Comparative analysis on the mechanism of climate responsiveness strategies on indoor thermal performance of Yaodong dwellings in the Loess Plateau region of China

Abstract

The vast rural architecture, while contributing significantly to enormous building energy consumption, also brings about substantial energy-saving potential. This underscores the need for a profound understanding of sustainable and intelligent green construction practices for vernacular dwellings. This study focuses on investigating the mechanisms of climate-responsive strategies on the indoor thermal environment of traditional dwellings in the Loess Plateau region, using the cave dwelling, known as Yaodong in Yulin, as a case study. Through on-site measurements, the study examines the effectiveness of climate responsiveness strategies on the indoor thermal conditions of different types of Yaodong (cliff-side style and independent style). Simultaneously, dynamic simulations are employed to analyze energy consumption of heating season (ECHP) and indoor temperature on the coldest day, while adjusting variable parameters of various passive strategies to identify the influences of factors affecting the indoor thermal performance of different types of Yaodong. The results indicate that the traditional Yaodong, employing passive design methods can contribute to enhancing indoor comfort under adverse climate conditions. The average indoor temperatures of cliff-side and independent Yaodong bedrooms are −1.9 °C and −3.2 °C, respectively, compared to the outdoor temperature of −12.8 °C, outperforming modern brick dwellings with an average indoor temperature of −9.3 °C. For cliff-side Yaodong, factors such as orientation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), the aspect ratio, and sunspace prove to be the four most critical elements influencing indoor thermal performance. For independent Yaodong, the ranking of key factors is orientation, the aspect ratio, wall thermal resistance, and window-to-wall ratio. This study can provide guidance and reference for the preservation and revitalization of cave dwellings in the Loess Plateau region.