Winter Period
Conduction:
The main aim of this kind of construction is to increase heat gains and reduce heat loss during the cold winter that affects this region. To increase the heat gains and reduce the losses by conduction, the use of appropriate materials is the key. In this case the use of wood and stone in the walls increases the heat transfer resistance. Since timber is a material which stores heat, is perfect for these weather conditions, it creates an effective barrier between the inside and outside to reduce losses by conduction.
Ventilation:
Inner spaces shouldn’t be really big, in fact the smaller they are, the more effective will be the control of infiltrations and reduce air exchanges because with this conditions, it will be easier to control the energy needs.
Radiation:
Since we are talking about a cold weather almost the whole year, the use of big windows to increase the solar gains is not a possibility. Windows are small to decrease thermal losses, giving as a result a reduced amount of solar gains which decreases also illumination.
Summer Period
Practically the whole design of this kind of houses are for a cold weather the whole year, for these reason during summer period the control of internal temperature due to an increase of external temperature, is not an issue. So it might be said that the whole design is for winter.
Design Strategies (Malindi homes)