School Courtyards’ Summer Thermal Impact on Classrooms in Arid Zones

CANTON, MA. ALICIA; GANEM, CAROLINA; FERNANDEZ LLANO, JORGE

Architectural Science Review

The University of Sydney Printing Service

Lugar: Sydney, Australia; Año: 2010

0003-8628

<!-- /* Style Definitions */ p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-parent:""; margin:0cm; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";} @page Section1 {size:595.3pt 841.9pt; margin:70.85pt 3.0cm 70.85pt 3.0cm; mso-header-margin:35.4pt; mso-footer-margin:35.4pt; mso-paper-source:0;} div.Section1 {page:Section1;} --> This paper evaluates the impact of design decisions on enclosed open spaces –courtyards– on school interior thermal conditions. A series of variables such as form, materiality, orientation and solar protections have been considered. Two courtyards with similar morphological and technological characteristics, partially protected by “shading fabric canopies” and trees, that only presented different formal configurations within the same building, were selected. Air temperature measurements, were performed on an annual basis divided into four periods according to each season. Results show that, in arid zones, with important amounts of clear sky days, the shadow condition of the patio is the main impact strategy on classrooms thermal conditions. As schools are used exclusively during daytime, open space conditions are crucial.