Modernity in Javanese tradition: adapting vernacular design and local culture to Indonesian urban living

Abstract

There is a growing demand for electricity in homes in Indonesia. In this study, traditional Javanese houses were analyzed and redesigned to suit Indonesian modern lifestyles. The new modern Javanese houses are used as benchmarks for evaluating energy-efficient designs in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was compared to several rumah type 36’s models in order to analyze it. The results show that a modern Javanese house can reduce its total electricity consumption by 31%. There is a high consumption of electricity in home appliances related to cooking and miscellaneous appliances. Heat can be faster transferred from these cooking appliances by designing an open layout and atrium. These design can lowered the nighttime heat temperature by about 5°C compared to the daytime temperature, and by about 1.6 °C compared to the temperature outdoors. Energy consumption in urban areas can be reduced by adapting a traditional house concept to modern homes.