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The Effects of Courtyards on the Thermal Performance of a Vernacular House in a Hot-Summer and Cold-Winter Climate

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  • Shimeng Hao

    (School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Beijing University of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Beijing 100044, China
    State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Building Science, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510640, China)

  • Changming Yu

    (School of Landscape Architecture, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, China)

  • Yuejia Xu

    (School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

  • Yehao Song

    (School of Architecture, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China)

Abstract

Achieving comfort in hot summer and cold winter (HSCW) climate zones can be challenging, since the climate is characterized by high temperatures in the summer and relatively colder temperatures in the winter. Courtyards, along with other semi-open spaces such as verandas and overhangs, play an important role in mitigating outdoor climate fluctuations. In this research, the effects of courtyards on the thermal performance of vernacular houses in HSCW climate zones were studied via field measurements and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models. The selected courtyard house was a representative vernacular timber dwelling situated in the southeast of Chongqing, China. The indoor and outdoor air temperature measurements revealed that the courtyard did play an active role as a climatic buffer and significantly reduced the temperature’s peak value in the summer, while during the winter, the courtyard prevented the surrounding rooms from receiving direct solar radiation, and thus to some extent acted as a heat barrier. The contributions of thermal mass are quite limited in this area, due to insufficient solar radiation in winter and general building operations. The natural ventilation mechanism of courtyard houses in HSCW zones was further studied through CFD simulations. The selected opened courtyard was compared to an enclosed structure with similar building configurations. The airflow patterns driven by wind and buoyancy effects were first simulated separately, and then together, to illustrate the ventilation mechanisms. The simulation results show that the courtyard’s natural ventilation behavior benefited from the proper openings on ground level.

Suggested Citation

  • Shimeng Hao & Changming Yu & Yuejia Xu & Yehao Song, 2019. "The Effects of Courtyards on the Thermal Performance of a Vernacular House in a Hot-Summer and Cold-Winter Climate," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(6), pages 1-29, March.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:6:p:1042-:d:214911
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Xiaodong Xu & Fenlan Luo & Wei Wang & Tianzhen Hong & Xiuzhang Fu, 2018. "Performance-Based Evaluation of Courtyard Design in China’s Cold-Winter Hot-Summer Climate Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-19, October.
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    5. Juan M. Rojas & Carmen Galán-Marín & Enrique D. Fernández-Nieto, 2012. "Parametric Study of Thermodynamics in the Mediterranean Courtyard as a Tool for the Design of Eco-Efficient Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 5(7), pages 1-23, July.
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    1. Tao Zhang & Qinian Hu & Qi Ding & Dian Zhou & Weijun Gao & Hiroatsu Fukuda, 2021. "Towards a Rural Revitalization Strategy for the Courtyard Layout of Vernacular Dwellings Based on Regional Adaptability and Outdoor Thermal Performance in the Gully Regions of the Loess Plateau, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-31, November.
    2. Ma Katrina Rañeses & Alice Chang-Richards & Kevin I-Kai Wang & Kim Natasha Dirks, 2021. "Housing for Now and the Future: A Systematic Review of Climate-Adaptive Measures," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-20, June.

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