Courtyard geometry's effect on energy consumption of AlKharga city residential buildings, Egypt

Ahmed M Seddik Hassan; Reham Fathy Ahmed Abd El Aal; Asmaa Abd Elmoneim Fahmi; Sherif Mohamed Ahmed Ali; Mohamed I M Abdelhady

doi:10.1038/s41598-024-60487-8

Courtyard geometry's effect on energy consumption of AlKharga city residential buildings, Egypt

Sci Rep. 2024 May 15;14(1):11149. doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-60487-8.

Authors

Ahmed M Seddik Hassan¹, Reham Fathy Ahmed Abd El Aal², Asmaa Abd Elmoneim Fahmi³, Sherif Mohamed Ahmed Ali³, Mohamed I M Abdelhady³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Architectural Construction Technology, Faculty of Technology and Education, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt. Ahmed.hassan@techedu.bsu.edu.eg.
² Department of Architectural Construction Technology, Faculty of Technology and Education, Beni-Suef University, Beni Suef, Egypt.
³ Department of Civil and Architectural Constructions, Faculty of Technology and Education, Suez University, P.O. Box: 43221, Suez, Egypt.

Abstract

The research aim is to clarify the effect of courtyard placement, the ratio between length and width, and courtyard orientation on energy consumption in residential buildings in hot and dry climates, to seek planning and designing alternatives for new cities and new residential complexes that are consistent with the environment and climate and save the consumption of energy used in the buildings. The research method was conducted through Design Builder software for simulation purposes. The reference model with the 157.25 m² which accommodates a central square courtyard measuring 5 m × 5 m, on a residential building model in the New Valley Governorate of Kharga City, Egypt. The courtyard simulation is aimed to determine Less energy consumption inside the different case studies, in 9 courtyard placements The studied alternatives for Courtyard Placement, are (the center of the building, sub facades, and main facades). The different ratios are (1:1, 1.25:1, 1.5:1-1.75:1, 2:1, 2.25:1, 2.5-1). The longitudinal axis of the Courtyard has been oriented to the east-west direction for all placements, and north-south direction for all placements. Also, (orientation angle is Zero), it offered the percentages of better and worst cases in each position of the courtyard. The research findings suggest that the best Placement of the Courtyard that achieved the highest rate of saving of energy consumed inside the used building model was at the southwestern façade, with a saving rate of 18.73%. Then, the Placement of the Courtyard at the northwestern and southeastern facades with a saving rate of 17.91%, with a length-to-width ratio (2.5:1) if the longitudinal axis of the Courtyard is oriented in the north-south direction, Through the study, we conclude that the placement and orientation of the courtyard and its regular formation have contributed to rationalizing energy consumption in residential buildings, the study reached some important standards that could represent a methodological framework for designing contemporary residential buildings with an energy-efficient inner courtyard.

Keywords: Courtyard; Courtyard placement; Energy simulation inside the building; Hot dry areas; Residential buildings.

Grants and funding

Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) and Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB)./Open access funding provided by the Science, Technology & Innovation Funding Authority (STDF) in cooperation with the Egyptian Knowledge Bank (EKB). The funding was provided by STDF (Egyptian Knowledge Bank).