Abstract
Achieving comfort in hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) climate zones can be challenging, since the climate is characterized by high temperatures in the summer and relatively colder temperatures in the winter. Courtyards, along with other semi-open spaces such as verandas and overhangs, play an important role in mitigating outdoor climate fluctuations. In this research, the effects of courtyards on the thermal performance of vernacular houses in HSCW climate zones were studied via field measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. The selected courtyard house was a representative vernacular timber dwelling situated in the southeast of Chongqing, China. The indoor and outdoor air temperature measurements revealed that the courtyard did play an active role as a climatic buffer and significantly reduced the temperature’s peak value in the summer, while during the winter, the courtyard prevented the surrounding rooms from receiving direct solar radiation, and thus to some extent acted as a heat barrier. The contributions of thermal mass are quite limited in this area, due to insufficient solar radiation in winter and general building operations. The natural ventilation mechanism of courtyard houses in HSCW zones was further studied through CFD simulations. The selected opened courtyard was compared to an enclosed structure with similar building configurations. The airflow patterns driven by wind and buoyancy effects were first simulated separately, and then together, to illustrate the ventilation mechanisms. The simulation results show that the courtyard’s natural ventilation behavior benefited from the proper openings on ground level.
Highlights
Courtyards have functioned as an effective passive design strategy for various climate conditions, especially in hot-arid [1,2,3] and hot-humid climates [4,5,6]
The effects of courtyards on the thermal performance of a vernacular house temperatures in this region can reach as high as 40 °C in summer, and may often fall to below 0 °C in in hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) climate zone was studied via field measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations
Previous relevant studies have shown that the design parameters and applicable strategies can be remarkably different in different climate zones
Summary
Courtyards have functioned as an effective passive design strategy for various climate conditions, especially in hot-arid [1,2,3] and hot-humid climates [4,5,6]. Even though studies on the thermal performance and design strategies of courtyard houses are becoming more common, the most relevant research has investigated hot-arid or hot-humid climate regions, focusing solely on summer conditions. The effects of courtyards on the thermal performance of a vernacular house temperatures in this region can reach as high as 40 °C in summer, and may often fall to below 0 °C in in HSCW climate zone was studied via field measurements and CFD simulations. The selected courtyard temperatures in this region can reach as high as 40 ◦ C in summer, and may often fall to below 0 ◦ C house was a representative vernacular timber structure dwelling (named “Si-he-tou” or “Si-hein winter; generally, there is high humidity (i.e., 70%–90%RH) year-round. To study the influence of building materials on the indoor thermal environment, two rooms from otherexternal houses with stone and hollow brick external walls
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