Thermal Performance Evaluation of Unshaded Courtyards in Egyptian Arid Regions

Effective architectural features such as courtyards can mitigate heat stress in hot arid regions. Appropriate configuration of the courtyard leads to significant improvement in the thermal performance of the building and directly influences the behavior of its users and the functionality of the space. The aim of the study was to evaluate the thermal performance of various courtyards by examining various sky view factors (SVF) and courtyard orientations so that suggestions could be offered for future guidelines for construction designs in Egyptian arid regions. The study was conducted on the new Aswan University campus built in the desert region of new Aswan city. Field measurements and simulations were used to evaluate the thermal conditions of these courtyards. Thermal comfort was measured by physiologically equivalent temperature (PET). The study determined that unshaded courtyards should be oriented in a north–south direction to mitigate the effects of solar radiation intensity. Whereas SVF can be lowered to less than 0.2 for courtyards in a north–south orientation, further SVF reduction for courtyards in other orientations might result in heat-trapping. Adding a greening area improves the thermal performance of courtyards.