Thermal Analysis of Cold-Arid Climate-Responsive Ladakh’s Vernacular Architecture
Case of Leh
Keywords:
Vernacular architecture, Thermal performance, Passive design, Cold-arid regionAbstract
Building form and materials of vernacular buildings enhance mitigation of harsh climatic state and intelligently utilize them for achieving thermal comfort. This paper investigates qualitatively the design strategies employed in the traditional dwellings of Ladakh, India and their response to the local climatic conditions. Based on a field case study conducted in Leh, the research covers a theoretical analysis of the thermal properties of the building envelope. Calculations for heat capacity, thermal resistance and thermal mass are presented in comparison to modern structures. The study concludes that the thermal performance meets ISO standards and is better than modern building envelopes in many respects. The passive means, cultural practices and daily activities of the community are all utilized in enhancing the indoor thermal environment.
Downloads
References
Clouse, C., 2018. Frozen landscapes: climate-adaptive design interventions in Ladakh and Zanskar. Landscape Research, 41(8), pp. 821-836.
Ferrari, E. P., 2018. High Altitude Houses. Florence, Italy: Department of Architecture, University of Florence.
Huang, L., Hamza, N., Lan, B. & Zahi, D., 2016. Climate-responsive design of traditional dwellings in the cold-arid regions of Tibet and a feild investigation of indoor environment in winter. Energy and Buildings, Volume 128, pp. 697-712.
Indian Metereological Department Archive, 2018. Pune: s.n.
ISO13786, 2017. Thermal performance of building components — Dynamic thermal characteristics — Calculation methods. 3 ed. s.l.:s.n.
ISO6946, 2017. Building components and building elements — Thermal resistance and thermal transmittance — Calculation methods. 3 ed. s.l.:s.n.
Kaul, S. & Kaul, H., 2004. Ladakh- Through the ages and Towards a New Identity. 3 ed. New Delhi: Indus Publishing Company.
Krishan, A., 1996. The habitat of two deserts in India: hot-dry desert of Jaisalmer (Rajasthan) and the cold-dry high altitude mountainous desert of Leh (Ladakh). Energy and Buildings, 23(3), pp. 217-229.
Priya, R. S., Sundarraja , M., Radhakrishnan, S. & Vijaylakshmi, L., 2011. Solar passive techniques in the vernacular buildings of coastal regions in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu- India - a qualitative and quantitative analysis. Energy and Buildings, Elsevier, pp. 50-61.
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
License
Copyright (c) 2022 Hargun Chawla
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
