PERFORMANCE OF BIOCLIMATIC ARCHITECTURE IN BUGIS VERNACULAR HOUSING: A CASE STUDY OF JIDA AND LAMMADA HOUSES

Bioclimatic architecture is composed of climate-responsive knowledge in vernacular buildings as an effort to create comfortable conditions. This study aims to evaluate the suitability of the application of bioclimatic design to the performance of the thermal environment in one type of Bugis house. The method used is visual assessment and measurement of temperature and humidity in the case studies of Jida and Lammada houses, South Sulawesi. The results of visual observations show the accuracy of the bioclimatic design on the volume and slope elements of the roof; wall type and material; floor height and shade tree layout. The performance of the thermal environment in the living room and bedroom of Lammada house is better than similar rooms at Jida house. The bioclimatic elements that affect the performance of the thermal environment are the volume of the roof, the type and material of the walls and the height of the floor.

Interaction of modern architectural design with the environment: Evaluation and application in urban open spaces for developing resilient cities

The concept of urban resilience, either as a response to the effects of climate change or as a need to address the emerging challenges of the pandemic crisis, plays an important role in the modern forefront of urban policies. This article focuses, in the light of climate change, on the prospects of the adoption of the principles of urban resilience in the design of urban outdoor spaces, initially creating a clear framework for their definition. In order to achieve this, the article proceeds to the evaluation of successful European and Greek examples of urban open spaces in which the assurance of urban resilience is achieved through the application of bioclimatic design. Emphasis is placed on the factors of sunlight, ventilation, the role of water and greenery, and the properties of surface coating materials in urban outdoor spaces. Then the study area is analyzed, with qualitative and quantitative assessment of the factors that affect the outdoor environment.

Indoor air quality evaluation in naturally cross-ventilated buildings for education using age of air

Natural ventilation (NV) is a strategy of bioclimatic design to promote hygrothermal comfort and indoor air quality (IAQ). Nowadays, COVID-19 pandemic highlights the review of ventilation standards. In Mexico, the IAQ standard states a minimum of 6 ACH for educational buildings. ACH considers NV as an ideal piston flow and does not provide information of indoor airflow distribution. In this work, new age of air associated parameters are proposed, considering the indoor airflow distribution: the air renovation per hour (ARH) and the renovation parameter R. An isolated educational building located in a rural region is studied. Four window configurations of cross-ventilation are considered. All configurations have one windward window located at bottom. The configurations axial and upward have one leeward window at bottom and top, respectively. While, configurations corner and upward corner have one lateral side window at bottom and top, respectively. A CFD model of the educational building is validated with experiments. The axial configuration has the best performance according to ACH, nevertheless has the worst performance according to ARH and R. The results show that NV evaluation using ACH can lead to wrong decisions. An improvement of NV standard with the age of air associated parameters is recommended.

Shading and daylighting strategies in classrooms: a comparative study in the four climate zones in Greece using Daylight Factor values

The present work focuses to the efficient use of daylight in school buildings, which has been proved that is able to create a pleasant atmosphere, increase student productivity and comfort and also contribute to energy savings if combined with a daylight-responsive control system. The architectural-bioclimatic design contributes to the creation of technical solutions that provide daylight in existing classrooms, taking into account the climatic conditions and the needs of users. The purpose is to investigate the most prevalent shading and light redirection systems in a typical Greek classroom, in every climatic zone of Greece and come up with the most efficient ones. Research takes into consideration the distribution of daylight on working level and the total heating energy consumption throughout the school year, ensuring conditions of visual comfort. After evaluating and comparing the data, the outcome of this research demonstrates the most efficient shading system for each climatic zone, in order to achieve visual comfort and energy savings.

Thermal comfort optimization through bioclimatic design in Mediterranean cities

Background: Bioclimatic design is an approach based on local climate which improves thermal qualities and indoor comfort. Buildings follow this process to minimize negative effects on the environment. However, this approach is still not suitable in developed countries. This study aims to investigate Mediterranean local bioclimatic strategies’ impact on thermal comfort efficiency in housing, by examining architectural elements and treatments. Methods: We adopted a descriptive, analytical, and comparative methodology, complemented with a software simulation, within a qualitative and quantitative approach. Investigation and methodological tools were based on technical information including plans, elevations, photos, and documentation. The approach consisted of multiple stages: a literature review interpreting the concept of bioclimatic design, as well as thermal comfort variables and common Mediterranean building features. Moreover, the paper showcases three examples of successful Mediterranean passive houses. Furthermore, the paper presents a case- studyhouse in Alex West, Alexandria, designed in the Mediterranean Revival style. Results: The results showed that the most influencing building features on thermal comfort were the low-pitched roofs and the top chimney, which achieved 12.6% and 5% improvement in the summer and 13% and 6.8% in winter, respectively. The pergola and porch elements barely had an effect when placed on the northern façade. However, on the southern façade, a positive contribution in the summer by 1.4% and 3.4% respectively were reported, but a slight negative impact in winter by 0.5% and 2% respectively. Conclusions: We examined the impact of common Mediterranean building features , and compared thermal comfort results between case-study houses. Features focusing on passive design for cooling rather than heating, allowing wind flow for maximized natural ventilation, using ventilated pitched roof spaces, using sun shading elements in the proper facades and angles, help passive thermal regulation. The study proposes recommendations for optimizing thermal comfort in residential buildings in Alexandria, Egypt.

Cities without slums and the right to the city: slums in Subsaharan Africa

This paper discusses the issues unravelled by The UN's Cities without Slums Campaign which has been inappropriately communicated across Africa as a project to eradicate slums. Focusing on the Sub Saharan capital of Angola, Luanda. The theme equally explores the 3S's concept in Architecture − Social, Sustainable and Standard solutions − aiming to develop a Social Housing Program, called MUSSUS, in the context of UN-HABITAT and Proficient-EU concepts of slum-upgrading, including bioclimatic design and communal work. The concept of ZEB house is also introduced, including renewable energy systems, and passive design techniques. Mass-construction of houses is achieved, by modular standardisation, but providing adaptability to each family' needs. The main goal is to provide the community with the tools to change their environment, significantly improving quality of life.