The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates
Hot desert regions, like Saudi Arabia, are very challenging in terms of building energy consumption. The role of the housing sector in the country is critical as it accounts for half of the total national electricity consumption. It is important to apply sustainable energy concepts in this sector, a...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2017-02-01
|
| Series: | Buildings |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/7/1/17 |
| _version_ | 1811256144843243520 |
|---|---|
| author | Farajallah Alrashed Muhammad Asif Stas Burek |
| author_facet | Farajallah Alrashed Muhammad Asif Stas Burek |
| author_sort | Farajallah Alrashed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Hot desert regions, like Saudi Arabia, are very challenging in terms of building energy consumption. The role of the housing sector in the country is critical as it accounts for half of the total national electricity consumption. It is important to apply sustainable energy concepts in this sector, and the application of Zero-Energy Homes (ZEHs) could be an appropriate option in this regard. In ZEHs, the energy demand needs to be reduced significantly before employing renewable energy, and a way to achieve that is through applying vernacular construction techniques and materials. This study aims to investigate the role of courtyard, mushrabiyah and adobe construction for the development of ZEHs in the five main Saudi climatic zones represented by Dhahran, Guriat, Riyadh, Jeddah and Khamis Mushait. A base house is designed, modelled and compared with measured electricity values. The comparison between the base house and the houses adapted with these techniques and materials is undertaken based on the annual electricity demand and the maximum power demand, and findings reveal that mushrabiyah can reduce them by 4% and 3%, respectively, while adobe can reduce them by 6% and 19%, respectively. Courtyards are found to be not helpful in terms of energy saving. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:36:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3cc17e1ece374498984958e56fde488f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T17:36:31Z |
| publishDate | 2017-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-3cc17e1ece374498984958e56fde488f2022-12-22T03:22:58ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092017-02-01711710.3390/buildings7010017buildings7010017The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert ClimatesFarajallah Alrashed0Muhammad Asif1Stas Burek2School of Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKSchool of Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKSchool of Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow G4 0BA, UKHot desert regions, like Saudi Arabia, are very challenging in terms of building energy consumption. The role of the housing sector in the country is critical as it accounts for half of the total national electricity consumption. It is important to apply sustainable energy concepts in this sector, and the application of Zero-Energy Homes (ZEHs) could be an appropriate option in this regard. In ZEHs, the energy demand needs to be reduced significantly before employing renewable energy, and a way to achieve that is through applying vernacular construction techniques and materials. This study aims to investigate the role of courtyard, mushrabiyah and adobe construction for the development of ZEHs in the five main Saudi climatic zones represented by Dhahran, Guriat, Riyadh, Jeddah and Khamis Mushait. A base house is designed, modelled and compared with measured electricity values. The comparison between the base house and the houses adapted with these techniques and materials is undertaken based on the annual electricity demand and the maximum power demand, and findings reveal that mushrabiyah can reduce them by 4% and 3%, respectively, while adobe can reduce them by 6% and 19%, respectively. Courtyards are found to be not helpful in terms of energy saving.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/7/1/17vernacularcourtyardmushrabiyahadobe constructionsustainable designzero-energy residential buildingdesert climates |
| spellingShingle | Farajallah Alrashed Muhammad Asif Stas Burek The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates Buildings vernacular courtyard mushrabiyah adobe construction sustainable design zero-energy residential building desert climates |
| title | The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates |
| title_full | The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates |
| title_fullStr | The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates |
| title_short | The Role of Vernacular Construction Techniques and Materials for Developing Zero-Energy Homes in Various Desert Climates |
| title_sort | role of vernacular construction techniques and materials for developing zero energy homes in various desert climates |
| topic | vernacular courtyard mushrabiyah adobe construction sustainable design zero-energy residential building desert climates |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/7/1/17 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT farajallahalrashed theroleofvernacularconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsfordevelopingzeroenergyhomesinvariousdesertclimates AT muhammadasif theroleofvernacularconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsfordevelopingzeroenergyhomesinvariousdesertclimates AT stasburek theroleofvernacularconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsfordevelopingzeroenergyhomesinvariousdesertclimates AT farajallahalrashed roleofvernacularconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsfordevelopingzeroenergyhomesinvariousdesertclimates AT muhammadasif roleofvernacularconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsfordevelopingzeroenergyhomesinvariousdesertclimates AT stasburek roleofvernacularconstructiontechniquesandmaterialsfordevelopingzeroenergyhomesinvariousdesertclimates |