Evaluating and improving the thermal performance of the modern rural house in Farafra Oasis

    Complementarity between the architectural product of housing, conditions, and components of the surrounding environment is an important and influential factor in the success of new residential complexes, especially in developing countries, in order to contribute to achieving environmental balance, which is one of the most important trends worldwide nowadays. This study discusses the assessment of the thermal performance of the modern rural dwelling of the modern village project in Farafra Oasis and its suitability for the surrounding climatic conditions through studying the materials and techniques used and achieving the requirements of the Egyptian Energy Code for residential buildings. In addition to suggestions and treatments to improve the thermal performance of the house. This study was based on a field visit to the modern rural dwelling project at Farafra Oasis for the purpose of raising, documenting, and identifying the housing model, its characteristics, the building materials and techniques used, and the climatic conditions of the site. And the compatibility of the housing's outer envelope with the climatic conditions of the desert region. Thus, the thermal performance of the existing housing spaces is assessed by using simulation software to explore the thermal comfort of occupants. Suggestions and treatments were then put forward to improve the thermal performance of the house and evaluated to determine its impact on the housing's thermal efficiency.
By comparing the obtained results with the boundaries of thermal comfort and the specifications of the Egyptian code for residential buildings, the results demonstrated the home model's inadequate thermal performance. An improvement in internal space thermal comfort hours all year long has been attributed to proposed treatments aimed at enhancing the home's thermal performance. In addition, it uses less energy and is more efficient than the current model.