CUTTACK(ORISSA)

Average Weather in Cuttack

In Cuttack, the wet season is oppressive and overcast, the dry season is humid and mostly clear, and it is hot year round.
Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 59°F to 102°F and is rarely below 53°F or
above 108°F.
Based on the beach/pool score, the best time of year to visit Cuttack for hot-weather activities is from mid
February to late March
TEMPERATURE
The hot season lasts for 2.6
months, from March 19 to June 6,
with an average daily high
temperature above 98°F. The
hottest day of the year is April 22,
with an average high of 102°F and
low of 79°F.
The cool season lasts for 2.5
months, from November
13 to January 28, with an average
daily high temperature below 86°F.
The coldest day of the year
is December 30, with an average
low of 59°F and high of 82°F.
The figure below shows you a
compact characterization of the
entire year of hourly average
temperatures. The horizontal axis is
the day of the year, the vertical axis
is the hour of the day, and the color
is the average temperature for that
hour and day.
CLOUDS
In Cuttack, the average percentage of the sky
covered by clouds experiences extreme seasonal
variation over the course of the year.
The clearer part of the year in Cuttack begins
around October 15 and lasts for 6.9 months,
ending around May 12. On February 18,
the clearest day of the year, the sky
is clear, mostly clear, or partly cloudy 85% of the
time, and overcast or mostly cloudy 15% of the
time.
The cloudier part of the year begins around May
12 and lasts for 5.1 months, ending
around October 15. On August 6, the cloudiest
day of the year, the sky is overcast or mostly
cloudy 94% of the time, and clear, mostly clear,
or partly cloudy 6% of the time.
PRECIPITATION

A wet day is one with at least 0.04 inches of liquid

or liquid-equivalent precipitation. The chance of
wet days in Cuttack varies very significantly
throughout the year.
The wetter season lasts 4.2 months, from June
3 to October 9, with a greater than 35% chance of
a given day being a wet day. The chance of a wet
day peaks at 68% on August 3.
The drier season lasts 7.8 months, from October
9 to June 3. The smallest chance of a wet day
is 2% on December 17.
Among wet days, we distinguish between those
that experience rain alone, snow alone, or
a mixture of the two. Based on this categorization,
the most common form of precipitation throughout
the year is rain alone, with a peak probability
of 68% on August 3.
RAINFALL
To show variation within the months and not
just the monthly totals, we show the rainfall
accumulated over a sliding 31-day period
centered around each day of the year.
Cuttack experiences extreme seasonal
variation in monthly rainfall.
The rainy period of the year lasts for 10
months, from January 25 to November 27,
with a sliding 31-day rainfall of at least 0.5
inches. The most rain falls during the 31
days centered around August 3, with an
average total accumulation of 12.7 inches.
The rainless period of the year lasts for 1.9
months, from November 27 to January 25.
The least rain falls around December 17,
with an average total accumulation of 0.2
inches.
 SUN

The length of the day in

Cuttack varies over the
course of the year. In 2021,
the shortest day
is December 21, with 10
hours, 54 minutes of
daylight; the longest day
is June 21, with 13 hours,
22 minutes of daylight.
HUMIDITY
We base the humidity comfort level on the dew point,
as it determines whether perspiration will evaporate
from the skin, thereby cooling the body. Lower dew
points feel drier and higher dew points feel more
humid. Unlike temperature, which typically varies
significantly between night and day, dew point tends to
change more slowly, so while the temperature may
drop at night, a muggy day is typically followed by a
muggy night.
Cuttack experiences extreme seasonal variation in the
perceived humidity.
The muggier period of the year lasts for 9.6 months,
from February 6 to November 25, during which time
the comfort level is muggy, oppressive, or miserable at
least 32% of the time. The muggiest day of the year
is August 31, with muggy conditions 100% of the time.
The least muggy day of the year is December 31, with
muggy conditions 10% of the time.
WIND
This section discusses the wide-area hourly average
wind vector (speed and direction) at 10 meters above
the ground. The wind experienced at any given
location is highly dependent on local topography and
other factors, and instantaneous wind speed and
direction vary more widely than hourly averages.
The average hourly wind speed in Cuttack
experiences significant seasonal variation over the
course of the year.
The windier part of the year lasts for 5.2 months,
from March 24 to August 29, with average wind speeds
of more than 7.6 miles per hour. The windiest day of
the year is May 2, with an average hourly wind speed
of 10.5 miles per hour.
The calmer time of year lasts for 6.8 months,
from August 29 to March 24. The calmest day of the
year is December 28, with an average hourly wind
speed of 4.7 miles per hour.
WATER
TEMPERATURE
Cuttack is located near a large body of water
(e.g., ocean, sea, or large lake). This section
reports on the wide-area average surface
temperature of that water.
The average water temperature
experiences some seasonal variation over the
course of the year.
The time of year with warmer water lasts
for 5.7 months, from May 10 to November 1,
with an average temperature above 83°F. The
day of the year with the warmest water
is September 30, with an average temperature
of 85°F.
The time of year with cooler water lasts
for 2.0 months, from December
16 to February 17, with an average
temperature below 78°F. The day of the year
with the coolest water is January 12, with an
average temperature of 76°F.
SOLAR ENERGY
This section discusses the total daily incident shortwave solar energy reaching the surface of the ground over a wide area,
taking full account of seasonal variations in the length of the day, the elevation of the Sun above the horizon, and absorption
by clouds and other atmospheric constituents. Shortwave radiation includes visible light and ultraviolet radiation.
The average daily incident shortwave solar energy experiences some seasonal variation over the course of the year.
The brighter period of the year lasts for 2.2 months, from March 4 to May 11, with an average daily incident shortwave energy
per square meter above 6.2 kWh. The brightest day of the year is April 14, with an average of 6.8 kWh.
The darker period of the year lasts for 4.0 months, from June 5 to October 6, with an average daily incident shortwave energy
per square meter below 4.5 kWh. The darkest day of the year is September 9, with an average of 3.9 kWh.
Building Construction Practices in Orissa
• A large number of houses at the village level in Orissa are found to be kutcha house
(traditional term in India meant ‘Raw’ and for building meant ‘Non-Stabilized
Earthen’) which have thatched and tiled roof. While a lower amount of semi-pucca;
and pucca house also exists in these areas. The under structure for kutcha and semi
pucca houses also uses bamboo in abundance because of its indigenous property
and local availability.
• The semi pucca and pucca houses often use laterite in the foundation and in many
places up to the plinth level. While there is the established trend of load bearing Thatched roofs in villages of Orissa
structures in semi pucca and pucca houses, the walling material used in these
houses are usually country burnt red bricks. These days, there is surge in
production of fly-ash bricks because of rising number of thermal power plants and
so the availability of fly-ash.
• However, at the same time it is important to note that in the coastal region
probably due to ecological factors most houses in rural areas are kutcha thatched
roof houses including quite a few of the well-to-do households of the village. In
contrast, in the tribal districts, the rural poor prefer to go for kutcha tiled roof
houses, as those are less vulnerable to fire during summer season. Also, there is
little guarantee of the availability of thatched straw required for roofing of the
house every year before the onset of the monsoon as these districts are frequently Building construction using Laterite and
sand stone
affected by the problem of drought and crop failures. The tribals make country tiles
called khapar in Oriya on their own without depending upon the potters.
THERMAL
COMFORT
• Comfort has been defined as the condition of
mind which expresses satisfaction with the
environment.
BIOCLIMATIC CHART
• Bioclimatic charts facilitate the analysis of the climate characteristics of a given location
from the viewpoint of human comfort, as they present, on a psychrometric chart, the
concurrent combination of temperature and humidity at any given time.
• They can also specify building design guidelines to maximize indoor comfort conditions
when the building’s interior is not mechanically conditioned.
 CLIMATE AND ARCHITECTURE
• Since beginning, climate has its effects on man, surroundings and architecture
• Weather elements forced man to look for shelters
• A climate responsive architecture takes advantage of the free energy in the form of heat and
light.
• An adaptive thermal comfort design is essential.

REQUIREMENTS IN A HOT
AND HUMID CLIMATE
• Minimization of the high day temp.
• Avoidance of direct exposure of facades to solar radiations
• Reduction in the humidity levels
• Continuous air circulation to reduce heat and relief from stickiness!
• To create a temp. difference between the inside and outside environments to
facilitate evaporation and heat dissipation.
CLIMATIC DESIGN PROCEDURE
To define climatic design process according to comfort zone, it could be divided to
four main parts:

• Study of the design subject (climate-activities-clothing-etc.) Designer should be

able to fully understand the climate and comfort needs as well as all architectural
issues related to the project.

• Defining the comfort zone (monthly-daily)

The monthly or daily comfort zone should be defined

• Gathering the climatic design advices (shading-thermal mass-evaporative cooling-

thermal
insulation- suitable orientation.) Clear design advices could be derived from
previous studies to give directions for each issue in building such as site design,
form, ventilation, solar gains, window sizing, thermal mass, passive heating and
cooling, materials

• Designing the project (a climatic building)

Architect is able to form a climatic building.
INFLUENCE ON ARCHITECTURE
FENESTRATION

FACADE
ARTICULATION

•Semi – open spaces for light and

air movement

•Max. ventilation
•Orientation of smaller side of structure along east-west
•North-south orientation for max. air movement
•High density of façade that is open and yet shaded.
•Faint/pale colours on outer surfaces
•Building materials with insulating/reflecting properties that resist heat
•Larger windows for ventilation. transfer.
ROOFING
PATTERN
• Voids in roof and courtyards
provide max. light and cross
ventilation
• Houses are tall with large openings
to catch breeze
• Light colors and reflective surfaces
on roofs will deflect solar radiations
and keep the building cool.
• Light materials such as timber are
used in construction

• Sloping roof is a characteristic of

these regions as it drains off rain
water. Barrel-vaulted roof can also
be seen.
• Dense growth of plantations in the
outdoors
OREINTATIO
N

Latitude: +6.93 (6°55'48"N)

Longitude: +79.85 (79°51'00"E) Orientation to
Time zone: UTC+5:30 hours 
Country: Sri Lanka minimize sun
Continent: Asia radiation impact.
Sub-region: Southern Asia
STONE
PILLARS

CENTRAL
COURTYA
RS
• The advantage of • Orientation to
courtyard and veranda is maximize natural
proper ventilation and
controlled humidity.
ventilation by
• Cross ventilation is done winds.
properly.
• Movement of air is
perfect in the building by
central courtyard.
MAINLY USE OF STONE

• WINDOW’S SILL LEVEL SHOULD BE FITTED

ABOVE THE EYE LEVEL.
• TO PROTECT THE INTERIOR THE
REFLECTED SUNLIGHT FROM GROUND.
Exterior detail showing lattice windows

Exterior view of Exterior detail of

entrance to foyer carved wood pillar
Topographical location
with maximum air
velocity and shade.
PLINTH LEVEL OF
BUILDING GENERALLY
5-7 FEeT FROM G.L.
Building design
The main points
· The main elevations and rooms should be placed facing north and south and towards the prevailing wind.
· The form should be spread out.
· Provide generous shade for direct and diffused radiation.
· Provide effective cross ventilation.
3.3.3.1 Orientation of buildings
Sun orientation
Shading of the east and west elevations is difficult because of the low sun, and may require special devices;
whereas the south and north sides can easily be protected by an overhanging roof.
Thus the best orientation for protection from the sun is along the east-west axis.
Wind orientation
Where a predominant wind direction can clearly be identified, long-shaped buildings should be arranged across
this direction.
Compromise
Often the above two parameters are contradictory. In this case, a reasonable compromise should be made based
on a detailed analysis of the specific situation, considering the possibilities for diverting the wind direction by
means of vegetation and structural arrangements, such as parapet walls within the external adjoining space.
Optimization of the orientation
As a general rule, with low rise buildings, where the walls
would not receive much radiation, orientation according to the
wind direction is more advisable. With high-rise buildings the
opposite holds true and protection from sun radiation should be
the decisive factor.

Acceptable wind directions for the

orientation that is best for sun
Shape and volume
Forms with large surface areas are preferred
to compact buildings. This favours
ventilation and heat emission at night-time.

Type and form of buildings

Low building with wide overhanging roof
The height of the buildings should, in general, not exceed
The main goal is the reduction of direct heat
3-storys. Higher buildings receive too much radiant heat
gain by radiation through openings and of
the internal surface temperature. The and give wind obstruction to neighbouring buildings.
building should therefore be designed not
only with protected openings, but also with
protected walls. This task will be much
easier if the building is kept low. In addition,
the roof should extend far beyond the line of
walls, with broad overhanging eaves and
other means of shading Building height not exceeding 3 story
Optimal shading
The intense diffuse solar radiation calls for buildings that have large overhanging roofs and wide shaded verandahs.
Row houses elongated along the east-west axis provide the best shading of the critical east and west walls.
These critical east and west walls are best protected if the house is covered with a hipped roof.

Row house with hipped roof,

elongated in E-W direction, provide
the best shading

Room arrangements
The arrangement of rooms depends on their function. Since the thermal load is related to the orientation, rooms on the east
side are warm in the morning and, if not built with much thermal mass, cool down in the afternoon. Rooms on the west side
are cooler in the morning and heat up in the afternoon. Rooms facing north and south remain relatively cool if provided with
adequate shading. Thus, the rooms can be arranged according to their functions and according to the time of the day they are
in use.
It may not always be possible to arrange all the main rooms in an ideal manner.
In this case, special care must be taken for the disadvantaged rooms.
Bedrooms
Bedrooms can be adequately located on the east side, where it is coolest in the
evening. Good cross-ventilation is especially important for these rooms
because, at rest, the human body is more sensitive to climate. On the other hand,
stores and other auxiliary spaces can be located on the west side.
Kitchen
Provided the kitchen is mainly used during morning and midday hours, it can be Room arrangement according to
located on the west side as well. climatic preferences
Main room
The main rooms which are in use most times of the day, such as living rooms,
should not be located on the east or west side.
Rooms with internal heat load
Rooms where internal heat occurs, such as kitchens, should be detached from
the main building, although they can be connected by a common roof.
 Arrangement of detached kitchen and bathroom
Wet rooms

Special attention should be given to the arrangement of rooms with a high humidity (bathrooms). Here a
proper cross-ventilation is especially important to avoid mould growth.
Cross-ventilation
The high humidity and warm temperatures require maximum ventilation, which leads to very open buildings.
This is valid not only for the design of the elevations, but also for the floor plan.
Free passage of air for cross-ventilation through the interior is important. This can be achieved by large
openings, not only in the outer walls but also in the internal partitions. An even more efficient solution is that
of single-banked rooms with access from open verandas or galleries.
The floor is preferably elevated above the ground to allow for a better ventilation. Houses are best built on
stilts or at least on raised platforms.
 The main elements: Shading trees, wide overhanging roof,
raised floor, free flow of air through the building

Immediate external space

The same principles of maximum shading and maximum ventilation also apply to the design of the outdoor space. Tall
shading trees and reduced ground vegetation are important elements.

Building components
The main points
· Heat storage and time lag should be minimal.
· Thermal insulation is not effective except on surfaces exposed to direct radiation.
· Materials should be permeable to air.
· Reflectivity and emissivity are important.
Due to the relatively narrow diurnal temperature fluctuation it is not possible to achieve much cooling by utilization of
the thermodynamic properties of building components. The main goal is, on the one hand to store as little heat as possible
in the structure in order to obtain the maximum benefit of the cooler night temperatures.
On the other hand, maximum ventilation throughout the day enables cooling by perspiration.

Walls
Walls, both external and internal, should be as light as possible with a minimal heat storage capacity. These should
obstruct the airflow as little as possible and should reflect radiation, at least in places where solar radiation strikes the
surfaces.
The outer surface should be reflective, light coloured.
Walls should be shaded as much as possible. If, however, exposed to the sun, they should be built in the form of a
ventilated double leaf construction, the inner leaf having a reflective surface on its outer side and perhaps with
thermal insulation.
Light and thin materials such as timber or, even better, bamboo matting are recommended. Other materials forming
light panels can be used, together with a frame structure to take care of the structural requirements.
Openings and windows
Design and placement
In warm humid areas openings are important elements for the regulation of the indoor climate. They should
be large and fully openable, with inlets of a similar size on both sides of the room allowing a proper cross-
ventilation. Windows are preferably equipped with flexible louvres allowing a regulation of ventilation.
Door shutters may also incorporate louvres or grills. Windows with fixed glass panes are of no advantage
and should be avoided.

To avoid direct solar radiation and glare, openings should

be shaded by an overhanging roof, screens, lattices, grills
etc.
All these measures have to be designed to give minimal
resistance to the airflow. Mosquito-screens, which are
Window with
essential in these regions, but reduce the airflow
glass louvres
considerably, are therefore best installed away from windows, e.g. around the verandah or balcony.

Large openings and screened-in porches.

Ordinary louvres
Openings should be placed according to the prevailing breezes,
so as to permit a natural airflow through the internal space. This Modified louvres keep the wind at lower
airflow is most effective if concentrated at body level. level (living area) and provide protection
from driving rain, but reduce the airflow
Louvre design to a certain extent.
A difficult problem is the design of large openings which at the
same time protect from driving rain.
Ordinary louvres direct the wind upwards above body level.
Furthermore they are not safe against driving rain.
Design
In warm-humid areas the roof is preferably pitched to allow heavy rains to run off.
Large overhangs protect the walls and openings from radiation and precipitation.
Single leaf construction
The roof should be made of lightweight materials with a low thermal capacity and high
reflectivity. Metallic and light colored surfaces have the best reflective capacity (see data in
Appendix 5.1 ). Painting the surface in light colors, e.g. a yearly applied coat of whitewash, is
an economical method to increase reflectivity. However, in most cases a single leaf Modified
construction will not satisfy the comfort requirements. louvres

Another alternative is the use of a second

set of louvres to direct the air down to the
occupants.

Roofs
Ventilated double roof
A more efficient solution is the properly ventilated double roof.
The inner layer (ceiling) may be well insulated and provided
with a reflective upper surface. The inner surface of the ceiling
should not exceed the air temperature by more than 4°C. This
can be achieved by an insulation board with a U-value of about
1.5-W/m². Where such materials are not available or cannot be
afforded, even the cheapest kind of ceiling would provide a
substantial improvement Suitable double leaf
construction

A simple example can illustrate this effect. In two identical

houses, roofed with corrugated asbestos sheets and with an
outdoor temperature of 22°C, a difference of 14°C in the ceiling
surface temperatures was monitored. In the first case where
there was no ceiling, the temperature was 48°C; in the second
case where there was a paper ceiling lined with aluminium on
the upper surface, the temperature was 34°C.
Placement of ceiling horizontally or along the roof slope

Air which has passed through a double roof space should not be allowed to enter the
living zone (e.g. discharged towards a verandah), as this air will be much hotter than the
normal outdoor air.
 Although the intensity of radiation is normally less
than in hot-dry regions, it is nevertheless a significant
source of heat, therefore its entry into the building
should be prevented. In hot-dry climates the radiation
is mostly directional and the shadow angles can be
established with a high degree of accuracy. Here, due
to the moisture in the air, much of the radiation is
diffuse, coming from the whole of the sky.
Shading devices should therefore provide great
coverage, obstructing most of the sky and not just the
sun. Furthermore, the openings should be far larger
than in hot-dry climates. This is another reason why the
Construction details showing enhanced shading devices should be much larger.
ventilation of the roof space
Shadings with vegetation
Special topics The proper arrangement of vegetation, mainly of
Shading devices shade-providing trees, within the surrounding space is
an important aspect for the improvement of the indoor
climate.
Another efficient solution is to grow a green cover over roofs and walls.
This cover functions as a second skin which provides
· protection against solar radiant heat,
· cooling by a ventilated space between green cover and wall or roof,
· reduction of glare,
· reduction of noise, by sound absorption,
· reduction of dust, by filtering the air, Green cover on roofs and walls
· stabilization of the microclimate,
· protection of the wall and roof surfaces from wind and driving rain,
· a regulating effect on humidity
A disadvantage may be a certain increase in unwanted insects. But since
openings should in any case be protected by screens, this may not cause a
problem.
Tile roofs and similar "soft" roofing materials may be destructed by certain
plant species. In this case, the plants have to be selected carefully. Species
with too aggressive root systems like certain Ficuses should be avoided. In
dry locations plants should be selected which can acclimatize and stand dry
spells.
Green cover on balconies of multistory
buildings