Experimental Investigation of Passive House under Extrem Hot Dry Climate Region (Toshky Region)

• M.M. Abd El-Razek & M.H.Khalil
• Department of Building Physics, Building Research Center, Cairo Egypt B.O.Box 1770
• International Conference About the Sustainable Development in the Syrian Coast

Abstract

This Paper presents a comparison experimental thermal investigation between four no-insulating traditional houses and insulated house located under the effect of external climatic conditions of hot dry region in Egypt (Toshky region). The external and internal walls of the traditional testing houses were constructed from local sandstone blocks with 50 cm thick. The ratio between external openings to external walls surfaces areas is less than 10 %. The external wall is covered internally with 2-3 cm cement mortar plasters, while the internal walls covered with 2-3 cm cement plaster from both sides. Volts and domes made from cement bricks were covered the roof of the four testing houses. The external and internal surfaces of the roof were covered with 2-3 cm cement mortar plaster, and they had a white color. The insulating house in Toshky region was built from Leka cement insulating block and special design to satisfied design Strategies for Building in Toshky Region. Results demonstrated that the local building materials (sandstone) suppress the swing of external outdoor air temperature and stabilize the indoor air temperature at average level below the average of outdoor air temperature by about 2-3 oC during the hottest period. Night hours inside the traditional houses are uncomfortable during the hottest period. The results also show that it is possible to maintain the indoor air temperature significantly below the average of the outdoor air temperature by about 4-5 oC, when modern insulating materials together with the local building materials are used. Also air catcher, court and passive cooling systems (evaporative cooling), maintained the indoor climate in the thermal human comfort zone during the hottest period under the effect of climatic conditions of Toshky region.

Keywords: Climate, Comfort, Thermal, Traditional Building, Specific heat, Toshky Region, Evaporative Cooling.