Potentials of Vernacular Climatic Solutions (VCS) in Energy Efficiency of Domestic Buildings in Hot and Humid Climate: The Case Study of Bushehr, Iran

This study aims to use vernacular climatic solutions (VCS) of traditional dwellings of Bushehr in common residential buildings of this city in southern Iran and answer to the question that “What is the effect of VCS in terms of energy consumption in these buildings?”. This research was conducted on two levels. At the first level, after selecting an existing model of common residential buildings and short-time field measurements from local climate throughout the year, the collected data was used in simulation and some changes in terms of improvement in shading, natural ventilation and insulation of external walls and roof as vernacular climatic strategies were made in this building. At second level, the proposed models of common residential buildings were offered and the data collected at the first level was used in their simulation in two states of with and without using VCS. All models were simulated with the Design Builder software under natural ventilation conditions in moderate periods of the year while split air-conditioning systems were used during hot and humid periods. The findings showed that in the existing model, discomfort hours, cooling energy consumption and CO2 production reduced by 54 percent, 44 percent and 22 percent, respectively. In the proposed models, these values showed a decrease by 10 to 20 percent, 42 percent and 32 to 34 percent, respectively. It is also predicted that using the VCS in common residential buildings of Bushehr, could reduce the energy consumption of each household by 3500 kWh per year.