Effect of housing density on energy efficiency of buildings located in hot climates

Abstract

Residential buildings are considered among the most important elements in the city, as they form most of our built environment. Among the factors that affect urban planning and energy consumption of residential neighbourhoods, the role of housing density is essential. Thus, this study aims to examine the effect of housing density on energy efficiency of buildings considering the hot climatic conditions. To achieve this aim, a numerical analysis based on computerized simulation has been carried out to compare different configurations of housing densities in terms of their energy consumption. The study concluded that energy efficiency in residential buildings is highly dependent on their density. This is true when housing type is changed, or even within the same housing category. In addition, the study found that compact horizontal housing configurations can perform better in terms of energy efficiency when compared to the vertical ones. In this context, the examined row houses configuration offers a reduction in average energy consumption that reaches 28% compared to the rest of examined residential buildings types located in urban situation.