Passive sustainability strategies in traditional Gaziantep residences: a critical report on historical development

Abstract

In recent years, the increase in the need for energy and the rapid depletion of energy resources have revealed that energy control in buildings is of vital importance. This situation requires energy efficiency not only in new buildings but also in existing building stocks. For this reason, passive strategic measures affecting thermal comfort and energy efficiency in historical buildings built in Gaziantep in the late 18th and early 19th centuries have been evaluated in this study. First, the cultural, technological and natural images of the region that are effective in the development of these strategies were identified. The reflection of these images on architectural design and the parameters affecting energy use as a result were revealed. In order to examine the effect of passive strategy measures in the spaces, a field study was carried out on a selected Gaziantep traditional residential building. For the field study, measurements were taken from the selected building and the street every hour during the day. These measurements have been made under the following conditions: sunny inside the courtyard, sunny outside the courtyard, shade inside the courtyard and shade outside the courtyard. Afterwards, all measurements have been compared. As a result, it is concluded that the courtyard systems that form the cultural, technological and natural image of the region have a great effect on thermal comfort.

Investigating the Role of Thermal Comfort Perception on Negotiating Heritage Conservation and Energy Efficiency Decisions through System Dynamics

“…Especially for these historical buildings located in the hot climate zone, architectural features like the courtyard are a crucial factor for the thermal comfort perception of the users [43]. The IEA report demonstrates the increase in energy consumption for cooling compared to heating [1].…”

“…Historic neighbourhoods consist of organic and narrow streets in Gaziantep [55,56]. These specific features are significant in heritage value and help provide thermal comfort in hot climates in Gaziantep (Figure 2) [43,44]. Post-2003 legal regulations, called the period of change, have fundamentally changed the architectural conservation institution [57].…”

“…Historic neighbourhoods consist of organic and narrow streets in Gaziantep [55,56]. These specific features are significant in heritage value and help provide thermal comfort in hot climates in Gaziantep (Figure 2) [43,44].…”

“…Furthermore, Anaç et al discussed the main passive sustainable strategies for traditional dwellings in Gaziantep, including materials, façade features, orientation, environmental considerations, and courtyards, highlighting their significant effects on both cultural values and thermal comfort [43]. Also, Karabeyeser et al stated that underground chambers in historic buildings have had a crucial role in terms of thermal comfort and preserving heritage value [44].…”