Impact of Building Orientation on Energy Performance of Residential Buildings in Various Cities Across Afghanistan

Mustafa Karimi (), Tomoyuki Chikamoto, Myonghyang Lee and Teppei Tanaka
Additional contact information
Mustafa Karimi: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
Tomoyuki Chikamoto: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
Myonghyang Lee: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan
Teppei Tanaka: Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Ritsumeikan University, Kusatsu 525-8577, Japan

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 24, 1-23

Abstract: Building or solar orientation, a key architectural design parameter, significantly influences energy consumption in buildings. Optimizing building orientation to harness passive solar benefits is a fundamental and cost-effective measure in designing energy-efficient buildings. However, the optimal orientation varies based on geographical location, climatic conditions, and building type. Notably, Afghanistan’s building sector currently lacks tailored energy efficiency regulations. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of building orientation on the energy performance of residential buildings across nine cities in Afghanistan, each characterized by distinct climatic conditions and geographic locations, employing BEopt TM energy simulation software. The findings reveal diverse optimal orientations, dividing the country into three distinct climatic zones: subarctic (optimal orientation: south-southeast), continental (optimal orientation: south), and hot-arid (optimal orientation: north). The optimal orientations in these regions yield potential energy savings ranging from 25.6% to 48.9% compared to the least efficient orientations. These insights are critical for establishing location-specific building regulations in Afghanistan, promoting energy-efficient design, and addressing the country’s current trend of unsustainable development.

Keywords: building orientation; energy efficiency; energy simulation; passive solar techniques; Afghanistan (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/24/11076/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/24/11076/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:24:p:11076-:d:1546054

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().