Comparison of summer and winter thermal environment in traditional vernacular houses in several areas of Nepal

Publisher Summary The chapter presents the results of an indoor thermal investigation undertaken to evaluate and improve the thermal environment in traditional vernacular houses of the Banke, Bhaktapur, Dhading, Kaski, and Solukhumbu districts of Nepal. The houses were analyzed in terms of the mitigation of thermal environment by residents, the relation between living-space temperature and climate, the temperature control effects by building materials, and the relation between indoor and outdoor temperature difference, and altitude. The results showed that residents mitigate the thermal environment by moving between indoor, semi-open, and front yard spaces. Living-space temperature was found to be very high in the subtropical climate in the summer and very low in cool climate in winter. It is different according to climatic zones and seasons, which suggests that people have adapted to live with their natural environment. The room temperature was 3.2K lower than the outdoor temperature during summer daytime, and 3.8–5.5K higher during winter nighttime. This is due to the effect of cool radiation in summer and heat storage in winter by the earth floor, stonewalls, and brick walls of the houses.