Analyzing The Effects of High-Rise Buildings with Glass Façades on Outdoor Human Comfort in The Jakarta Metropolitan Area

Abstract

The current trend of urbanization forces building development in urban areas, but the limitation of land in the area forces the development to be conducted upwards instead of sideways; thus, high-rise buildings will continue for decades. The façade of a high-rise building plays the most significant role in connecting the indoors and outdoors, therefore, having the most direct effect on the surrounding environment. Nowadays, glass is one of the most popular materials used in a high-rise building’s façade. The abundance of high-rise buildings with glass façades is also found in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area. However, the climate condition of the Jakarta Metropolitan Area proposes challenges in designing high-rise buildings with glass façades to accommodate outdoor human comfort. This study aims to review whether people achieve human comfort in an outdoor area of high-rise buildings with glass façades in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area. Using literature review through content analysis, this study found that theoretically, high-rise building with glass façade does not naturally respond to the climate condition of the Jakarta Metropolitan Area in providing human comfort. However, human psychological factors need to be considered in determining whether a condition is perceived as comfortable, as occupants of an outdoor environment have different expectations than those indoors. Thus, further assessments need to be conducted to determine whether developing high-rise buildings with a glass façade is appropriate to support outdoor human comfort in the Jakarta Metropolitan Area.