The Impact of Housing Densification on Shading Potential of Open Spaces: A Case Study

Abstract

This study discusses housing densification as a sustainable housing strategy. Furthermore, it investigates how housing densification can improve the shading performance of open spaces with respect to row-house typology. The analysis considers a real-time case study of linear courtyards enclosed by row houses. Urban analysis was followed by a numerical shading analysis to examine the impact of housing attachment method (aligned or stepped) on courtyard shading potential. Row houses were found to be an acceptable housing densification solution in Saudi Arabia, with well-integrated open spaces. The stepped-attached housing pattern showed a higher potential for urban shading (by ~55% with an east–west orientation of row houses) than that of the aligned–attached pattern. In addition, the stepped-attached housing pattern improved the visual quality and created a serial visual effect. This study recommends the promotion of compact housing patterns in Saudi Arabia to reduce the rapidly increasing domestic electrical-energy demand and improve urban shading. Housing densification is considered as an effective passive design and planning strategy for this purpose.

Shading Performance of Public Open Spaces: A Multi-Criteria Evaluation Framework for Housing Projects

“…Following the previous studies introduced in Section 2.3 above, this study uses a hypothetical case study approach to investigate the impact of housing density, building orientation, and grouping patterns on the shading performance in outdoor open spaces located within residential buildings. This has been conducted using parametric numerical modeling, which was experimentally validated in a previous study by Asfour [36]. This study used DesignBuider 5.5, which uses the EnergyPlus tool for energy calculations.…”

“…The sunlit fraction (i.e., the percentage of open space shaded area) was used to evaluate the shading performance of public open spaces. The sunlit fraction can be estimated as the daily average value, considering the daily solar datasets for a specific location [36]. This depends on the aspect ratio of the open space, which is the ratio of the height of the adjacent building H to the open space width W. Public open spaces with a large solar obstruction angle (i.e., a high H/W ratio) are usually characterized by a higher percentage of shaded area at the ground level of the open space and surrounding building walls [10,37].…”

Transformation of the Saudi Housing Sector through an Enabling Approach to Affordable Housing

“…In addition, the main aim of such programs is to stimulate and develop competition between real estate developers through a classification and qualification system in order to eliminate negative effects on housing prices and inflation and end speculative operations. To encourage small-firm entry, one of the main objectives of the Wafi program implemented by the National Housing Company is to encourage and increase the spirit of competition between real estate developers by improving their ability and encouraging them to transition from individual to institutional work, and to work to eliminate the speculations that have an impact on real estate and housing unit prices [61]. As a result of this, between 2017 and 2021, the MOMRAH built more than 161,834 housing units across the different regions of the country.…”

Suburban Development Model: A Transformation Determinant Perspective on Settlement Densification in Makassar City, Indonesia

“…Urban densification is the most relevant strategy for urban spatial development [12]. Densification is a policy to control urban sprawl and the challenges in determining the potential and priorities of urban densification at the city scale and densification as a sustainable housing strategy [13], [14]. Densification of the built environment is thus a key contemporary urban planning paradigm worldwide [15].…”