Assessment of Bioclimatic Design Elements in Library Buildings of Hot-Dry Climatic Region of Nigeria

— Buildings in hot-dry climates are constantly exposed to solar radiation almost every day. As a result, building designs should aim at minimizing heat gain and maximizing evaporative cooling so that users of these facilities can have adequate thermal comfort. Climate has a major effect on the performance of the building and its energy consumption thereby making the bioclimatic design approach relevant in hot-dry climate. One of the main goals of a building is to offer protection against harsh outdoor climatic conditions and to provide both physiological and psychological comfort. In view of the above, this study aimed at exploring the principles of bioclimatic design and their applicability in library buildings. The method used in carrying out this research is basically qualitative. The study suggests that climatic responsive design is being accomplished by the reliance on some principles which are; building form, building orientation, site planning and landscaping, spatial organization, shading devices, daylighting strategies, use of materials, and also, the building techniques must be evaluated and the final product should be able to perform well during its whole service life. In conclusion, the research highlights that, study into bioclimatic architecture should go beyond offering solutions to the climate alone, but the concept should be given more meaning in relation to the design.