Sustainable Strategies for Comfort in Cold Climate through Mahani and Effective Temperature Indicators: A Case Study in Zanjan, Iran

Abstract

Cold climate cities in Iran have always encountered many harsh conditions such as annual and daily fluctuations in temperature, dry weather, very cold winter wind, and warm and dusty weather in the summer. In such a condition residential complexes are of vital importance in keeping human comfort zone against highly unstable climate. There is a considerable amount of researches on different climates and cities. Farajzade has conducted a research on bioclimatic conditions in Sanandaj, Iran. Tahbaz has conducted research titled "Еhe way of analyzing weather forecast for designing climatically compatible architecture". At the present research due to young population of Zanjan city and the need to urban residential areas we have studied ways for optimal utilization of national resources with regard to designing buildings compatible with existing climatic and regional parameters. Moreover for studying bioclimatic condition and presenting sustainable architectural strategies to utilize more renewable resources (such wind and solar energies …) and to cut fossil fuel consumption as a part of an economy drive, we have considered a 25-year average weather data (1980-2005), relative temperature and humidity in Zanjan weather station through Mahani model and effective temperature indicator. The aim of this research is to answer the following question: can we suggest a sustainable architectural design compatible with climatic condition of the area under study through the abovementioned methods and the obtained results? Research method in this study is descriptive – analytic and data collection was done through library method and studying documents. According to the obtained results applying bioclimatic comfort model is effective in achieving bioclimatic condition with regard to sustainable architecture.