A scientific process for a sustainable architectural design: A case study of a rural pavilion in a hot semi-arid climate

Abstract

The present research study is an essential contribution to sustainable design following a new process of rethinking design in architecture. Yet, through researchers’ investigations (building engineers, material engineers, climate and data engineers, etc), open-source data platforms, building and simulation software, products data sheets, built experience and local-know-how, are deemed necessary tools to master each decision concerning the building architectural design and the building construction systems. The present paper is a demonstration to the cited process. Indeed, the case study is a pavilion building located in a rural area characterized by a (BSh) climate according to Köppen-Geiger classification. The current project is designed to reduce the energy needs by passive measures considering the envelope, and the cooling/heating systems. The studied building allies both natural and conventional materials, taking advantage of each one depending on the uses. The results of the simulation study, using TRNSYS software, show that limestone-based variant (V2) and rammed earth-based (V3) perform better as their annual load is reduced by 57.2% and 56%, respectively, compared to cement-block reference case (V1). The variants (V2) and (V3) perform better than the double red clay bricks (V4), by 12% and 9.6%, respectively. However, according to different selection criteria, rammed-earth-based variant is considered, in this context, the most sustainable one among the four. Indeed, the comparison is based on both Life-Cycle-Assessment and the Embodied Energy analysis, contextualized depending on the cost, the local know-how and the social and cultural heritage.