Optimising courtyard housing design for solar radiation within dense urban environments

The potential of energy-conscious traditional design of dwellings has been \nrecognised with its direct and sometimes sophisticated response to local climatic \nconditions in recent years. Courtyard forms, which provide heat, light, \nventilation and other functions for buildings surrounding it, are found in many \nhigh density urban environments around the world. \nThis current study focuses on one of the solutions which can contribute to \nembodying the energy-conscious tradition. As an issue of how buildings \nrespond to the different climate arises on a global scale, emphasis is placed on \nregional urban courtyard housing, for which design proposals are made, with \nspecial reference to Seoul, Korea (latitude 37.34° N). Apart from acting as \nclimatic modifiers through solar access, courtyard housing forms can offer spatial \nand visual amenities to otherwise monotonous urban plan buildings. \nThe aim of this study is to gain an understanding of the relationship \nbetween courtyard design and solar radiation in a densely built housing \ndevelopment. The parametric study examines the possibilities of varying \nhousing layout factors in courtyard design, such as housing density, plot \ndimension, housing development scale and housing orientation, thereby \nsuggesting guidelines for suitable ranges of the design parameters of courtyard \nhousing. By these means, a density objective in urban area can be achieved with \ncertain parameters with a potential to form energy-conscious courtyard design. \nSolutions for optimising the use of solar energy in courtyard housing \nlayout in future housing development are categorised into (1) efficient layout \nplanning, which include the range of optimum use of the housing layout factors \nand storey height under land use policy, and (2) passive courtyard housing form, \nwhich respond to urban housing layouts. Implications of the design strategies \nfor planners, designers and local authorities are then outlined, including design \nguidelines.