Bioclimatic Design Research Articles

Sustainability of building-integrated bioclimatic design strategies depending on energy affordability

Bioclimatic design strategies have proven their efficiency in improving the sustainability of buildings. However, their economic benefits, regarded as the main incentive for building owners to incorporate such strategies into buildings, are still unclear since they depend on several factors including the countries' energy accessibility level. This study explores the role of energy affordability level and climatic conditions in incorporating bioclimatic design strategies. Therefore, the effectiveness of integrating seven bioclimatic approaches into a common residential building in six different locations worldwide with disparate climatic conditions, gross domestic products and electricity prices is assessed. The outcomes of each strategy are generated using EnergyPlus software and evaluated based on key energy, economic and environmental metrics. The findings reveal that, for most bioclimatic design strategies, the highest economic profits are achieved in regions where the electricity price to gross domestic product (EPGDP) ratio is high (i.e., where energy is unaffordable). Indeed, the shortest discounted payback period is obtained by using suitable glazing size in hot/moderate climates with higher EPGDP ratio (0.04/0.13 years) and thermal insulation in cold ones (1.17 years). Moreover, the greatest net present values are acquired by integrating thermal insulation in hot/cold zones with up to k$14.04/k$76.73, and window opening design in moderate climates (k$7.32). Additionally, the investigated strategies exhibit significant energy savings and carbon emissions mitigation. This study confirms the benefits of bioclimatic design; nevertheless, awareness campaigns and incentive programs are also essential in motivating households to integrate sustainable strategies into their buildings, especially in regions where energy is affordable.

The Adaptability of Cities to Climate Change: Evidence from Cities’ Redesign towards Mitigating the UHI Effect

The urban heat island effect can be studied through satellite imaging, field measurements, or analytical and numerical tools. However, the latter methods are considered more comprehensive due to the complexity of the built environment and the large quantity of data required for an adequate analysis. This study aims to investigate the extent to which specific urban bioclimatic design concepts and strategies affect the urban heat island intensity in Mediterranean semi-arid environmental conditions, classified as subtropical. The case study site chosen was Kaimakli, an urban district in Nicosia, Cyprus, known for high urban heat island intensities due to its location and rapid growth characterized by more impervious materials and less green vegetation. The analysis of the specific site considers parameters such as urban density, vegetation, soil sealing effect, building age and materials, land coverage ratio, and orientation. A design scenario consisting of three mitigation policies of different building types, heights, and vegetated types was developed and investigated. The study found that under semi-arid conditions, the use of extensive vegetation in an urban block of a 200 × 200 m² area and the reduction of the built area by about 10% resulted in an air temperature reduction of 1.5 °C during the summer solstice at 3:00 pm. These findings quantify the impact of specific urban heat island mitigation practices on decreasing the intensity of the effect under subtropical climatic conditions. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of specific urban bioclimatic design concepts and strategies to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The use of extensive vegetation and a reduction in the built area have been shown to be effective in reducing air temperatures, which can have significant implications for public health, energy consumption, and overall urban sustainability.

Relationships between EEG and thermal comfort of elderly adults in outdoor open spaces

We investigated the relationship between variation in EEG signal characteristics (α, β, θ and δ frequency bands) of elderly adults and their thermal perceptions in outdoor environments in Xi'an, China using meteorological measurement, subjective questionnaire survey and EEG signal monitoring. We found that: 1) the δ, θ and β relative powers of the frontal lobe were significantly correlated with physiological equivalent temperature (PET), globe temperature (Tg), wind speed (Va), mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) and global radiation (G). The α, δ and β relative powers of parietal lobe were significantly correlated with PET, Tg, air temperature (Ta) and relative humidity (RH). 2) The α relative power of the frontal lobe varied with an inverted U-shape with an increase in thermal sensation. The α wave of the frontal lobe was the most accurate index to evaluate elderly adults' thermal sensation. 3) The α wave of the right cerebral hemisphere can be used to identify elderly adults' thermal comfort, particularly the O2 channel of the occipital lobe. 4) Ta and Va were dominant influences of the EEG among elderly adults. The meteorological factors that affected the EEG changed as thermal stress fluctuated; most meteorological factors were positively related to thermal stress. Our results provide theoretical evidence of the predictive accuracy of outdoor thermal comfort models for elderly adults and contribute to the practical bioclimatic design of outdoor open spaces for vulnerable groups.

Interval Valued Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP Integrated Model in a Smartness Assessment Framework of Buildings

Buildings can be made more user-friendly and secure by putting “smart” design strategies and technology processes in place. Such strategies and processes increase energy efficiency, make it possible to use resources rationally, and lower maintenance and construction costs. In addition to using wireless technologies and sensors to improve thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort, “smart” buildings are known for their energy, materials, water, and land management systems. Smart buildings use wireless technologies and sensors to improve thermal, visual, and acoustic comfort. These systems are known for managing energy, materials, water, and land. The task of the study is to consider the indicators that form the basis of the framework for evaluating intelligent buildings. The indicators for the development of “smart” buildings are classified into six categories in this paper: green building construction, energy management systems, safety and security management systems, occupant comfort and health, building automation and control management systems, and communication and data sharing. The paper aims to develop a scoring model for the smartness of public buildings. In developing the scoring system, the decision-making process requires an appropriate selection of the optimal solution. The contents of the research are the methods known as the Pythagorean Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (PF-AHP), Interval Valued Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP with differences (IVPF-AHP d), and the proposed method Interval Valued Pythagorean Fuzzy AHP (IVPF-AHP p). The research focuses on the IVPF-AHP as one of the methods of Multi-Criteria Decision-Making (MCDM) and its implementation. The comparative analysis of the three presented methods indicates a significant degree of similarity in the ranking, which confirms the ranking similarity. The results highlight the importance of bioclimatic design, smart metering, ecological materials, and renewable energy systems.

Multi-criteria assessment model on environmental ergonomics for decision-making in schoolyards based on remote-sensing and GIS resources

The consequences of global warming have led to an acceleration of action strategies towards efficient and passive renovation work in the building stock. Most existing schoolyards are becoming obsolete with respect to current bioclimatic design patterns, for which a lack of methodological studies and diagnosis mechanisms in outdoor spaces has been identified. This research aims to design a multi-criteria assessment model on environmental ergonomics for the identification of feasible and passive measures that improve comfort conditions in schoolyards. The innovation of this system lies in its basis on weighting data that combines 12 qualitative, quantitative, and graphical parameters by using remote-sensing algorithms and GIS resources, leading to major insights regarding remote information acquisition capabilities for the promotion of bioclimatic actions in schools. The model is applied and tested in 6 representative pilot schools to demonstrate its operation and replicability. An innovative graphic output of results provides a significant research outcome, which contributes towards the visualisation of the diagnosis on environmental ergonomics and identifies potentials and weaknesses for decision-making. The conclusions focus on methodological insights and implications from an integral diagnosis for schoolyards, thereby serving as a decision-support system to identify optimal interventions that would ensure a more appropriate environmental performance.

Green Building Office Tower Design with Bioclimatic Architecture and Design Articulation

ABSTRACT
 The growth in the urbanization rate that occurs in big cities in Indonesia, especially in Jakarta, is offset by the growth of tall buildings. Office buildings are one of the most popular building constructions for investors and developers for economic and political progress in Jakarta. however, the construction of tall buildings in Jakarta can have a negative impact on the balance of the surrounding environment. This has become an impetus for the Jakarta government to move in saving the environment balanced by rapid infrastructure development with the Jakarta 30:30 as their commitment for sustainable city. The purpose of this paper is to provide design guidelines for the design of new buildings that embed a green building approach for the safety and balance of the surrounding environment. the method used in this paper is a mix method which uses quantitative and qualitative by looking at the applicable local regulatory guidelines and researching case studies that have similarities to research on green building design with a bioclimatic architectural approach and design articulation

A Reference Framework for Zero Energy Districts in Panama Based on Energy Performance Simulations and Bioclimatic Design Methodology

The need for efficient buildings to contribute to sustainable development has led to the proposal of goals and regulations in different countries linked to net zero energy objectives, following approaches specific to their regions. Such regulations are not yet developed in a developing country such as Panama. Thus, this study develops the first framework for Zero Energy Districts (ZED) in Panama based on passive and active solutions through dynamic simulation. For this, an existing urbanization area consisting of 34 residential buildings, called the existing case (EC), was studied. After undergoing a design based on the bioclimatic methodology, a redesigned case (RC) is proposed to maintain thermal comfort and reduce energy consumption. Key redesign factors are the buildings’ shape, orientation, glazing, the use of shadows, material of the walls, and the air conditioning configuration. Results showed energy consumption decreases by 37.5% when considering all buildings with natural ventilation, reaching ranges of positive net energy (+356.50 kWh/m2y). In the case of nearly ZED in Panama, the ranges could be considered between 14 and 180 kWh/m2y. This balance indicates that there is potential on site to develop zero energy districts.

Effects of different renovation strategies on the thermal comfort in urban parks based on bioclimatic design theory

Bioclimatic design can effectively affect the environmental thermal comfort level through changing the surface of the study area. Using Zhengzhou Beach Park as a case study, the impact of three different bioclimatic design methods (changing pavement only, changing design only and changing both pavement and design) on outdoor thermal comfort, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed under the ENVI-met model is quantitatively analysed. The results show that the three bioclimatic design schemes significantly affect the predicted mean vote of the site. The overall decrease in predicted mean vote average after pavement renovation pavement renovation is about 0.03, the overall increase in predicted mean vote average after design renovation design renovation is about 0.01, and the overall predicted mean vote average decrease after combined renovation is about 0.02. The relation among different predicted mean vote values and occupied areas under different bioclimatic design backgrounds is quantified, and the difference-value of climate index change were visualized for the first time. This study firstly uses a series of figures to show different trends of predicted mean vote and their area changes under the background of different transformation modes, which can effectively promote the refinement of the research on biological climate design.

Study of vertical solar irradiance and local scale climate to assess passive cooling potential in Tangerang of Indonesia

Solar radiation information is very important in green building design, namely for the daylighting, solar heat gain prevention as well for solar energy utilization. This study uses solar radiation data from six pyranometer sensors for measuring the horizontal component (global horizontal irradiance (GHI) and infrared irradiance) and the vertical component (pyranometer sensors to the north, south, east, and west) located in Tangerang, Indonesia. Measurements have been filtered for one year from January 2021 to December 2021. The solar radiation observation is complemented with other measurement of climate elements, such as wind speed and direction, dew point temperature, relative humidity, and air temperature. The diurnal and seasonal patterns of solar irradiance and other climatic elements have been observed using the visualization technique of heat maps. The results show that sensors pointing north experience an increase in solar intensity in May, June, July, and August. Meanwhile, sensors that point to the south experience the increases in solar intensity in November, December, January, and February. The increase in radiation intensity towards the east occurs from 07.00 to 10.00 local time (LT), while the increase in sensor intensity towards the west occurs from 14.00 to 16.00 LT. The results of solar radiation analysis in horizontal and vertical surfaces are combined with other climate elements to create a bio-climatic design guideline suitable for buildings in the hot and humid climate.

Winds in Multi-Family Housing Buildings

Although there is progress regarding high-rise residential buildings, there is a need to know the pathologies caused by the absence of a bioclimatic design or a lack of knowledge regarding bioclimatic architecture, characteristics of the materials, simulation context and passive and active sustainability strategies that can be applied. The purpose of the present study was to apply a psychometric design for design techniques applied to housing complexes, the case study made up of 300 high-rise housing or horizontal property buildings built and inhabited to evaluate the comfort of users by calculating the sustainable characteristics of the materials and bioclimatic simulation using the design builder software. The results show that according to the calculation in the residential complex, a wind shadow is produced on the other buildings in the city of more than 800 meters (Z2), that is, it protects them from the wind or prevents other buildings from being ventilated. It is concluded that climate change, by affecting our environment, affects our cities and it is necessary to link new design and construction strategies.

Social housing as a catalyst towards net-zero carbon building in the mitigation of climate change in South Africa

Since low-income and social housing are among the most vulnerable built environments to climate change, this article evaluates the energy performance of social housing in the context of enabling net-zero carbon social housing in South Africa (SA). It seeks to investigate how improved and conscious energy-efficient design in the context of social housing contributes toward a climate change mitigation response in SA. The article analyses energy use and indoor comfort, based on ASHRAE 55-2004 Standard, of two social housing case studies to review the potential of the social housing sector to contribute to the national climate mitigating agenda. The findings highlight that the housing provision itself is not an adequate response, but that bio-climatic design solutions with appropriate spatial and material choices, along with efficient envelope articulation, play a critical role in lowering energy use and improving user comfort. There is, however, a need to challenge the growing advent of (energy-) inefficient and carbon-intensive social housing in SA and simultaneously address the parallel crisis of homelessness, to enable a sustainable future for the built environment.

Use of double skin façade with building integrated solar systems for an energy renovation of an existing building in Limassol, Cyprus: Energy performance analysis

The high percentage of energy consumption by fossil fuels in the building sector in combination with climate change across the globe increased the need to move into more sustainable building practices. Thus, the integration of sustainable strategies and active solar energy systems into the design process is becoming a tool for the reduction of the energy demand and improvement of the energy performance of existing and new buildings.This study investigates the energy performance of an existing residential apartment building in Limassol, Cyprus before and after its energy renovation, using a double skin façade combined with building integration of active solar energy systems. The proposed research starts with the analysis of the existing building energy performance, focusing on the energy loads for cooling, heating, and artificial lighting. Subsequently, the results of the existing situation are evaluated using digital energy simulations, and the process moves on to the renovation and energy upgrade of the building by integrating the aforementioned systems. Energy-Plus simulations are performed where the proposed systems’ contribution to the energy reduction is investigated including their energy reduction potential. The before and after simulations are compared, with the focus to prove whether the systems can be viable in terms of decreasing the energy demands of the building. Finally, a life cycle cost (LCC) analysis is performed, to determine the viability of the enterprise. The performed research proves that the application of the double façade, consisting of three main features — a building integrated photovoltaic system (BIPV), glazing system and rambling planting, can combine the positive effects of each individual system, if there is a combined systematic approach on the architectural design of the building envelope. The combination of the above led to a reduction of 83.5% in the energy consumption of the building, from 94,321 kWh of the existing situation to the 15,563 kWh of the proposed one. This reduction includes the contribution from BIPV system, which amounts to 26,706 kWh/ year of primary energy — thus covering the 63% of the proposed consumption of the building. On the other hand, the LCC analysis sums that a careful combination of bioclimatic design and active solar systems, can have a viable payback period, which in this case is 13 years.The overall aim of this research is to determine whether the use of a double skin façade combined with integrated active solar systems constitute an energy and cost-efficient solution for the viable refurbishment of an existing building in the south-eastern Mediterranean area.

Evaluation of bioclimatic design strategies in Esfahak village using Mahoney method

PurposeDespite worldwide climate change and the problems caused by using fossil fuels, energy consumption in the world keeps rising every year. The areas with extremely cold or scorching climates are large, and significant amounts of energy are getting used in these areas for heating, cooling, and ventilation. The general purpose of this study is to investigate the possible relationship between the climatic characteristics of the Esfahak, a village located in the hot desert region of Iran, and the physical characteristics of its built environment.Design/methodology/approachThe method of this research is qualitative and somewhat descriptive-analytical. In this regard, the architectural features of Esfahak village are compared with the principles mentioned in the Mahoney tables to determine the degree of compliance of the architecture of this village with the climatic condition.FindingsThe results show that design principles have been used in all indicators discussed in the Mahoney tables. By applying these principles, not only did the acute weather conditions not prevent the initial settlement in the village location, they have not caused inhabitants to leave the site over time as well.Originality/valueThe impacts of bioclimatic design strategies on thermal comfort in hot desert regions are seldom studied. This research provides evidence-based and informed design recommendations that can help building designers and city authorities integrate bioclimatic design strategies at the earliest conceptual design phases in hot desert climates.

The Search for Solar Architecture in Asia in the Works of the Architect Antonin Raymond: A Protracted Balance between Culture and Nature

The renowned architect Antonin Raymond undertook a large amount of work in Japan for more than fifty years. He arrived to the archipelago as a partner to Frank Lloyd Wright, who had received the commission for the paramount Imperial Hotel. Nevertheless, Raymond became almost revolutionary in that country for his realizations of projects and buildings. Simultaneously, he pioneered the concept of solar houses, a notion that proved to be fundamental for bioclimatic design. Raymond realized that because of the influence of geomancy and Daoism, the buildings of Japan had a sort of cosmic link, especially to the sun and the seasons, and in this way, he took great concern with solar exposure, shading, and daylighting, both in the way in which they were composed and also in the materials that were employed, such as lumber, reed roofs, and paper screens. We have tried to identify these trends in his most significant buildings and establish a sequence of how they evolved towards a contemporary and truly sustainable design. The main result presented is that for the reasons presented, Raymond influenced a number of celebrated architects in Japan, India, and the USA. In fact, instead of pursuing the pure abstract minimalism common in his epoch, he made use of the ideas of naturalism in architecture, which in the case of Asia were related to ritual cosmology. In this article, we have outlined how such a procedure was possible and what it entailed for complex domains such as sun-lighting and daylighting, ventilation, acoustics, and re-interpretation of vernacular architecture. The connection with the main forces of the environment, which effectively interact through architecture, when considered from a philosophical and even spiritual point of view as he did, resulted in a kind of artistic revitalization of traditions belonging to Daoism and Shintoism and inaugurated a new manner of sustainable thinking for the building profession that endures today.

Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Thermal Comfort Sensation of Pupils in School Establishments under Hot Arid Climate Conditions

School establishments have been considered the foundation of various civilizations, due to the importance of the educational process in producing future generations and shaping healthy societies. This paper aims to evaluate the thermal comfort sensation of pupils in school buildings under hostile climatic conditions in hot arid regions. The study employed the use of the post-occupancy approach with subjective assessments through questionnaires and physical measurements of the environmental physical parameters of thermal comfort: temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity as objective assessments. These measurements were in parallel with survey questionnaires that were undertaken during regular class sessions covering the hot and cold conditions of a school year, polling responses from 281 participants on their perception of the indoor climate. Finger's comfort indicators are calculated (PMV, predicted mean vote; and PPD, predicted percentage of dissatisfied people); and the actual people's clothing and metabolic rate are estimated in order to conclude the prevailing indoor thermal conditions. The investigations were carried out on three samples of school buildings in Biskra (Algeria) of different architectural styles. The study’s results revealed that the levels of temperature were the most crucial parameter that influenced the thermal sensation with an average of 35C° with a PMV of 2.48, and 15C° in winter with a PMV of -2.56, indicating more than 90% dissatisfaction. Therefore, a well-thought bioclimatic school design is needed to ensure acceptable indoors, and promote healthy and safe learning spaces, by adopting sustainable design principles and low-energy-consuming techniques.

A Review of Bioclimatic Housing Performance in Kampung Surabaya Using Response Surface Methodology

The existence of old houses as folk's houses in urban villages or kampong in Surabaya City that are still sustainable can be a precedent for today's architecture. Kampung with residential neighborhoods and dense urban village communities with middle to lower socio-economic strata have produced many distinctive architectural styles of houses. Several studies have shown that kampung's housing has high adaptability to urban developments. A comprehensive review of adaptation, one of which is a bioclimatic adaptation, where the performance of the house building is influenced by the relationship of living organisms, climate, and shape of the building. Bioclimatic adaptation as an architectural strategy is based on comfort-based rationale and low energy to create buildings with better thermal performance. Then how does the thermal performance of old houses as cultural products in the kampung contribute to sustainable thermal comfort? For this reason, the development of a response surface methodology is used as a technique to assess building performance in a quantitative bioclimatic context to complement the qualitative description. Data or information about facts in the field of old houses were obtained from observing the physical traces of the building and interviews with the occupants of the house. Analysis with the response surface methodology will show building optimization in achieving thermal comfort with energy efficiency efforts in old houses in Kampung Peneleh, Surabaya City with various levels depending on the architectural style of the building (Javanese House, Indische House, Yankee House, Modern House). The good thermal performance of old houses can be a precedent in the bioclimatic architectural design of houses in dense settlements such as in urban villages.

A framework approach to the design of energy efficient residential buildings in Nigeria

The main objective of the Nigerian building sector working on achieving energy efficiency is to decrease energy demand of buildings and thereby reduce the negative implications of urban development and poor energy infrastructure on people's wellbeing. One of the key strategies being adopted for substantial reduction of energy demand in the Building Energy Efficiency Guide for Nigeria is the bioclimatic architectural design approach. Hence, intelligent design of buildings, especially the building envelope, can considerably improve energy efficiency and help to realize heating and cooling targets. The aim of this paper is to promote and encourage sustainable building development in Nigeria by developing a systematic and context-based framework for the design of energy efficient residential buildings. This study adopted a mixed method approach of interviews with 12 architects and 22 householders. Moreover, measurements and observational surveys of 22 existing buildings that fit into three distinct building typologies were conducted. Three existing buildings were investigated using a building simulation approach to compare their performances, especially in terms of thermal comfort. The data collected was analysed using content analysis, descriptive statistics analysis, and simulations. The interviews with architects and householders showed enormous potential to reduce residential buildings’ energy demand. To achieve this, the interviewees emphasized the need for strong collaboration between all stakeholders in the building sector. Measurements, observational surveys, and case studies of existing buildings confirmed that thermal discomfort in residential buildings and challenges with building design, have a significant effect on the building occupants’ wellbeing. The research developed a framework for the design of energy-efficient residential building, which is expected to enhance sustainability, particularly in the building sector. The framework was produced based on the findings from the research data and the review of relevant literature. It involves an integrated process focused on bridging the gap between building stakeholders achieving sustainability in buildings. Ultimately, the framework is hoped to guide professionals in the design of energy-efficient buildings and assist institutions on policy guidelines.

Validation of proposals for the environmental optimization of a compact-typology kindergarten, in a very hot-humid climate

This article presents the validation procedure of optimization proposals for a compact-typology kindergarten prototype, following passive bioclimatic design guidelines, using dynamic simulation physical models calibrated with onsite measurements. The objective is to verify the parameters for the glazed area (gA), weighted average solar absorptance (), and total envelope area (envelopeA), using them as input data to obtain correlations of glazing Factors (gF) into a tool to estimate optimal glazed areas, aiming at integrating thermal and visual comfort in the design of educational spaces, in the Very Hot-Humid climate of the Argentine Northeast. As a result, a reduction of up to 72% was obtained in November, the most unfavorable month for school activities, for cooling requirements, by lowering the solar absorptance of exterior surfaces to 0.25, with a glazed area per floor area ratio of 17%, which made noteworthy improvements possible in the spatial daylight distribution, a key resource for the comprehensive development of children from Initial Schooling Levels.

Addressing sustainability. Construction of a Prototype as a teaching design tool

Using the physical construction of a prototype as an educational tool is not new, although it can be innovative in the current context of conceptual renewal linked to sustainable development. At the School of Architecture of Seville, there is a great research tradition on sustainability, but little is extrapolated into teaching. There is also a need for a significant improvement in education from the methodological point of view. In this sense, competitions provide an opportunity that defines a potentially rewarding situation for educational innovation. From this starting point, this research aims at verifying how the construction of a full-scale prototype, as an active educational methodological strategy and following a bioclimatic design methodology consolidated in said School of Architecture, allows achieving great results both in educational and bioclimatic terms. The educational methodology brings together the following guidelines: the workshop as an integrating environment for architectural learning; the construction of a prototype as an educational situation that transcends the architectural; the conceptualization of new challenges marked by sustainability and their practical and effective application to the architectural project, design, and architectural construction. All the tools are valuable and effectively respond to shortcomings detected and internalized in teaching-learning, and, consequently, architectural activities.

Bioclimatic Design of Low-Cost Rural Dwellings

Bioclimatic design is a crucial strategy to achieving the eco-friendliness, human-friendliness, and energy-friendliness of the built environment. The building patterns, materials, innovation, and use depend on the inhabitant’s choices, lifestyle, and economic viability. The study focused on examining bioclimatic components of low-cost dwellings in rural coastal environments in eastern India. A survey questionnaire administered to about 1,300 respondents from 15 villages (classified as remote rural, rural, and semi-urban) yielded their perception of different dwelling environment issues. The statistical analysis of bioclimatic dimensions indicated a significant difference among the dwellings. The low-cost mud houses of the remote rural and rural areas in coastal regions often follow local practices. Besides, different dimensions covered in the survey provided insights for the comparative evaluation of different categories of dwelling units. Principal component analysis (PCA) identified the clusters and component structures of the built environment characteristics provided from the response of the villagers as their perception of the dwellings. PCA yielded three components—1) interior design (PC1, building form, partitioning of rooms, type and materials of the wall, roof and window), 2) innovation of the built environment (PC2, building envelope, insulation, and sanitation facilities), and 3) natural ventilation priority (PC3, window design, window opening, and glaze material), which together explained 69% of the total variance. The psychrometric chart provided in identifies passive design strategies in constructing dwellings to improve residents’ yearly total thermal comfort hours in hot and humid regions. The relative contributions to thermal comfort hours are sun shading of windows (25.5%), a passive solar direct gain high mass (6.2%), a passive solar direct gain low mass (0.4%), and a high thermal mass, including night flush (4.3%), direct and two-stage evaporative cooling (4.3%), and natural ventilation and fan-forced ventilation cooling (2.2%).