation of Air Conditioning in High-Rise Buildings in Subtropical and Tropical Climate Regions
Ferdinand Oswald (Author), Ferdinand Oswald/Roger Riewe (eds.)
Graz: Publishing Company of Graz University of Technology, 2015
English, 348 pages, paperback
ISBN 978-3-85125-430-3
EUR 38.00

High energy consumption and the warming of urban spaces are two strong disadvantages of air conditioners. In the future it is to be expected that metropolises located in subtropical and tropical regions will become increasingly dense,EUR 38.00
This publication starts out by defining various terms, especially the concept of comfort. The author explores the parameters on which comfort is dependent. This terminological analysis thus leads to one of the pertinent questions: How can we achieve a pleasant and comfortable indoor climate in the tropics and subtropics? This leads to the main explorative question of which architectural means might be employed in order to ensure sufficient quality of comfort without using air conditioners. In the book Reduce A/C, the following detailed issues are addressed: how traditional and modern architectural methods and technologies might improve comfort in interior space by taking prevailing weather conditions into account, yet without having to accept the negative characteristics related to air conditioning; how architects can encourage the use of such technologies and traditional concepts, or even facilitate them in the first place; and which factors need to be considered in the early planning stages of a building project in order to reduce the need for air conditioning. These topics are discussed in detail based on an analysis of traditional and contemporary projects at six different climatic sites.
The book Reduce A/C is a dissertation publication by Ferdinand Oswald at the Institute of Architectural Technology, with Professor Roger Riewe from the Institute board serving as advisor and Professor Werner Sobek as second assessor.

Ferdinand Oswald is university project assistant and Roger Riewe is professor for construction and design principles; both teach and conduct research in the Institute of Architectural Technology.
Werner Sobek is on the board of the Institute for Lightweight Structures and Conceptual Design at the University of Stuttgart.