Traditional Malay house has characteristics of the passive thermal design that naturally practices climatic design strategies. Currently, Urban Heat Island (UHI), causing an increase in energy consumption for cooling purposes, especially in the residential sectors. Consequently, modern building construction has a poor passive thermal design. This study aims to assess the thermal performance of Negeri Sembilan traditional Malay house towards sustainable practice in the tropical environment. The main finding shows that house openings allow natural cross-ventilation, while less strategic house orientation towards climate factors and lightweight materials used contributes to the uncomfortable of the interior spaces reaches as much as 35ºC during the peak time of the day. This study highlights ideas and knowledge in improving the construction technology for modern architecture to produce an effective indoor thermal performance in a tropical environment.       Keywords: Malay House; Traditional Architecture; Thermal Performance; Tropical; EnvironmenteISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open-access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i12.1914

Traditional Malay House has practices climatic design strategies and getting extinct due to urban development. Consequently, generated urban heat island, causing increased energy consumption for cooling purposes. Therefore, a modern house has an inefficient passive thermal design. Aim: To assess the thermal performance of Negeri Sembilan traditional Malay house towards sustainable practice in the tropical environment. Findings: house openings allow cross-ventilation, less strategic house orientation towards the environmental condition and roofing materials contributes discomfort indoor environment, reaching 35ºC during peak hour. This research focuses on improving construction technology for modern architecture to provide a functional indoor environment in a tropical climate. Keywords: Malay House; Traditional Architecture; Thermal Performance; Tropical; Environment eISSN 2514-751X ©2021. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia. DOI: https://

To manage indoor thermal comfort, artificial cooling, such as air-conditioners, has mainly substituted natural ventilation. However, research indicates that the occupants’ well-being is negatively impacted due to disagreeable ventilation systems. To acquire ideal indoor conditions, it is essential to comprehend environmental elements, such as building design and context. In Malaysia, traditional Malay houses (TMH) were built in hot-humid tropical climates to provide maximum thermal comfort via natural ventilation. Thus, this study aims to analyse the thermal comfort of rumah berserambi dua dan beranjung (RBDB) in Negeri Sembilan. The assessment employed the predictive static model (PS) by measuring the indoor thermal environment and evaluating it using the ACS by ASHRAE 55. ACS shows that Δt o of anjung and serambi was still within 80% of acceptability limits whereas rumah ibu and rumah tengah are lower than 80%. This study identified that the design strategy at anjung and serambi, can be characterized as sustainable design which can adapt to the local current tropical climate. The finding revealed three sustainable design features of RBDB that primarily affect indoor thermal comfort: fenestration systems, open yard areas and vegetation, and building orientation. This aspires to offer beneficial insights into sensible climatic design approaches in a TMH.

The natural harmony between people, houses, and the environment is frequently highlighted in studies on traditional architecture. Traditional Malay house architecture, for example, is designed in hot-humid regions to promote maximum thermal comfort with natural ventilation while minimizing dampness. However, further research is required to determine if the traditional house is a sustainable design that can still adapt to current climate conditions due to global warming’s increased indoor environment. This paper intends to identify and discuss the thermal comfort assessment approach by implement empirical research through field measurement. The assessment involves physical measurements and a satisfaction survey—the data analysis using a statistical adaptive model, computer simulation, and comparative analysis. Lastly, the data is verified based on the ASHRAE Standard 55 and hypothesis-testing. The finding will contribute to aiding the stakeholders and designers to adapt the traditional Malay house construction as an example of the best or alternative designs of climate-responsive architecture. Thus, the idea of producing a climate-responsive recommend simulation research.