Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria
This study investigates the thermal performance of the ventilated mask wall used in the low-income neo-vernacular dwellings designed by André Ravéreau to cope with the warm desert climate conditions of M’zab Valley, Ghardaia, in southern Algeria. This device is a ventilated façade provided with an o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Buildings |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/4/837 |
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| author | Bidjad Arigue Leila Sriti Giovanni Santi Mohamed Amine Khadraoui Darda Bencheikh |
| author_facet | Bidjad Arigue Leila Sriti Giovanni Santi Mohamed Amine Khadraoui Darda Bencheikh |
| author_sort | Bidjad Arigue |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study investigates the thermal performance of the ventilated mask wall used in the low-income neo-vernacular dwellings designed by André Ravéreau to cope with the warm desert climate conditions of M’zab Valley, Ghardaia, in southern Algeria. This device is a ventilated façade provided with an opaque external massive cladding. It is designed to be particularly efficient in hot climates, functioning simultaneously as a brise-soleil and a ventilated façade, compared with conventional façade systems. Based on a typical experiment conducted during the summertime (12–14 August), a residential unit in Sidi Abbaz selected as a case study was modeled and calibrated using EnergyPlus (v8.4) software, and then a dynamic simulation was performed in order to assess the efficiency of the ventilated mask wall as a cooling strategy. By means of the validated thermal model, various alternatives for the façade materials were investigated, and the thermal behavior of the current ventilated mask wall was compared with a 45 cm thick limestone façade wall, and a 30 cm thick hollow clay brick wall under the same conditions. Countless benefits were achieved by the application of the mask wall system, including a stable and less fluctuant inner surface temperature, and a reduction in the incoming summer heat flux. The improvements performed, in particular the time lag of 12 h and the related decrement factor of 0.28 indicate the effectiveness of this wall system, which enabled radiant temperature drops of more than 10 °C, and an air temperature decrease of about 6 °C, during the summer sunniest hours. The results demonstrate that this solution is suitable for buildings design applications to meet the objective of low-energy demand in warm desert climates. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:11:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-77f3a77b87ea4f518ec2a9e3e5078978 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-5309 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T05:11:07Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Buildings |
| spelling | doaj.art-77f3a77b87ea4f518ec2a9e3e50789782023-11-17T18:33:53ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092023-03-0113483710.3390/buildings13040837Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, AlgeriaBidjad Arigue0Leila Sriti1Giovanni Santi2Mohamed Amine Khadraoui3Darda Bencheikh4Laboratory of Design and Modeling of Architectural Forms and Ambiances (LACOMOFA), Department of Architecture, Mohamed Khider University, Biskra 07001, AlgeriaLaboratory of Design and Modeling of Architectural Forms and Ambiances (LACOMOFA), Department of Architecture, Mohamed Khider University, Biskra 07001, AlgeriaDepartment of Energy, Systems, Territory and Construction Engineering, University of Pisa, 56122 Pisa, ItalyLaboratory of Construction Engineering and Architecture (LGCA), Abderrahmane Mira University, Bejaia 06001, AlgeriaLaboratory of Construction Engineering and Architecture (LGCA), Abderrahmane Mira University, Bejaia 06001, AlgeriaThis study investigates the thermal performance of the ventilated mask wall used in the low-income neo-vernacular dwellings designed by André Ravéreau to cope with the warm desert climate conditions of M’zab Valley, Ghardaia, in southern Algeria. This device is a ventilated façade provided with an opaque external massive cladding. It is designed to be particularly efficient in hot climates, functioning simultaneously as a brise-soleil and a ventilated façade, compared with conventional façade systems. Based on a typical experiment conducted during the summertime (12–14 August), a residential unit in Sidi Abbaz selected as a case study was modeled and calibrated using EnergyPlus (v8.4) software, and then a dynamic simulation was performed in order to assess the efficiency of the ventilated mask wall as a cooling strategy. By means of the validated thermal model, various alternatives for the façade materials were investigated, and the thermal behavior of the current ventilated mask wall was compared with a 45 cm thick limestone façade wall, and a 30 cm thick hollow clay brick wall under the same conditions. Countless benefits were achieved by the application of the mask wall system, including a stable and less fluctuant inner surface temperature, and a reduction in the incoming summer heat flux. The improvements performed, in particular the time lag of 12 h and the related decrement factor of 0.28 indicate the effectiveness of this wall system, which enabled radiant temperature drops of more than 10 °C, and an air temperature decrease of about 6 °C, during the summer sunniest hours. The results demonstrate that this solution is suitable for buildings design applications to meet the objective of low-energy demand in warm desert climates.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/4/837ventilated mask wallthermal behaviorcooling strategyM’Zab Valley (Algeria)neo-vernacular dwellingwarm desert climate (BWh) |
| spellingShingle | Bidjad Arigue Leila Sriti Giovanni Santi Mohamed Amine Khadraoui Darda Bencheikh Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria Buildings ventilated mask wall thermal behavior cooling strategy M’Zab Valley (Algeria) neo-vernacular dwelling warm desert climate (BWh) |
| title | Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria |
| title_full | Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria |
| title_fullStr | Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria |
| title_short | Exploring the Cooling Potential of Ventilated Mask Walls in Neo-Vernacular Architecture: A Case Study of André Ravéreau’s Dwellings in M’zab Valley, Algeria |
| title_sort | exploring the cooling potential of ventilated mask walls in neo vernacular architecture a case study of andre ravereau s dwellings in m zab valley algeria |
| topic | ventilated mask wall thermal behavior cooling strategy M’Zab Valley (Algeria) neo-vernacular dwelling warm desert climate (BWh) |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/13/4/837 |
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