THE OPTIMISED MIXED-MODE HOUSE:

from Kent School of Architecture and Planning - End of Year Show 2023 Catalogue

Research at KSAP

Countering AC reliance by re-synchronizing the thermal environment with occupant lifestyles in Khartoum

The Sudanese house has had to evolve 4 times in the past 200 years due to changing socioeconomic conditions. It went from a spiralling compound of scattered rooms to a compact contemporary building with all the functions under one roof. This also meant transitioning from natural ventilation to AC reliance. This research utilised a mixed-mode method to understand the phenomenon from different angles. The study found that occupants in both typologies used internal spaces for prolonged periods. The study found that the thermal variety that existed in the original traditional houses can be replicated in both modern and modified traditional houses by creating zones. These zones match the users current modern usage patterns of their house, allowing minimal need for constant movement. This solution allows the Sudanese house to synchronise with the users daily patterns again, resulting in a reduction in electric consumption.

People used to rotate through the house during the day

The thermal migration is linked to outdoor temperatures

HUDA ELSHERIF PhD Student hzte3@kent.ac.uk

urbanization lead to houses becoming more enclosed

People used to synchronise their daily lifestyles with the building’s thermal profile. A modern internalbased lifestyle changed this delicate balance.

We can adapt the traditional concept of thermal migration into a modern context by ‘zoning’. Creating zones that are comfortable under different conditions and run modes in a way that suits occupants current lifestyle.

A sustainability consultant and researcher with expertise in thermal comfort, building physics and social sciences. After conducting 4 years of research in Sudan looking at the increase in AC reliance due to modern buildings, I created a framework for designing sustainable houses in Sudan.