Orientation in Urban Planning & its Relation with Electric Power Consumption Case Study: Yassin Khuraibet Town

Abstract

Iraq has suffered since decades from the shortage of supplying electric power o supply residential buildings. This research aims to study the orientation factor in the urban planning and its relation with the decrease of electric power consumption by reducing the cooling loads in summer season, which it is a long season in Iraq. Research tackles problem decreasing in supplying electric power and the disability of government in providing sufficient electric power to the citizens. The research discusses the possibility of decrease of electric power consumption through the study of the orientation factor in the urban planning of a town sector of 4869 residential buildings. Therefore, the research suggests the possibility of calculation of the cooling loads and electric power consumption of a residential building located on an area of 200m2. The ground floor is 150m2 and the first floor is 100m2. This residential building has been entered into e-Quest program at thermal conditions similar to the weather conditions of Basra province and the results show that the best orientation in decreasing the annual electric consumption are the north and south directions. Research hypothesis the possibility of rotation all residential buildings of Yassin Khuraibet town to the north and south, and these directions are depended according to practical study as above. Research methodology Yassin Khuraibet is a case study. There is an attempt to re-design the city with preserving the number of the residential buildings, parks and services of this town and to study the effect of residential building orientation to the north and south that are the best directions of electric power consumption for cooling purposes. Research results appear after it is oriented all residential buildings to the north and south, the town is acceptable in terms of urban planning. The result of calculation shows the decrease of cooling loads 8% and electric power consumption 11%.