

Serbest Khalil Ismail

Architecture Engineering department

College of Engineering

University of Duhok , Iraq

Serbest.ismael@uod.ac

Diler Haji Morad
Architecture Engineering department

College of Engineering

University of Duhok , Iraq

Diler.morad@uod.ac

Kurdistan Journal of Applied Research (KJAR) | Print-ISSN: 2411-7684 – Electronic-ISSN: 2411-7706 | kjar.spu.edu.iq

Volume 2 | Issue 3 | August 2017 | DOI: 10.24017/science.2017.3.11

A Comparative Study Between the Climate Response

Strategies and Thermal Comfort of a Traditional and

Contemporary Houses in KRG: Erbil

Abstract: The hot and dry climate conditions in Erbil

city has a main effect on the energy consumption and

thermal performance of the house. In the last decade,

residential sector in Kurdistan region government has

consumed about 50% of total energy consumption. The

contemporary dwelling did not consider climate

consideration therefore; there was difficulty in

achieving or obtaining thermal comfort conditions,

without using electrical or mechanical devices like air-

conditioning. In contrast, traditional houses carefully

and effectively designed with climate conditions. In the

present study, in order to determine suitable

architectural strategy that may be benefit in future

housing designs, the climate response strategies and

thermal comfort examined in both traditional and

contemporary houses in Erbil city and evaluated in

terms of building form, orientation, occupancy

migration, plan arrangement, window, ventilation,

shading, Vegetation, water bodies building materials

and Urban Fabric. At the end of this study, a simplified

evaluation and comparison between contemporary and

traditional house are given.

Keywords: Climate condition, Thermal comfort,

evaluation, comparison, Traditional and

Contemporary houses

1. INTRODUCTION

Climate has a main impact on the thermal

performance and energy consumption of houses

especially in countries with hot and dry climates such as

Kurdistan region government, where people facing

different problems, which related to climate especially in

contemporary housing. In the last decade, residential

sector in Kurdistan region government have consumed

about 50% of total energy consumption (fig.1) [1] . Erbil

city offers a good case of a contrast between

contemporary and traditional houses. Although Erbil is

one of the oldest cities in Kurdistan region, there houses

remain and still occupied by citizens. This offers an

opportunity to compare the traditional city with that

contemporary city in the performance of architecture in

order to achieve the best techniques and methods to

maintain thermal comfort in hot and dry climates.

Therefore, for an understanding of the thermal

performance of both contemporary and traditional

houses, various aspects are necessary such as

architectural design, occupancy patterns, planning and

constructional methods and materials. The present study

aimed at finding the main climate response strategies to

achieve thermal comfort for future houses.

Figure 1 Electricity

demand by Sector [1]

2. LITERATURE REVIEW

According to Hasan Fathy the traditional building is

related to the majority cultures of the society, and work

as symbols of identity as well as reflect the

environmental specification of that region [2].

In the 18th century, research about traditional

architectures had started, the studies in that time had

different feature some considered it as national

architecture element. In the 20th century, architects

began to bring traditional buildings to the field and

theory of architecture [2].

The village of new Gournah, designed by Hasan Fathy

in 1946, is the first project attempt to implement

traditional architecture in to architectural field. He uses

traditional Egyptian design strategy such as mud bricks

in its construction, available materials in the region and

traditional Nubian techniques in the houses [2].

In 2005, Nazife Ozay published article about the

comparative study between tradition and contemporary

houses in Northern Cyprus regarding of climatically

responsive in term of the form, materials, windows and

orientation of the building, and she conclude that the

tradition climate strategy response has been ignored in

the new building [3].

Another important research published by Boqvist et al

in 2012, about the comparison between passive house

construction and traditional building construction in

Sweden in term of construction thermal performance,

climatic response and building efficiency [4].

Furthermore, there are many studies have been done in

many countries about these issues.

Until now there is no studies and measurement data

Domestic

Agriculture

Government

Commercial

Industrial

0 10 20 30 40 50 60

percentage %

mailto:Serbest.ismael@uod.ac
mailto:Diler.morad@uod.ac

about the comparison between traditional and

contemporary houses in Kurdistan region. But there are

many study about traditional building in Kurdistan

region. Therefore, this paper will be the basic for

development of studies about this subject.

3. ERBIL CLIMATE

Erbil city is located to the north of Iraq at Kurdistan

government region between (36.19) Latitude and

(44.009) Longitude. The Erbil’s climate is classified as

semi-arid continental and is characterized by large

differences in temperature between summer and winter

and between day and night with extreme conditions.

Summer season (Jun, July, August and September) is

very hot and dry and the hottest average temperature is

about 43C and in the hottest day the temperature rises

above 48C. While the winter season (November,

December, January and February) is cold and wet, the

lowest average temperature about 2 C and in the lowest

day the temperature declines below -5Cm, with the total

average rainfall about 300-400 millimeters annually [5].

The humidity is high in winter by average 80% and low

in summer by average 20%. The annual wide speed

relatively slow about 3-5 (fig.2) [6].

Figure 2 Erbil monthly average temperature and

precipitation (www.accuweather.com)

4. MACRO & MICRO CLIMATE RESPONSIVE

DESIGN STRATEGIES IN TRADITIONAL

BUILDINGS.

Traditional buildings in Erbil were designed to

withstand the sever climate conditions that surrounding

them. The outcome was successful dwelling that stood

the test of time for thousands of years to prove that

responsive design strategies are effective for the

buildings to combat and successfully respond to the

environment condition surrounding it. The following are

the main design strategies that have been used in

traditional buildings [7]:

4.1 Urban Fabric

Erbil Traditional buildings got evolved within 7000

years ago. The Erbil Citadel has been influenced more

with northern side of the neighboring cities in Turkey

and Iran, on contrast to the form, where the design finds

to be similar to the buildings in Baghdad. This is mainly

because they were under the same climate and culture

influence [8].

The Citadel is mainly occupied by traditional

courtyard-houses reached through a maze of narrow

alleyways. The pedestrian alleyways, which ranged in

width from one to two and half-meters, entered

throughout the Citadel in tree like pattern are a logical-

functional solution to the circulation. While all-

alleyways began naturally from the main-gate and spread

in all directions. The gate allows only entry and exit for

all residents of the city (fig.3A). They are narrow and

deep (i.e. alleyways) to provide shading over the street

and neighboring buildings that reduces the air

temperature as well as it provides protection in the

neighborhood from sand storms, as the high density of

buildings will reduce the wind arrays [9].

Building in Citadel were grouped close together to

shade each other from the sun of midday. The ratio

between street width and building height created a

protected area from the sun of hot summer months, and

this making walking comfortable and allowing the

populations to sit in the street (fig.3B) [10].

Ecological site planning allows suitable levels of

solar radiation and natural day-light in to each residence

unit. Each housing unit will need a relatively unhindered

southern exposure during the winter season, and the

design of house itself will require to ensure that sun can

enter into the inside of the house While the highest angle

of summer-sun is excluded to keep the house unit cool

[9].

A- Site plan showing roads

B-Aerial picture of residential building

Figure 2 Erbil Citadel A- Site plan showing roads

B-Aerial picture of residential building

(http://www.erbilcitadel.org)

http://www.erbilcitadel.org/

4.2 Form and Orientation

External envelop of the building is the most important

layer that affects and controls the desirable wind exposer

and solar access to moderate the heat loss and heat gain

through the building.

Typical houses design in Erbil are constructed with

the courtyards that are the center of the plans with

restrictions given by the form of the land-parcel. Usually

the courtyards were planned to be geometric in form

either rectangle or square with its long axis or

perpendicular to the solar orientation. All the windows

of the rooms in both stories are oriented towards the

courtyard to allow for natural ventilation and breathing

of the building (fig.4 A-B) [11]. Most houses are

designed as two floors; the lower floor usually at one to

one and half-meters under courtyard level. This floor is

also accessed directly from the courtyard by relatively

four or five steps. Semi-basements always have vaulted-

roofs resting on thick-brick piers. Usually ceilings are

build up with two and half to three meters high with

several windows facing the courtyard(fig.4D). The

second level or the upper floor has a high ceiling, and

lower windows to allow for cross-ventilation and let

more day light into the space [12].

These forms of the houses are known as introvert

enclosure, shut-off from its surrounding by solid and

high walls to provide its occupants with privacy and

block street noise. Hence, these spaces and rooms look

indoors onto a secluded and private open space, the

courtyard. Through which they receive daylight, natural

ventilation, sunlight and have visual and physical

communication from inside to outside(fig.4C) [13].

While Orientation is the logical response for climate,

especially the orientation toward the south facing since it

is the main source solar exposure and perhaps source for

comfort or discomfort during respective season. Since

Iraq is located in the northern hemisphere, The

arrangement of space in the building is designed

according to the sun path arches all over the south.

Consequently, in indigenous houses, all the summer

spaces are located in the southern part of the courtyard

as well as all the openings of this part face north. In

contrast, rooms used in the winter generally exist on the

north-side [7].

A- Ground Floor Plan

B-First Floor Plan

C- Elevation Plan

D- Section Plan

Figure 4 Erbil Citadel typical houses A- Ground Floor

Plan B-First Floor Plan C- Elevation Plan D- Section

Plan (http://www.erbilcitadel.org)

4.3 Occupancy Migration- Plan Arrangement

According to Warren and Al-Azzawi the rooms are

used according to the time of the day or season, from the

cellar to attic. The behavior patterns changed, in summer

two periods of sleep were the rule; in the cellar during

the afternoon and on the roof in the cool of the early

hours. At other times of the year the day was un-broken

and the night was spent in a first floor room.” Therefore,

the colonnaded house are places of complex

microclimates where each area is used to its best

advantage and where the courtyard itself is a giant room,

or acting as the hub of life in the building [14] [15].

Horizontal migration inside the houses of Erbil is a

seasonal move between the rooms according to their

orientations. In other words, in the wintertime, sun-shine

is desirable and occupants prefer to have the rooms with

large windows that are south facing with low ceilings

high to gain sun heat. In contrast, summer season it is

desirable to have the rooms north facing north, usually

are open with high ceilings to allow for cross ventilation

will serve the best in Erbil [16].

The vertical migration is the greatest effective

response to temperature-change. Since the climate is at

its peak, meaning the morning time is spent in the

ground floor; the semi-basement is used for the

afternoon-time when the heat is excessive. While at

night, roof space is used for sleeping. This approach is

based on cool sky-radiation at night according to the fact

that warm-air rises whereas cool air is collected in low

space [17].

4.4 Windows, Ventilation and Shading.

Ventilation is an essential factor of modifying the hot

and dry climate. The courtyard response for the climate

is highly effective, where the courtyard is collecting cool

and dense air at night, and provides the surrounding

rooms with cool air till well into the day. When the sun

reaches the courtyard, the air is heated and convection

currents rise and cross ventilation occurs, especially

when the surrounding spaces have secondary ventilation

sources from cool alleys and adjacent narrow [18]. In

addition, the “Bad-Geer” or wind towers is a remarkable

ventilation device. It is tall narrow intakes open to the

roof terrace; capturing the prevailing wind from North-

West in Kurdistan to catch clear and cool air to the

below rooms. Through these rooms, the air-passes in to

the courtyard, feeding the convection cycle. Different

levels receive independent wind scopes [19].

The difference of sun-angles between summer and

winter solstice gets higher the further south or north

from the equator. Hence, November until March months,

sun infiltrate deeper to ward south oriented rooms when

warm is preferred, while from April until October

months, shading devices are useful against direct sun.

The outside shading elements on the facades has a minor

role in the Erbil dwelling, While the houses are adjacent

and introvert from three sides. However, the shadings

are placed interior the house around the courtyard. The

arcade and colonnade around the courtyard provides

shading for the room around the court [20].

4.5 Water Body and Vegetation.

Water has a moderating effect on the air temperature

of the micro-climate through Moisture Thermal Transfer

relative to cooling a space, as dry, warm air passes past

small droplets of water, the heat from the air transfers in

to the water, making the air cooler. This facilitates

evaporation of the water, which causes the water further

cool. Water possesses very high thermal storage

capacity; therefore, majority Erbil traditional building

have fountains [21]. The design behind the idea is that

water has the capability to moderate the air-temperature

in the surroundings and takes-up heat from air through

evaporation and causes significant drop of temperature

[22].

Vegetation is an effective way of changing the

temperature for better conditions by Evapotranspiration.

Transpiration is a cluster of plants that creates the

cooling effect of evaporation as air moves through or

across then plants. The air is cooled as the plants remove

heat to affect the evaporation state change. Furthermore,

it provides shade to the house to decrease the intense

solar exposure. Erbil traditional building used to have

trees in the courtyard since all the windows are opened

toward the courtyard [23].

4.6 Building (construction) Materials.

Building materials and construction techniques were

developed, and adopted to protect the occupant from

climatic factors and temperature range. The structure is

baring wall system, the roof is constructed by wooden

timber beam material with thickness about 20-25 cm and

covered by mat with clay without finishing. the external

and interior walls are built from mud and stone with

thickness about 50-75cm. windows and doors made from

wood and steel, Mass construction of traditional houses

in Erbil use certain exterior materials whether it made of

mud or stone that are well insulated to prolong and

protect the house against the heat in the day-time and

delay the heat transmission to its thermal-mass

characteristic. Sometimes even storing the heat to protect

itself for the chilly mornings [24] [25].

5. MACRO & MICRO CLIMATE RESPONSIVE

DESIGN STRATEGIES IN CONTEMPORARY

BUILDINGS

Contemporary house (modern house concept) in

Erbil city is characterized and influenced by many

different architectural styles and design like Western

architecture that are unfamiliar to the area, without

considering social life, the distinctive climatic conditions

and the advantages of traditional architecture. This is

mainly because of shortage of building regulations and

economic aspect as well as lack of knowledge about the

thermal-performance of modern materials and

constructional methods [26]. Contemporary house has

grown quickly because it is meet social and individual

need for a social success symbol and traditional house is

perceived to be undesirable and old.

5.1 Urban Fabric

New urban expansions and building were designed in

the Erbil and applied without respect for characteristics

of city, because urban planning codes adapted from Iraqi

and foreign countries that are unrelated to the social life

and cultural of the region. Therefore, the existent house

did not have formal codes that led to the great diversity.

Mainly, the urban planning of neighborhood

characterized by main streets that have a rectilinear grid

layout system as well as Secondary Street, and the

blocks of housing plots area are surround by streets

which are generally organized back-to-back(fig.5A). The

roads are used to provide passage for cars, so they are

wide with large open spaces with less shade the building

and passengers(fig.5B) [26]. The layout does not look

have architectural concept of three-dimensional and does

not appear to carry any consideration of social customs,

climatic conditions, orientation, economics, urban design

and planning [27]. However, some areas have a higher

status than others that are located to the corners of

blocks or the house nearer to the main road.

A- Site plan showing grid roads

B-Aerial picture of residential building

Figure 5 Erbil city typical houses, Ganjan city Iraq,

Erbil A- Site plan showing grid roads B-Aerial picture of

residential building (www.Ganjancity.com)

5.2 Form and Orientation

Increasing of population and urban planning

restrictions effected on Building form and the plot area

of residential buildings, which were classified into

variable size, small between 10m*15or20m (150-200

m²) which is widely used and built as terrace houses,

medium 15m*20or25m (300-400 m²) built as semi-

detached houses, large 20m*30or40m (600-800 m²) are

built as detached or semi-detached houses. The above-

mentioned factors made different plan form with a

garden in the front, one and two stories or Multi-story

(fig.6 A-B-D) [26]. The compactness of house

apartment, terraced, semidetached, the houses do not

protect and shade each other from rain in winter and sun

radiation in summer (fig.6C), while the house orientation

directed according to the distribution of urban planning

without any attention to environmental consideration

like wind exposer, solar access and heat loss and gain

through the external envelop [28]. The house size in

terms of the built area size, floor number and room

number on each floor, which is related to the family and

building plot size in addition to social and economic

situation in the society [29].

A- Ground Floor Plan B-First Floor Plan

C- Elevation Plan

D- Section Plan (amperes)

Figure 6 Ganjan city typical houses A- Ground Floor

Plan B-First Floor Plan C- Elevation Plan D- Section

Plan (www.Ganjancity.com)

5.3 Occupancy Migration- Plan Arrangement

As many contemporary houses are comprised of

apartments, terraced and semidetached (three sides)

house generally designed free plan with a specific

function for each zone or space, the occupants were

forced to carry out their actions in specific areas,

irrespective of the seasonal and daily changes in climate

conditions. Those make the zone thermally

uncomfortable by overheating in summer and cooling in

winter, generally, the rooms look out-wards toward the

garden or the street (the passage wayside) [30]. The plan

arrangement has different types but generally ground

floor include reception living room (Hall), kitchen room

in the front house near to entrance and one or two

http://www.ganjancity.com/

bedrooms’ in the behand while first floor include the rest

of the bedrooms, these spaces are used throughout the

year.

5.4 Windows, Ventilation and Shading

The external windows which oriented toward the

street and front garden of ground floor (living, kitchen

and reception) are large and first floor (bedrooms) are

medium to large according to window to wall ratio,

while the inside windows oriented to the shaft for

lighting “minwar”. This has no relationship with the

seasonal specialization and environmental or

geographical orientation. Therefore, the house cannot get

advantage from such windows to encourage desirable

heat gain in winter and avoid undesirable heat gain in

summer. It is hard to decide the size of window for the

room used during all seasons. the large windows in hot

and dry reign cause overheating in summer and may by

cooling in the winter by heat loss, therefor to achieve

thermal comfort need device (air-condition) [31].

The external windows partially shaded by projecting

small or large balconies “Tarma” of the first floor or by

continuous horizontal straight overhangs, but these

shading devices are there for rain protection and

decorative purpose, without any relation to the

orientation and sun angles in winter and summer. Most

contemporary house have sufficient lighting due to the

large windows while the ventilation is not functioned

well because it not oriented to the correct wind breeze

for the reasons previously mentioned and building

Outward-looking [32].

5.5 Water Body and Vegetation

In fact, the garden in contemporary house is formed

due to urban planning regulation, which forced the house

to get away from the street 4 meters and have no

relationship with climatic consideration. The garden

located in the front of house include many kind of

Vegetation, this cannot be cooling the inside temperature

like courtyard because of its location and purpose which

used the plants for decoration with neglecting the solar

accesses and wind exposer. In the recent year, many

houses removed his garden because they thought it

useless [33].

Water bodies are not used in contemporary house

because there is not enough space in the garden, and if it

exists, it is used only for aesthetic purposes. For this

reason, the use of vegetation and water are ineffective to

reducing temperature inside the house [33].

5.6 Building (construction) Materials

Contemporary house in Erbil used for the

construction reinforced concrete, and concrete block for

structure (baring wall system), the roof is constructed by

reinforced concrete material with thickness about 15 cm,

sometime covered by Terrazzo and porcelain tile, mostly

without finishing. The external and interior walls are

built from

concrete block with thickness about 20cm generally

finished with cement plaster, paints and Marble [34].

Windows and doors made from aluminum, plastic,

wood, glass and steel, while ceramic and porcelain tile

for floor finishes. Material previously mentioned

incorporated in heavy weight constructions. Generally,

both exterior walls and roof does not have thermal

insulation, and is not thick enough to provide in

sufficient U-value (against heat loss) and time lag

(against heat gain) to achieve thermal comfort in winter

and summer [35].

6- ANALYSIS ANA EVALUATION

This section will be evaluating and analysis both

traditional and contemporary houses in Erbil city, in

term of climate response strategies aspect and thermal

comfort table 1. This comparison and evaluation can

covered majority of houses in the city not all due to the

different building size, form and materials …etc.

Table 1 Evolution and Comparison between Traditional and Contemporary houses

Traditional houses Contemporary houses

U
rb

a
n

f
a
b
ri

U
rb

a
n

l
a
y

o
u

-Houses in towns were

grouped close together to

shade each other

-Houses oriented

according to sun access

and prevailing wind [9]

-Houses in towns have

large open spaces with

less shade building each

other and passengers.

-Houses oriented

randomly according to

urban planning code

(regulation) [26]

S
tr

e
e
t

n
e
tw

o
rk

-Narrow and irregular

streets [9]

-Wide and regular

network streets [27]

A
rc

h
it

e
c
tu

ra
l

d
e
si

g
n

s
tr

a
te

g
ie

F
o

rm
a

n
d

O
ri

e
n

ta
ti

o
n

C
o

m
p

a
ri

so
n

-Inward looking with

courtyard

-Simple plan form square

and rectangular with cubic

courtyard, ground and 1st

floor equal. [12]

- Having one external

elevation and three other

sides surrounded by

neighborhood houses [11]

-Out ward looking to garden

or street

- Different plan form,

ground and 1st floor not

equal. [29]

- Most houses have two

elevations or more [28]

E
v

a
lu

a
ti

o
n
Both courtyard and simple of plan form achieved

thermal comfort through cooling the spaces in day

and night time by minimizing the surface that

exposure to the sun and climate factor in summer.

(Authors)

Garden cannot by alternative solution of courtyard

for achieving thermal comfort for spaces, while the

plan form and two elevations or more led the large

area of surface that exposure to the sun and climate

factors. (Authors)

O
c
c
u

p
a
n

c
y

m
ig

ra
ti

o
n

,
P

la
n

a
rr

a
n

g
e
m

e
n

C
o

m
p

a
ri

so
n

-One or two floors

with small basement.

-plot area according to

family size and

economic states [17]

-Changed in

residential buildings.

[14]

-Compact planning

with

courtyard

-Floors height change

- One or two floors or

Multi-story blocks

-plot area classified

according to urban

planning regulation (no

consideration for family

size and economic). [30]

-Unchanged in

residential buildings

-Incompact planning. No

courtyard . [30]

-Floors height is the

same

E
v

a
lu

a
ti

o
n

-Using ground floor in summer day and 1
st
floor in

night and winter to achieve thermal comfort as well

as benefit for small basement in the hot day in

summer. (Authors)

-There is zone problem because of restrictions of

modern houses therefore to achieve thermal

comfort need electric devises such as (Air condition

unit).

- Lost in spaces. (Authors)

W
in

d
o

w
s,

V
e
n

ti
la

ti
o

n
a

n
d

S
h

a
d

in
g

C
o

m
p

a
ri

so
n

-Clerestory windows

-Covered terraces

-Lighting and natural

ventilation by courtyard.

- External windows are

small while interior

windows are large with

small window on the up.

Windows oriented to the

courtyard according to the

climate response [18].

- Wall shaded by attaching

with surrounding houses

-Vast glazed windows

- Not standard balconies or

no balconies

-Natural ventilation and

lighting by external and

interior windows

-External and interior

windows are large.

- Windows oriented to the

garden, street or back side.

[31]

E
v

a
lu

a
ti

o
n

- Covered terraces and windows designed to provide

suitable shading in summer.

- The interior windows oriented in the 1st floor to the

south and ground floor to the north and west, to

provide suitable sun radiation and shading in winter

and summer. [18]

- The External windows small windows in the

outside give a privacy. (Authors)

- Balcony and windows not designed to provide

suitable shading in summer.

-The large windows size and orientation cause loos

of energy and uncomfortable because of

overheating and under heating in summer and

winter as well as loss of privacy. On the other hand

it is suitable for natural lighting and ventilation.

(Authors)

W
a
te

r
b

o
d

y
a

n
d

V
e
g

e
ta

ti
o

C
o

m
p

a
ri

so
n

-A body of water and

vegetation in the

courtyard. [21]

-Garage and garden in the

front of house or back side.

[33]

E
v

a
l

u
a
ti

-Providing thermal comfort by cooling spaces.

(Authors)

-For aesthetic purposes.(Authors)

B
u

il
d
in

g
m

a
te

ri
a
ls

C
o

m
p

a
ri

so
n

-Local-materials

(wood, mud and stone)

found on the site of the

houses or brought

from a nearby area.

[24]

-Load-bearing walls

- Wall thick 50-80 cm.

-Materials are mostly

imported or locally made

with poor qualities

(concrete block and

reinforced concrete)

- Poor or No insulation

-Load-bearing walls and

Frame structures. [35]

- Wall thick 24 cm

E
v

a
lu

a
ti

o
n
-Thick wall made of mud bricks achieve thermal

comfort, its work as thermal insulation in the day

time and stored heat at night. [24]

-Poor quality and insulation cause loos of energy

and uncomfortable by lost of heating and cooling in

summer and winter. (Authors)

T
h
e
rm

a
l

p
e
rf

o
rm

a
n

c
e

-Satisfactory during both

winter and summer and

at all times. (Authors)

-Unsatisfactory during

the times of overheating

and under heating.

(Authors)

7. CONCLUSION

According to the above evaluation, it can be

understood that the houses with courtyard (traditional

house) are the best solution for climate condition of Erbil

city due to the successful responds to the hot and dry

climate. Today, it can probably be observed any

consistency in the climate design approach in Erbil city.

A
rc

h
it

e
c
tu

ra
l

d
e
si

g
n
s

tr
a
te

g
ie

The micro- climatic factors such as sun access or

orientation are ignored. The direction of wind breeze in

many cases have not been taken in to consideration in

building design, material selection and site planning, as

well as the economic state (land prices, using chip

marital) and increase population in the main towns this

leading residential sector to be far away from the both

urban and architectural quality. Thermal comfort and

climatic design have been ignored by engineer and

designers that cause utilizing of mechanical devise such

as (Air-Condition unit) to control the thermal comfort in

the house, that main massive wastage of money and

energy resources.

Based on the above evaluation, May be the available

climate design considerations can be addressed:

- Design of Landscape. Specially, to providing

shade and cooling for spaces during the hot-

summer times by the trees and Vegetation.

- Designing of semi-open and open spaces for

example courtyards, balconies, terraces and

verandas.

- Block concrete should be replaced by local

material like stone, brick and preferred used

new material and system

- prevailing wind direction and sun access or
orientation should by Highly respected

- Utilizing suitable building element and shading
device that provide climate solutions for

instance sun devices, blinds and overhangs.

PVS shutters
- with louvers are appropriate and available for

Erbil climate.

- Using suitable thick of thermal insulating of

walls and roof with suitable high of ceilings.

Utilizing light color to reflect the heat (sun radiation)

such as white with pure form.

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