Vernacular Daylighting for Hot-arid Climates: A Response to Climate Change

• Published in: The international journal of climate change. Impacts and responses Vol. 3; no. 3; pp. 1 - 10
• Main Authors: Mofidi, S. Majid, M. Ghazi-Jahani, Mahsa
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Common Ground Research Networks 2012
• Subjects: Arid climates; Arid regions; Arid zones; Buildings; Climate; Climate change; Cooling; Cooling systems; Daylight; Deserts; Design; Energy conservation; Penetration; Socioeconomic factors; Sustainability; Tourism
• DOI: 10.18848/1835-7156/CGP/v03i03/37126
• ISSN: 1835-7156

The rebirth of daylit buildings has been one of the most important issues, which might be considered at the forefront of design and planning of public and private buildings. Electric light can overheat interior spaces even in winter, particularly in hot-arid regions. Daylighting can be considered as one of the most effective strategies to reduce the cooling load in buildings. Traditional architects and builders’ identification of problems that existed in the use of natural lighting in desert regions will be explored as a living workshop. Many devices and elements have been planned and could be created in order to control the sun’s penetration and at the same time to make the best use of daylight. Use of daylighting in building design, particularly in sunny regions, could help in the economic revitalisation of existing settlements, in raising the prosperity of different socio-economic classes and in environmental sustainability through energy conservation. This paper could inspire related professionals, researchers and administrative personalities in tourism industry who are involved in the design and construction of load or non-load dominated buildings, especially in desert regions, to conserve energy through use of daylighting.