Typology of Malay Traditional House and its Response to The Thermal Environment

Abstract

Abstract Rumah Limas Melaka which located at Chalet Warisan Puan, Alor Gajah was a traditional house that is still maintaining almost 70% of its traditional criteria. Traditional criteria of a building envelope design always become a concern about its ability to provide a comfort towards the users in this current climate. In this study, the focus was to evaluate the indoor thermal performance of this house, as well as to investigate and analyzed the indoor thermal condition by using psychrometric and heat index theories. A field experiment was carried out to obtain the needed parameters using thermocouple type J acquisition by HOBO logger, Anemometer, and IAQ Quest Temp34. The parameters were obtained at three different zones; A (rumah ibu), B (rumah tengah) and C (rumah dapur) for 14 days. Thermal energy calculation was done, and zone B was found as the most discomfort zone amongst others as it gains the highest energy needed to cool the space. Thus, it has least efficient of heat transfer due to the least ventilation provided and narrow in space that prevents adequate air flow from the outside. In overall, Rumah Limas Melaka shows to have a poor thermal performance yet still acceptable for the occupants with openings space allow easy passage of air and good cross ventilation.