1 ECOTECT

modeling description and discussion of results

1.1 Basics
For analyzing the house model in respect to thermal behavior and light distribution we
used the software ecotect version 5.2 by SQUARE ONE research PTY LTD.
The house was modeled in accordance to our architectural design. Only the dome of
the wind catcher needed to be simplified, so we generated it as a cube.

The above image shows a perspective view of the model, with individual colour for each zone

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1.1.1 Lighting Analysis

The lighting concept has the goal that no electric light is needed
nearly the whole day when the sun is shining and needs high
efficient lamps during the night. In the Lake Nasser Region the
sun shine duration is very long. This makes it possible to
calculate with a certainty that the daylight will be a sufficient light
source. On the other hand with a high level of daylight indoor
illumination the thermal load is also very high and has the risk of
a high glare effect.
Traditionally the Egyptian buildings have Mashrabias as windows. That are wooden or
stony patterns with many holes. They are often constructed like an artwork. The effect is
that the light input and the glare is limited because of the patterns as well as the view
from outside is hidden to keep the privacy of the family.
For the prototype housing we used three different types of windows:
-

Mashrabias for the outside walls with a degree of transmission of 45%

Mashrabias for the openings at the tons with a degree of transmission of 25%

Single Glazed windows as windows on the courtyard side with a degree of

transmission of 90%

The courtyard windows can have a higher transmission, because they are shaded
nearly the whole day.

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The number, sizes and arrangements of mashrabias and windows have been done by
the help of lighting simulations with the software ECOTECT. The calculations were
done with the CIE overcast sky modus. Simulations with clear sky modus are not
available yet with this software. But for a first test this is OK. All the simulations were
done with a wall and ceiling reflection of 80 % and a floor reflection of 40%. The
calculation height is at 80 cm above the floor.
We tried to achieve an as uniform as possible illumination of about 300-500 lx,
according to norms of different working tasks. It is difficult to achieve a good uniformity,
because the windows are narrow due to an easy construction and the outside
illuminance is very high.
The presentation of simulation results is always in the same scale of 0-1000 lx.
Living room:

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4/4

kitchen:

Child 2:

5/5

These examples show, that the day lighting is satisfactory because the rate between the
lowest illuminance and the highest illuminance is about 1 : 3, which means that the eye
can adapt easily to the different lighting levels.
Electric light:
The cheapest solution with a good light quality is a tubular fluorescent lamp of 18 W, 36
W or 58 W. For the small rooms one 18 W lamp might be enough. According to the
efficiency method as example the parents room:
Surface : 15 m
Reflection wall: 80%
Reflection ceiling: 80%
Reflection floor: 40%
Lamp height: 2m
Lamp flux: 1350 lm

E=

r LB
a b

1.1 0.9 1350

= 89.1lx
35

The averaged illuminance of 89 lx is enough for normal tasks.

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1.2 Thermal analysis

The characteristics of the main building parts were set as described in chapter 5.
Openings such as windows and mashrabias are like described in 6.2.
The basic settings for our calculation were set as follows:
Ventilation:

natural

Air change rate:

Operation:

from 22pm to 6am

Operation schedule:

Summer 100%, Winter 20%

Occupancy:

none

Heat gains:

none

These settings are assumed to be equal for the whole building.

Above legend shows colour distribution for each zone valid for above image in 6.1 and
following graphs.

The calculation for the hottest day in average delivered the following results:

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Clay construction:
C

HOURLY TEMPERATURES - All Visible Thermal Zones

Friday 17th August (229) - Aswan, Eygpt

W / m

40

2.0k

30

1.6k

20

1.2k

10

0.8k

0.4k

-10

Outside Temp.

Beam Solar

8
Diffuse Solar

10

12

Wind Speed

14

16

Zone Temp.

18

20

22

0.0k

Selected Zone

Brick construction:
C

HOURLY TEMPERATURES - All Visible Thermal Zones

Friday 17th August (229) - Aswan, Eygpt

W/ m

40

2.0k

30

1.6k

20

1.2k

10

0.8k

0.4k

-10

0
Outside Temp.

4
Beam Solar

8
Diffuse Solar

10
Wind Speed

12

14
Zone Temp.

8/8

16

18
Selected Zone

20

22

0.0k

The calculation for the coldest day in average delivered the following results:
Clay construction:
C

HOURLY TEMPERATURES - All Visible Thermal Zones

Wednesday 12th December (346) - Aswan, Eygpt

W/ m

40

2.0k

30

1.6k

20

1.2k

10

0.8k

0.4k

-10

Outside Temp.

Beam Solar

8
Diffuse Solar

10

12

W ind Speed

14

16

Zone Temp.

18

20

22

0.0k

Selected Zone

Brick construction:
C

HOURLY TEMPERATURES - All Visible Thermal Zones

Wednesday 12th December (346) - Aswan, Eygpt

W/ m

40

2.0k

30

1.6k

20

1.2k

10

0.8k

0.4k

-10

0
Outside Temp.

4
Beam Solar

8
Diffuse Solar

10
Wind Speed

12

14

16

Zone Temp.

Calculation for hottest average day without ventilation

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18
Selected Zone

20

22

0.0k

HOURLY TEMPERATURES - All Visible Thermal Zones

Friday 17th August (229) - Aswan, Eygpt

W/ m

40

2.0k

30

1.6k

20

1.2k

10

0.8k

0.4k

-10

0
Outside Temp.

4
Beam Solar

8
Diffuse Solar

10
Wind Speed

12

14
Zone Temp.

16

18

20

22

0.0k

Selected Zone

As the graphs show the different materials nearly perform the same thermal behaviour.
Due to the thickness of construction parts and their thermal lag the inner temperatures
vary almost along the daily average temperature.
As for the hottest day comparing the graphs with and without ventilation the natural
ventilation at nighttime brings a reduction in temperature of about 4K at nighttime and
1K at daytime. With no further means the room temperatures in the building on the
hottest day vary between 33 to 36C at night and 35 to 37C during the day.
On the coldest day inside temperatures vary between 14C at night to 16C during the
day.
According to Mahony the comfort zone for the examined region can be assumed as
shown in the table below.

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Comfort zones

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun

monthly average maximum

23,8 26,2 30,4 35 38,5 42,1 41,2 41,3 39,6 36,6 30,2 25,5

Jul Aug Sep Okt Nov Dec

humidity group

daytime comfort upper value

31

31

34

34

34

34

34

34

34

34

31

31

daytime comfort lower value

25

25

26

26

26

26

26

26

26

26

25

25

monthly average minimum

9,4 12,6 17,5 21,1 24,2 24,5 24,7 22,2 19,3 14,5 9,9

nighttime comfort upper value

24

24

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

25

24

24

nighttime comfort lower value

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

17

cold neutr. neutr. hot

hot

hot

hot

hot

hot

hot neutr. neutr.

Therm. Stress daytime

nighttime

cold

cold

cold neutr. neutr. neutr. neutr. neutr. neutr. neutr. cold

cold

In summer, the simulated inside temperatures during the day are only slightly over the
comfort zone. If we take into consideration that we calculated for the hottest day, the
temperatures during the day will be comfortable the most days. At night the
temperatures are to hot in comparison to the Mahony comfort zone. This problem could
be solved by additional means such as humidification and the wind catcher. These
effects could not be simulated in ECOTECT.
In winter, the coldest inside temperatures drop far below the comfort level during the
day and slightly below the comfort level at night. Considering that internal loads are not
integrated in the calculation can be assumed that in reality, the inner temperatures will
be 1 to 3 K, depending on the room, higher. If higher comfort is required, additional
heating e.g. solar heating can be applied.

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