A simulation-based model for courtyard housing design based on adaptive thermal comfort

Courtyards are anecdotally known for their distinctive bioclimatic efficiency, particularly in hot-arid climates. However, this building typology is not always preferred in modern constructions. The aim of this study is to perform a parametric study to enhance design efficiency and provide simple-to-use rules for designing courtyard houses in subtropical desert climates. Numerical models were developed using the Grasshopper tool together with the environmental plugins Ladybug and Honeybee in order to enhance the design efficiency of courtyards. The paper investigates the impact on the thermal comfort of the main design variables, including the orientation, geometry, materials, window sizes, and courtyard eccentricity. In particular, the parametric study compares over 8600 possible alternatives. Results show how an enhanced design can significantly increase the thermal comfort in courtyard houses in a hot arid climate. The automatically generated solutions are also compared with design practices and literature rules-of-thumb of successful courtyards. Finally, a set of equations is provided to support the design of courtyard houses in hot and dry climates.