A Comparative Study Between the Climate Response Strategies and Thermal Comfort of a Traditional and Contemporary Houses in KRG: Erbil

Abstract

The hot and dry climate conditions in Erbil city has a main effect on the energy consumption and thermal performance of the house. In the last decade, residential sector in Kurdistan region government has consumed about 50% of total energy consumption. The contemporary dwelling did not consider climate consideration therefore; there was difficulty in achieving or obtaining thermal comfort conditions, without using electrical or mechanical devices like air- conditioning. In contrast, traditional houses carefully and effectively designed with climate conditions. In the present study, in order to determine suitable architectural strategy that may be benefit in future housing designs, the climate response strategies and thermal comfort examined in both traditional and contemporary houses in Erbil city and evaluated in terms of building form, orientation, occupancy migration, plan arrangement, window, ventilation, shading, Vegetation, water bodies building materials and Urban Fabric. At the end of this study, a simplified evaluation and comparison between contemporary and traditional house are given.

A Sustainable Residential Building Model in North Iraq by Considering Occupant Behaviour, Sociocultural Needs, and the Impact on Energy Use

“…Summer has high temperatures and low humidity, and usually lasts from June to September, with July and August being the hottest months. The average temperature is 34 degrees Celsius, with the highest ever recorded temperature being 48 degrees Celsius [19]. The average temperature drops to 7 • C from December to February during the winter season, which features low temperatures and precipitation, with the lowest ever recorded temperature being −3 degrees Celsius [52,64].…”

“…Additionally, it is widely recognised that the primary objective of energy usage in buildings is to ensure the occupant's comfort [16][17][18]. Residential buildings in North Iraq account for the most significant proportion of energy consumption within the building sector, constituting approximately 69% of the total electricity consumption [13,19]. Electric demand to supply is more than double that, leading to power outage for 12 h a day.…”

“…Electric demand to supply is more than double that, leading to power outage for 12 h a day. However, it is a significant environmental issue as fossil fuels (gasoline, diesel, and natural gas) account for approximately 85% of electricity demand and are notably absent from the energy mix [19]. Accordingly, electricity consumption produces a high rate of greenhouse gases, which consequentially have adverse effects on the climate.…”

“…Several issues commonly found in contemporary houses include inadequate privacy, excessive noise, and insufficient space for family activities [51]. According to Morad et al [19], the challenges associated with contemporary houses can be attributed to the influence of Westernization, which is gradually altering the visual landscape of cities in North Iraq. One of the aims of this study is to mitigate the sociocultural challenges commonly encountered in contemporary residential areas such as Erbil.…”

Feasibility Study of Concrete Louvers for High-rise Residential Buildings in Terms of Cooling Energy Requirements

“…In most countries, buildings require large amounts of energy for both cooling and heating. Furthermore, in the last decade in the Kurdistan region about 50% of the total energy consumption was consumed in the residential sector (Morad and Ismail , 2017). Indeed, cooling loads due to solar gains represent about half of the global cooling loads for residential and non-residential buildings (Datta, 2001).…”