CONSIDERATIONS IN

SITE PLANNING AND

SITE DESIGN
SITE PLANNING AR. G.I. GUZMAN
C O U R S E F A C I L I TAT O R
CLIMATE
CHARACTERISTICS OF HOT-HUMID CLIMATES
- THERE IS A RELATIVELY HIGH AND EVEN TEMPERATURE NOT ONLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY BUT
ALSO THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
- TEMPERATURE RANGES FROM 27-38 DEG. C.
- SKY TEMPERATURE IS USUALLY HIGHER THAN AIR TEMPERATURE WHILE GROUND
TEMPERATURE IS LOWER THAN AIR TEMPERATURE.
- HIGH HUMIDITY LEVELS ARE USUALLY EXPERIENCED.
-HIGH RAINFALL, WITH RAINSTORMS COMING 120-140 DAYS A YEAR
- SKY IS USALLY OVERCAST AND HAZY CREATING A LARGE PROPORTION OF DIFFUSED LIGHT OR
INDIRECT RADIATION WHICH RESULTS TO A STRONG SKY GLARE
CLIMATE
WINDS – WINDS ARE LIGHT AND THERE ARE LONG PERIODS OF STILL AIR, ALTHOUGH GUSTS OF
UP TO 30 M/S MAY OCCUR. IN COASTAL AREAS, THE CONSTANT HEATING AND COOLING
PATTERNS OF LAND AND SEA CREATE LAND AND SEA BREEZES.
GENERAL – THE HIGH THE TEMPERATURE AND HIGH HUMIDITY CREATE HIGH THERMAL STRESS
AND ENCOURAGE INSECT BREEDING ( MOSQUITOES, FLIES, TERMITES, ETC.) AND FUNGI
GROWTH.
PROBLEMATIC CONDITION – SKIN WETNESS, HIGH RELATIVE HUMIDITY DECREASE EVAPORATIVE
POTENTIAL, INTENSE SOLAR RADIATION ALTERNATING WITH THE DRIVING RAIN COUPLED WITH
HIGH TEMPARATURE, HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT DESTRUCTIVE ELEMENTS.
WIND
STRUCTURE LAYOUT
-A GOOD STREET LAYOUT IS NEEDED TO MAXIMIZE THE MOVEMENT AND CIRCULATION OF THE
AIR TOWARDS THE SITE AND STRUCTURES.
- IN HOT HUMID CLIMATES, IT IS IMPORTANT FOR STRUCTURES TO HAVE PROPER AIR
CIRCULATION AND THE PROPER LAYOUT OF HOUSES IN A NEIGHBORHOOD MAY GREATLY
ENHANCE AIR MOVEMENT.
- STRUCTURES CREATE WIND SHADOWS ON THEIR LEE SIDE. THIS CREATES A REDUCTION OF AIR
VELOCITY BEHIND THE STRUCTURES. THEREFORE, IF STRUCTURES FOLLOW A RIGID ROW, THEY
TEND TO CREATE AN INEFFICIENT AIR CIRCULATION.
- CHECKERED BOARD & LOW DENSITY AND SCATTERED DEVELOPMENT.
WIND: AIR STREAM PATTERNS
PARTITION EFFECT IN SITE
Wind Direction: MOST OF THE LOCATIONS HAVE A RULING MAJOR DIRECTION FROM WHICH THE WIND BLOWS
DURING DIFFERENT SEASON AND TIME OF THE YEAR DEPENDING UPON LOCAL CLIMATE. HOWEVER, THIS WILL NOT
ALWAYS HOLD TRUE AND WILL VARY FROM LOCATION TO LOCATION. IF A DESIGNER WANTS TO DESIGN A CLIMATICALLY
RESPONSIVE HOUSE, IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO CONSIDER THE WIND DIRECTION THAT CAN BE CHANNELIZED THROUGH
INTERIORS. THIS WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN SIZE & PLACEMENT OF OPENINGS.
SITE WALLS, PARTITION, FENCES
WIND: AIR STREAM PATTERNS
VEGETATION AS PROTECTION
-VEGETATION CAN PROTECT SOIL FROM ERODING. ROOTS OF SHRUBS AND TREES TENDS TO
HOLD AND BIND THE SOIL AND PREVENT IT FROM BEING WASHED AWAY BY RUSHING WATER.
THE PRESENCE OF PLANTS ALSO DECREASE VELOCITY OF FLOWING RAINWATER. TREES ALSO
CONTRIBUTE TO THIS BY DELAYING INCOMING RAIN IN HITTING THE GROUND SURFACE.
-VEGETATION CAN SERVE AS WIND BREAKS/BUFFERS OR CAN ENHANCE WIND FLOW OF TO THE
SITE.
WIND: AIR STREAM PATTERNS
WIND: AIR STREAM PATTERNS
SEA BREEZE - A LOCAL WIND SYSTEM CHARACTERIZED BY A FLOW FROM SEA TO LAND DURING THE DAY. SEA BREEZES
ALTERNATE WITH LAND BREEZES ALONG THE COASTAL REGIONS OF OCEANS OR LARGE LAKES IN THE ABSENCE OF A STRONG
LARGE-SCALE WIND SYSTEM DURING PERIODS OF STRONG DAYTIME HEATING OR NIGHTTIME COOLING. THOSE WHO LIVE WITHIN
30 TO 40 OF THE COASTLINE OFTEN EXPERIENCE THE COOLER 10- TO 20-KM- PER-HOUR WINDS OF THE SEA BREEZE ON A SUNNY
AFTERNOON ONLY TO FIND IT TURN INTO A SULTRY LAND BREEZE LATE AT NIGHT. SINCE THE SURFACE FLOW OF THE SEA BREEZE
TERMINATES OVER LAND, A REGION OF LOW-LEVEL AIR CONVERGENCE IS PRODUCED.
ORIENTATION AND FORM OF STRUCTURE
-ORIENTATION OF A STRUCTURE IS DETERMINED BY THE WIND DIRECTION, SOLAR RADIATION,
VIEW, NOISE AND REQUIREMENT OF PRIVACY AND LAWS.
-ORIENTATION DEPENDS ON THE NEED OR PREVENTION, COMBINATION OR DELETION OF THESE
FACTORS. (PREVENTION OF SOLAR RADIATION/NEED FOR COOLING)
OTHER FACTORS TO CONSIDER:
FENESTRATIONS (SITE AND BUILDING)
CROSS VENTILATIONS
SHADE
TREES AND SHRUBS CAN BE USED TO SHADE THE STRUCTURE, OUTDOOR LIVING AREAS AND
PATHWAYS. THEY CAN ALSO BE LOCATED TO PROTECT THE EAST AND WEST WALLS FROM SOLAR
RADIATION
HEAT REDUCTION
*HEAT ISLAND EFFECT - ARE URBANIZED AREAS THAT EXPERIENCE HIGHER TEMPERATURES THAN OUTLYING
AREAS. STRUCTURES SUCH AS BUILDINGS, ROADS, AND OTHER INFRASTRUCTURE ABSORB AND RE-EMIT
THE SUN’S HEAT MORE THAN NATURAL LANDSCAPES SUCH AS FORESTS AND WATER BODIES. URBAN
AREAS, WHERE THESE STRUCTURES ARE HIGHLY CONCENTRATED AND GREENERY IS LIMITED, BECOME
“ISLANDS” OF HIGHER TEMPERATURES RELATIVE TO OUTLYING AREAS.
HEAT REDUCTION
- GROUND SURFACE COVER SHOULD BE OF NATURAL ELEMENTS. PLANT AND GRASS COVERS
REDUCE GROUND TEMPERATURE.
- MAN-MADE HARD SURFACES TEND TO INCREASE TEMPERATURE AND THEY STORE A GREAT
DEAL OF HEAT AND COOL DOWN LONGER. IN ADDITION, THEY RADIATE AND REFLECT LARGE
AMOUNTS OF HEAT.
 HEAT REDUCTION
MASONRY GRASS PAVERS, PERMEABLE PAVERS, GROW-THROUGH PAVER, POROUS PAVING
PEDESTRIANIZATION
PROBLEM:
-BECAUSE OF THE RATHER HOT CONDITIONS PREVAILING EVEN AFTER SUNSET, PEOPLE TENDS
TO SPEND A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF TIME AT THE OUTDOORS AND OPEN AREAS AT NIGHT.
BUT IN MODERN DEVELOPMENTS AND IN THE CITIES, WITH THE WIDENING OF STREETS AND
WITH PRIORITY BEING GIVEN TO THE MOTOR VEHICLE RATHER THAN TO PEDESTRIANS, PEOPLE
ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH ROOM AT OUTDOORS AND ARE FORCED BACK INTO THEIR HOUSES.
-DEVELOPMENTS SHOULD BE DESIGNED WITH MORE PEDESTRIAN ACCESS AND SPACES, RATHER
THAN VEHICULAR SPACES. TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT IS ADVANTAGEOUS SINCE:
IT LIMITS STREET WIDTH, HENCE CONSERVES COST AND ENERGY
IT PROVIDES BETTER COMFORT CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF BETTER AIR CIRCULATION WITH THE
PRESENCE OF MORE OPEN SPACES
IT EXTENDS LIVING SPACES OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD RESIDENTS TO THE OUTDOOR
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE PLANNING AND
DESIGN DETERMINANTS
1. SLOPE: THE SLOPE ANALYSIS IS DEVELOPED ON THE CONTOUR MAP; CONSIDERATION SHOULD
INCLUDE THE PERCENTAGE OF SLOPE AND ORIENTATION OF SLOPE RELATIVE TO THE
INFRASTRACTURE AND LAND USE.

2. SOIL PATTERN: CONSIDERATION MAY INCLUDE THE ANALYSIS OF SOILS IN TERMS OF EROSION
POTENTIAL, COMPRESSIBILITY AND PLASTICITY, CAPABILITY OF SUPPORTING PLANT GROWTH,
DRAINAGE CAPABILITIES, SEPTIC TANK LOCATION, PROPOSED LAND USES AND THEIR
INFRASTRUCTURE.

3. VEGETATION: CONSIDERATION SHOULD INCLUDE INDIGENOUS AND EXOTIC SPECIES, SIZE,

CONDITION, THE SUCCESSION OF GROWTH TOWARDS CLIMAX CONDITIONS, UNIQUENESS, THE
ABILITY TO CERTAIN SPECIES TO TOLERATE CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES, AESTHETIC VALUES, AND
DENSITY OF UNDERGROWTH.
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE PLANNING AND
DESIGN DETERMINANTS
4. WILDLIFE: CONSIDERATION OF INDIGENOUS SPECIES, THEIR MOVEMENT PATTERNS, THE
DEGREE OF CHANGES THAT SPECIES CAN TOLERATE, AND FEEDING AND BREEDING AREAS.

5. GEOLOGY: CONSIDERATION OF UNDERLYING ROCK MASSES, THE DEPTH OF DIFFERENT ROCK

LAYERS, AND THE SUITABILITY OF DIFFERENT GEOLOGICAL FORMATIONS IN TERMS OF
POTENTIAL INFRASTRUCTURES AND BUILDING.

6. SURFACE AND SUBSURFACE WATER: CONSIDERATION OF NATURAL DRAINAGE AND

PATTERNS, AQUIFER RECHARGE AREAS, EROSION POTENTIAL, AND FLOOD PLAINS
ENVIRONMENTAL SITE PLANNING AND
DESIGN DETERMINANTS
7. CLIMATE: CONSIDERATION OF MICROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS INCLUDING PREVAILING BREEZES
(AT DIFFERENT TIMES OF THE YEAR), WIND SHADOWS, FROST POCKETS, AND AIR DRAINAGE
PATTERNS.
SURVEY DATA – FIRST STEP IN ANY SITE ANALYSIS IS THE GATHERING
OF PHYSICAL SITE DATA.

BASIC INFORMATION IN SITE ANALYSIS PROCESS:

1. SCALE, NORTH ARROW, BENCHMARK, DATE OF SURVEY
2. TRACT BOUNDARIES
3. EASEMENTS: LOCATION, WIDTH, AND PURPOSE (Bodies of water, watersheds, fault lines)
4. NAMES AND LOCATIONS OF EXISTING ROAD RIGHT OF WAY ON OR ADJACENT TO THE TRACT
INCLUDING BRIDGES, CURBS, GUTTERS, AND CULVERTS.
5. POSITION OF BUILDING AND OTHER STRUCTURES SUCH AS FOUNDATIONS, WALLS, FENCES, STEPS,
AND PAVED AREAS
6. UTILITIES ON OR ADJACENT TO THE TRACT, INCLUDING:
LOCATION OF GAS LINES, FIRE HYDRANTS, ELECTRICAL AND TELEPHONE POLES, AND STREET LIGHTS.
DIRECTION, DISTANCE TO AND SIZE OF NEAREST WATER MAINS AND SEWERS AND INVERT ELEVATION
OF SEWERS.
SURVEY DATA
7. LOCATION OF SWAMPS, SPRINGS, STREAMS, BODIES OF WATER, DRAINAGE DITCHES, WATER
SHED AREAS, FLOOD PLAINS, AND OTHER PHYSICAL FEATURES.
8. OUTLINE OF WOODED AREAS WITH NAMES AND CONDITION OF PLANT MATERIAL.
9. CONTOUR INTERVALS OF 2 TO 5 FEET, DEPENDING ON THE SLOPE GRADIENTS, AND SPOT
ELEVATIONS AT BREAKS IN GRADE, ALONG ALL DRAINAGE CHANNELS OR SWALES AND SELECTED
POINTS AS NEEDED.
* CONSIDERABLE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION MAY BE NEEDED, DEPENDING ON THE DESIGN
CONSIDERATION AND SITE COMPLEXITIES SUCH AS SOIL INFORMATION AND STUDIES ON THE
GEOLOGICAL STRUCTURE OF THE SITE.
SITE ANALYSIS
SITE ANALYSIS DETERMINANTS SHOULD INCLUDE BUT
NOT LIMITED TO THE FOLLOWING:
1. AREAS OF STEEP AND MODERATE SLOPES
2. MACRO – AND MICROCLIMATIC CONDITIONS, INCLUDING:
A. SUN ANGLES DURING DIFFERENT SEASONS
B. PREVAILING BREEZES
C. WIND SHADOWS
D. FROST POCKETS
SITE ANALYSIS
E. SECTORS WHERE HIGH OR LOW POINTS GIVE PROTECTION FROM SUN AND WIND.
SOLAR ENERGY CONSIDERATIONS; IF SOLAR ENERGY APPEARS TO BE FEASIBLE, A DETAILED
CLIMATIC ANALYSIS MUST BE UNDERTAKEN CONSIDERING SUCH FACTORS:
- DETAILED SUN CHARTS
- DAILY AVERAGE OF SUNLIGHT AND CLOUD COVER
- DAILY RAIN AVERAGES
- AREAS EXPOSED TO THE SUN AT DIFFERENT SEASONS
- SOLAR RADIATION PATTERNS
- TEMPERATURE PATTERNS
SITE ANALYSIS
3. AREAS OF POTENTIAL FLOOD ZONES AND ROUTES OF SURFACE WATER RUN-OFF.
4. POSSIBLE ROAD ACCESS TO THE SITE, INCLUDING CONSIDERATIONS OF POINTS OF POTENTIAL
CONFLICT WITH THE EXISTING ROAD SYSTEM AND CARRYING CAPACITIES OF ADJACENT
ROADWAYS.
5. NATURAL AREAS THAT FROM AN ECOLOGYCAL AND AESTHETIC STANDPOINT SHOULD BE
SAVED; ALL TREE MASSES WITH NAMES AND CONDITION OF TREE SPECIES AND UNDERSTORY.
6. SIGNIFICANT WILDLIFE HABITATS THAT WOULD BE AFFECTED BY SITE MODIFICATION.
7. SOIL CONDITIONS RELATIVE TO SUPPORTING PLANT MATERIAL, AREAS SUITABLE FOR
CONSTRUCTION, EROSION POTENTIAL, SEPTIC TANKS, IF RELEVANT.
SITE ANALYSIS
8. GEOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATIVE TO SUPPORTING STRUCTURE.
9. EXCEPTIONAL VIEWS, OBJECTIONABLE VIEWS( USE ON SITE PHOTOGRAPHS)
10. ADJACENT EXISTING AND PROPOSED LAND USES WITH NOTATIONS ON COMPATIBILITY AND
INCOMPATIBILITY.
SITE ANALYSIS
Site analysis is fundamental to preparing a development proposal that sensitively responds to
the surrounding area.
Site analysis should demonstrate a thorough understanding of the characteristics and attributes
of your development site, the adjacent properties and the street it is located on.
The scale, complexity, and sensitivity of the development site should inform the level of detail
you need to provide.
A site analysis is required for all design statements and requires the same information as
a site plan for a standard resource consent application. For sites that front a street or public
place, an analysis of the character of the streetscape is also required.
Site Analysis is typically presented as drawing (or several for complex sites), which is annotated
with supporting text and photos.
SITE ANALYSIS SAMPLE PRESENTATION
SAMPLE LEGENDS/SYMBOLS
SITE ANALYSIS SAMPLE PRESENTATION
EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT IN SITE
PLANNING
UNDERSTANDING THE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD
COULD HELP ACHIEVE MORE FROM YOUR PROJECT

EACH PROJECT CAN HAVE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACTS BEYOND

ITS SITE BOUNDARIES, AND THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT OF DEVELOPMENTS IN
AN AREA CAN SIGNIFICANTLY INFLUENCE THE QUALITY AND ENJOYMENT OF
A NEIGHBORHOOD.

A NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS ENABLES THE DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT

TEAM TO FULLY UNDERSTAND THE WIDER ENVIRONMENT AND
COMMUNITY THAT THE PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT WILL BE PART OF.
 EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT IN
SITE PLANNING
1. THE RANGE, SCALE AND LEVEL OF DETAIL OF NEIGHBORHOOD CONDITIONS INVESTIGATED WITHIN
ANY NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE SCALE AND COMPLEXITY OF THE
PROJECT, AND THE SCALE AND SIGNIFICANCE OF ANTICIPATED EFFECTS.
2. WHEN DETERMINING WHAT INFORMATION IS RELEVANT TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS, IT IS
IMPORTANT TO DEFINE THE EXTENT OF YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD. IN SOME INSTANCES, THIS WILL RELATE
TO A SUBURB WITH CLEAR BOUNDARIES. IF LESS OBVIOUS, A 400M RADIUS CIRCLE CAN BE USED.
3. THIS DISTANCE IS WIDELY RECOGNIZED AS BEING THE DISTANCE PEOPLE WILL HAPPILY WALK IN
ORDER TO MEET THEIR DAILY NEEDS, AND TYPICALLY EQUATES TO A FIVE MINUTE WALKING DISTANCE.
4. THE ATTRIBUTES OF A NEIGHBORHOOD CAN INCLUDE LANDFORM AND NATURAL ENVIRONMENT
ELEMENTS, PREDOMINANT STREET PATTERNS, TRANSPORT OPTIONS AND THE WAY PEOPLE MOVE OR
TRAVEL THROUGH IT, LAND USES, BUILT FORM CHARACTER, AREAS OF CULTURAL OR HISTORICAL
SIGNIFICANCE AND THE OVER-ARCHING CULTURAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL VALUES OF THE AREA.
5. THE RESULT OF A NEIGHBORHOOD ANALYSIS IS OFTEN ONE OR TWO PAGES, CONSISTING OF
ANNOTATED MAPS, SUPPORTING TEXT AND A COLLECTION OF PHOTOS
EXISTING NEIGHBOURHOOD CONTEXT IN
SITE PLANNING
REFERENCES:
THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECT – ARCHITECTURAL GRAPHIC STANDARDS 7TH EDITION
BY RAMSEY/SLEEPER
TROPICAL DESIGN BY PATRICIA TUTT: “METRIC HANDBOOK PLANNING AND DESIGN DATA 5TH
EDITION – 2015”
“TROPICAL SUSTAINABLE ARCHITECTURE: SOCIAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL DIMENSIONS” BY JOO-
HWA BAY AND BOON-LAY ONG
https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/45642/BuildingDesign.pdf -
Sustainable Tropical Building Design