Thermal design of historic earth buildings
This talk was given at the Earth Building Association Australia Conference 2017. Learn more at www.ebaa.asn.au/.
This paper reviews the thermal design of a range of historic earth buildings from around to world. Features which are common to these earth buildings have been developed for specific climate, to take advantage of diurnal or annual changes in temperature and humidty. By learning from the building design methods developed in the past, we may be able to better design new buildings to better control thermal comfort in modern buildings.
Paul Jaquin (PhD, MEng, CPEng), Senior Structural/Geotechnical Engineer, Opus International Consultants, Queenstown.
Paul is an engineer based in Queenstown, New Zealand. His experience is in the behaviour of historic rammed earth building, and in the fundamental soil mechanics which underpins earth construction. Paul has published widely in the field of earthen construction, and has worked as a structural and a geotechnical engineer in the UK and in New Zealand on the design of rammed earth, straw bale and more conventional building materials.
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About the wall thickness of Moroccan buildings, a man from Skoura once told me that other than structural and thermal reasons, another reason for the thick walls (sometimes up to 1m of thickness in ground floor) came from times when tribes would attack each other over conflict. The attackers would dig through the walls to attack people inside the kasbahs/ksour by surprise. So people made their walls thick to be able to detect the digging in time and have enough time to react. Also, about the Musgun hut, Cameroon picture, the 'cooking thing' in the outside space is traditionally used for grain storage.
@saphiquefemme
2 жыл бұрын
I would also assume stability against natural disasters if any and the walls ability to stay up long term
Exactly why design is so important. Living in an arid desert, I'm very aware of how difficult it is to cool a building when temps get up to 115-120° F in the hot months.
@uhadme
3 жыл бұрын
Not hard at all when your walls are 2' thick. Open it at night and let it cool, close the vents and heat of the day barely warms it up by nightfall, repeat the cycle. (literally don't need A/C)
@kevinkubecka8869
2 жыл бұрын
Research the WindCatchers of Persia, You will find comfortable living with passive, no energy use system are possible in arid, high heat climates.
The Wall Connected To The Floor Will Syphon The Heat Out. In Cold Climates The Floor Needs To Be Insulated/Separated From Floor
Love you sir
thicker walls are desirable in the hotter climates to mitigate the entire inside heating up over several days. The thicker the better.
He certainly doesn't help the ordinary person wanting to build an inexpensive, small home, due to his overeducation for the common people to understand. I think ANYONE who can lift a can of dirt can build their own home. Good thing there are a lot of videos on earth building. There were some nice photos, thanks.
Rammed earth roofs is possible? Video please
@richardleau
2 жыл бұрын
I don't believe so. The shear strength of earth construction is close to zero. Barrel arches are possible. But not rammed earth.