Buildings use a substantial amount of primary energy, and as a consequence, they are a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to global warming and climate change. A considerable change in building design ideas, methods, technologies, and design and construction systems is necessary in light of the oncoming worldwide energy and environmental concerns. Vernacular architecture is a valuable resource that has the ability to contribute significantly to the definition of sustainable design principles. It is distinguished by a particular style of formal expression that has evolved in reaction to a variety of elements—geographical, climatic, social, and economic—that describe the local location or region in question. The purpose of this chapter is to examine instances of vernacular architecture that have been used to combat climate change and to qualitatively appraise the bioclimatic design solutions that have been applied.
TopIntroduction
The preservation of the natural environment is essential to the continuous survival of human civilization, which has expanded and grown throughout the course of time. Every region or area has, over the course of time and as a result of the intricate interaction between the natural process of evolution and human adaptation to its surrounding environment, developed particular characteristics that set it apart from others.
The only way for a location to keep its one-of-a-kind identity and characteristics for an extended period of time is for its residents to have an in-depth understanding of the natural systems and a thorough absorption in the time-tested cultural reactions to the environment's assets and liabilities. Both of these factors are essential for long-term sustainability.
The preservation of the environment is the most pressing issue confronting humankind today, and one of the most effective strategies is to reduce energy usage. As is commonly known, buildings use around 40% of all energy consumed worldwide and are responsible for 36% of greenhouse gas emissions (EC, 2020). Increasing urbanization, expanding population, and better living circumstances will all lead to the most energy-consuming constructions being located in metropolitan centers (Zhao & Zhang, 2018). With the depletion of energy resources and the danger of climate change, it is imperative to pursue an environmentally friendly and sustainable growth route. Due to the impending global energy and environmental problems, a significant shift in building design ideologies, strategies, innovations, and design and construction systems is required.
Since the beginning of time that has been documented, people in communities and civilizations all across the globe have been putting up structures. These buildings range in terms of size, form, and architectural style. The primary function of buildings is to offer a comfortable and secure living environment that is sheltered from the effects of adverse weather conditions. In this sense, vernacular architecture developed gradually to meet the environmental, social, and sociological characteristics of the society as well as the changing lifestyle over a period of time to accommodate the changing lifestyle (Coch, 1998). The materials and architectural components that have been used have also been tailored to the individual terrain and environment of each location, making them climate-responsive and site-specific. It has a significant capacity to adapt to the environment and provide good thermal comfort since it makes extensive use of natural materials and has bioclimatic qualities. Aside from that, it is a design that is both economically and socially sound, as well as ecologically self-sufficient. These structures achieved a high degree of compatibility with their surroundings and had a minimum environmental effect on the environment. However, modernization, combined with the necessity for rapid and timely shelter supply for an ever-increasing population, has resulted in a flood of innovative building designs, technologies, and materials flooding the market. These are quickly embraced by customers who show a desire for such designs as well as higher expectations for thermal comfort in their houses. From an environmentally benign approach to a succession of quite high-tech and costly replies, the notion of sustainability, which emerged in the 1980s, progressed extremely quickly (Ş Emekci, 2021). The group of new construction specialists often applies new designs without taking the local climatic variables into consideration. As a consequence, traditional structures are being forgotten, and knowledge of their construction processes is fading away. However, it is possible to develop new and more sustainable design strategies for the rapidly expanding building sector by learning from the past. These strategies should take into consideration the local climatic conditions while aiming to reduce the use of energy-intensive and expensive artificial means to provide comfort in the future. Because of these efforts, it is possible that the repercussions of climate change may be reduced. The objective of this chapter is to investigate examples of vernacular architecture that have been utilized as a tool in tackling climate change, as well as to qualitatively assess which bioclimatic design strategies have been used. The chapter also discusses how vernacular architecture can contribute to social sustainability and decrease climate change impacts on society.