PROPONENT: 2011122306

PROPOSAL: 1-A
TOPIC: How Important Air Conditioning is in Offices and Malls

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Almost all malls and offices in Metro Manila are using Air Conditioning every single
day. It seems that it has already been integrated in the design of such building
types. According to an answer in yahoo, a mall without air conditioning in tropical
countries like the Philippines will be like an everyday sauna. Considering the climate
we have in the Philippines, much more in Metro Manila, that probably might be true.
But we all know of the negative impacts of air conditioning in the environment.
Unfortunately, the more we use air conditioning, the more heat we feel every single
day. Imagine the number of hour and the number of air handling units used every
day in an office or in a mall. And we wonder why it is so hot in Metro Manila.
I have designed a shopping center in my design class and I focused on having
natural ventilation and lighting to the public spaces. I seek advice from a
mechanical engineer to ask how many tons of air conditioning will be used. The
amount was so immense even if I designed it to maximize natural ventilation. For
this reason, I want to seek more regarding this matter.

QUESTIONS:
1. What are the importance of air condition in malls and offices?
2. How can the use air conditioning be minimized in malls and offices through
design and architecture?
3. How can urban design be integrated to malls and offices?
4. Is the number of floors and the area of spaces an important factor in deciding
for air conditioning?
5. How can tropical design be integrated in the design of malls and offices?
6. How can existing buildings be retrofitted to lessen the use of air conditioning?

PROPONENT: 2011122306

PROPOSAL: 2-A
TOPIC: Developments near MRT and LRT

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In Metro Manila, we have a mass transportation called the LRT and the MRT. These
transit stations, supposedly, must ease the burden of everyday commuters. But
even in these station traffic still exists, in the form of humans. We call this, human
traffic.
As an alternative, people who can afford cars, buy cars so that they can go to their
place of work or school. And because we have so many cars, we build so many
roads, when in fact we should be building something else. These roads can only
provide a short-term solution to the problem. Because first and foremost, we should
be focusing on the developments near our transit stations.
According to Arch. Jun Palafox, Elsewhere in the world, they have mixed-use highdensity residential developments within walking distance from mass transit
stations. It is only in the Philippines that this is not implemented because Master
Plan Developments are not followed; because the government does not have
enough funds and the developers have.

QUESTIONS:
1. What are the developments near or adjacent the LRT and the MRT?
2. How does the current developments near the LRT and MRT affect its everyday
function?
3. At what cost can this mixed-use high-density residential development be
implemented? Must the structures be demolished and replaced by other
construction? Are there alternatives instead of demolition?