Bioclimatic Architecture: Design Strategies in Egypt

In this paper, bioclimatic design strategies in vernacular Egyptian architecture have been analysed for three different climatic regions of Egypt. The climatic regions of Egypt are: hot dry, hot mild and hot humid regions. The design strategies were extracted from existing vernacular architecture in each region. All of the vernacular buildings in these regions include strategies that are technically, environmentally, socially, and economically valid. However, for the last 50 years, modern buildings were depending on highly subsidized energy prices, which eventually produced obviously an architecture that is energetically and environmentally degrading. Therefore, the aim of this study is to enable architects to re-understand the lessons of tradition, because the way towards bioclimatic architecture should start by understanding vernacular architecture. The paper presents a set of bioclimatic principles addressing (1) urban morphologies, (2) building architecture and (3) vernacular architectural components. They are not intended as a set recipe that must be followed, but have been selected to show the range of bioclimatic and vernacular design strategies that exist to overcome individual problem in buildings. Finally, the study developed a comparative matrix that can support architects with the principles and strategies for bioclimatic design.