The combined influence of airflow and geometry of courtyards on thermal comfort

Abstract

Locally, it is equally becoming a trend to retrofit and to think anew. Recently, many of our traditional and historic buildings were retrofitted or restored, which in itself is good form of sustainable development. Such a trend fits very well within the framework of a better and more sustainable built environment. Furthermore, it also creates opportunities to conserve our local cultural and architectural heritage. Many local vernacular buildings lend themselves from the courtyard archetype. As is typical in the Mediterranean region, local vernacular buildings look onto themselves rather onto public spaces and roads, through the integration of an outdoor space; the courtyard. Courtyards are often considered as a social space, for an outdoor living. In view of the lack of available land available, most courtyards are being roofed over, providing an 'extended' space to the interiors of such buildings. This may be fruitful in terms of space; however, the thermal and airflow implications on abutting spaces have not clearly assessed. In this study, the general types of local courtyards were identified and using computational modelling software, airflow patterns, temperature and relative humidity values were assessed for each of the different geometrical forms. The simulation for a particular geometry was performed twice, comparing the performance of a roofed over courtyard against open courtyard, both in summer and in winter. This revealed the impact of courtyard dimensions, orientation, and openness on indoor air speeds and eventually the thermal comfort of occupants.