Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 5
Table of contents for Practical Energy Saving
I mentioned in an earlier post how the length of the day here in the Philippines is so different from what many readers here are accustomed to. It takes some getting used to. In most northern hemisphere countries the sun is always in the south to an observer on the ground. It gets higher in the summer and lower in the winter, but even at noon, it’s in the south, never a question.
In the antipodes, for example Australia, it’s the opposite, no matter what time of year the sun is somewhere in the north at noon. Buildings always have a shady side and a sunny side, and projects like solar collectors can be designed to accommodate the sun’s angle at different times of the year. 
There are many classic solar "tricks" that work well to, like designing a roof with overhands so that the sun stream in for light and warmth in winter but the window is shaded in the summer.
Not so in the Philippines. Since we are in between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, the sun passes directly overhead twice a year. In the northern hemisphere winter, the sun is in the south, just like ‘at home’. In the summer, tough, the sun is in the north. Every building has at least two ’sunny sides’ depending the season and the sun never gets closer to the 
photo credit: ehabkost horizon at noon than 56 degrees.
Recently there was an exhibit at Mall of Asia in Manila where one of the exhibits was a Philippine energy efficient house "adapted" from the winner of a design competition in the UK. This just sort of puzzled me a little. Don’t get me wrong, some of the finest engineering minds in the world are in the UK. I’m sure there are some great designs being done there. But just how much can you ‘adapt’ a design with the sun characteristics of England for a house in the Philippines. The difference is night and day, literally.
This is yet another case where I wish Filipinos would take responsibility for their own brain power and quit copying everything for the US ort the Uk or anywhere else their television commentators declare as better. It ain’t necessarily so.
Just as a matter of interest, take a look at how things differ in a few major world cities and tell me how adaptable designs from one are to another. Pay particular attention to the LOD … Length of Day data … there’s a pretty amazing difference.
London, England, 52 degrees North latitude
Sun above southern horizon at noon on 22 December = 15 degrees, Sunrise 0804 Sunset 1554 LOD 7:49
Sun above southern horizon at noon, 22 June = 62 degrees, Sunrise 0441 Sunset 2122 LOD 16:38
Washington DC, 39 degrees North latitude
Sun above southern horizon at noon on 22 December = 28 degrees, Sunrise 0724 Sunset 1650 LOD 09:26
Sun above southern horizon at noon, 22 June = 74 degrees, Sunrise 0543 Sunset 2037 LOD 14:54
Sydney, Australia, 34 degrees South latitude
Sun above Northern horizon at noon on 22 December = 80 degrees Sunrise 0541 Sunset 2006 LOD 14:25
Sun above Northern horizon at noon on 22 June = 33 degrees Sunrise 0700 Sunset 1654 LOD 9:53
Cebu, Philippines, 11 degrees North latitude
Sun above Southern horizon at noon on 22 December = 56 degrees Sunrise 0559 Sunset 1730 LOD 11:31
Sun above Northern horizon at noon, 21/22 June = 78 degrees Sunrise 0524 Sunset 1810 LOD 12:43
Related posts:
- Saving Energy for Practical People — 6
- Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 2
- Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 4
- Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 3
- Saving Energy for Practical People — Part 1
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