Jordan faces an energy crisis aggravated by the limitation of energy resources and coupled with the high dependency on neighbouring countries. In addition, the raise in the country’s population has resulted in excessive pressure on the residential sector to hasten housing construction projects resulting in a reduction of quality in favour of speed. A viscous cycle was created in which new buildings with poor thermal performance further exacerbate the energy crisis. Adding to the problem, a significant rise in summer temperatures is anticipated in the near future as a result of climate change, which would result in even more demand for active means of space conditioning. The objective of this research was to assess the thermal performance of a typical residential apartment in Amman, and propose interventions that would help reduce its reliance on mechanical methods of space conditioning during cooling periods. Through dynamic simulation modelling, a parametric analysis was developed involving a number of iterations exploring different fenestration designs and thermal transmittance values for walls. In order to improve the models’ accuracy, the results of a longitudinal survey of residents in 145 similar apartments were utilized to inform the simulation assumptions. The survey gathered data on the occupants’ thermal perception and behaviour, their socio-economical attributes and the building physical characteristic and use. The authors concluded that small amendments in the design, such as the incorporation of natural ventilation for parts of the year, could enhance the thermal performance up to 45%. The optimum glazing to wall ratio for more energy efficient residential buildings within the context of Jordan was defined as 15% to 20% in all orientations, whereas the thermal transmittance for walls and roofs as 0.13W/m2K. The conclusions were proposed as a set of recommendations to help designers to choose optimal building element characteristics and orientation for each function in early design stages.