During an intense four day field trip, a group of nine PhD students and their supervisors – all part of the National Research School for Architecture and Planning in the Urban Landscape, APULA – set out to explore what may be considered the outback of Western Europe’s conurbations, the transnational region of Kiruna - Narvik. Both “remote” and “resourceful”, “threatened” and “thriving” (equally relative notions), this region seemed to offer possibilities to reflect upon many of the current tendencies influencing contemporary planning practice and research. And we were not disappointed. From the very first encounter with the municipality of Kiruna, whose foundation as an urban conglomeration is now literally cracking, to the last glimpses of cosmopolitan Narvik, competing for the cruiser ships’ attention, we found ourselves embedded in a multilayered urban narrative. Following the throbbing of the iron ore carriages running along Malmbanan, the rail link connecting Kiruna, Abisko and Narvik, we tried to get a grasp of what is both “the last wilderness of Europe” and perhaps its most important urban “testing grounds”. The aim of the field trip was to provide ample room for each and every participant to try out, interrogate and reflect upon their different research topics in relation to a totally new setting, as such also linking their subject matters and methods to the general conditions for spatial research. Through journalistic and improvisational approaches, a collaborative map emerged, not only actualizing a shifting and sprawling urbanity, but also the rambling and trailing of research as such. The result of the workshop is the following collaborative diaries; a composite travelogue of a thought provoking passage on the fringes of urbanity. Our guides throughout this dislocation have been Anders Johansson and Erik Wingquist of Testbedstudio, who both generously and enthusiastically shared their experience with us and competently and creatively coordinated the final outcome. Without Anders and Erik we would probably have gone astray, geographically as well as conceptually. But we got back safely, and if there is a conclusion to be formulated, it should be future oriented. The following is a narrative or a map, the outcomes and destinations of which hopefully are as numerous as its points of departure.

In hot dry regions, the building envelope receives abundant solar radiation, which contributes to heat stress and indoor thermal discomfort. To mitigate overheating inside spaces, cooling is the main basic requirement during most of the year. However, due to the harsh climatic conditions, buildings fail to provide passively the required comfort conditions. Consequently, they are fully dependent on-air conditioning systems, which are huge energy consumers. As roofs are exposed to the sun throughout the daytime, they are estimated to be the main source of heat stress. In return, they can contribute significantly to achieve optimum comfort and energy savings when efficient design strategies are used in an early design stage. To examine the potential for cooling load reduction and thermal comfort enhancement by using cooling roof techniques in residential buildings, a study was performed in the city of Biskra (southern Algeria). Accordingly, an in-field measurement campaign was carried out on test-cells during five days in summer. Three different cooling roof techniques were addressed: (a) cool reflective white paint (CR), (b) white ceramic tiles (CT) and (c) a cool-ventilated roof (C-VR). These roofing alternatives were investigated by monitoring both roof surface temperatures and indoor temperatures. Comparative analysis showed that a cool-ventilated roof is the most efficient solution, reducing the average indoor temperature by 4.95 °C. A dynamic simulation study was also performed based on TRNSYS software to determine the best roofing system alternatives in terms of thermal comfort and energy consumption, considering the hottest month of the year. Simulation tests were run on a base-case model representing the common individual residential buildings in Biskra. Results showed that a double-skin roof combined with cool-reflective paint is the most efficient roofing solution. By comparison to a conventional flat roof, meaningful improvements have been achieved, including reducing thermal discomfort hours by 45.29% and lowering cooling loads from 1121.91 kWh to 741.09 kWh.

Forced migration due to wars and political conflicts create an urgent need for temporary shelters in hosting countries. Constructing new housing projects is not only economically burdensome but also requires a great deal of time and, most important, represents an environmental burden when the shelter reaches its end of life. This study discusses a design proposal for a 37 m² eco-cycle earthen refugee shelter that could be built with the help of seven people in 11 working days. The study has adopted an experimental, participatory and living lab meth-odology for a physical prototype as a proof of concept. The key idea of this eco-cycle shelter is to reach net mi-nus carbon emissions during material extraction, building construction, operation and after end of life. As this project is still ongoing, this paper will confine itself to discussing the project’s main idea for reducing carbon emission and will focus on the feasibility of an earthen wall structure skeleton as a minus carbon agent. The pro-totype is designed for the cold climate of Sweden but the methodology can be applied in different climates. Ben-eficiaries of this project need not be confined to refugees. It can be extended to house the majority of the world’s urban poor.

This booklet is a documentation for one week hands on workshop experience with Martin Rauch and his team. More information was added to this booklet for a complete overview on rammed earth construction from historical background to contemporary practice.

Circular Design for Zero Emission Architecture and Building Practice: It is the Green Way or the Highway presents the main concepts of circular architecture and building design, focusing on emerging trends in zero-emission buildings, particularly zero- and minus- carbon practice. The book is structured around practical design solutions, including research-based passive solutions for extreme climates. It discusses passive and low carbon cooling and heating and natural ventilation, lifecycle assessment and life-cost analysis. The book presents examples and case studies from innovative low-tech to high-tech approaches, covering a wide spectrum of climate zones to show lessons learned and proof of concept.

Vulnerable groups of people such as climate refugees are discussed, alongside how vernacular architecture can help introduce practical methods into low-carbon building practices. This book presents theoretical and practical coverage of circular design for zero emission architecture and building in relation to the global challenges of climate change and extreme weather.

Climate change is now affecting every country on every continent. The most vulnerable to climate change are people in deprived areas with limited access to basic infrastructure. A one year exploratory and investigative action research study was carried out in Cairo in one of the historic neighborhoods that is now a mix of slums and poor-quality social housing. Walking interviews with local inhabitants supported by filed observations were the main tools used in this study supported by photo documentation and field notes for the main problems in the area. Also, locals’ adaptive solutions were discussed during the interviews and were noted during the site walks. After the investigative phase the site data were analyzed and synthesized to lay hands on the main problems with local comfort within their neighborhoods and inside their buildings specially in summer time. Some low-tech solutions were proposed and tested in small test cubes on one of the roof tops in the neighborhood. The test cubes were monitored for two weeks to test the thermal performance of the proposed solutions for reducing heat gains from fa\c cades and roofs. 8 cost efficient solutions were tried out from local recycled materials that can be found easily at almost no cost in the neighborhood. The 8 solutions were compared to each other to evaluate their efficiency and durability as well. The paper will discuss the outcome of the interviews and will shed lights on locals’ adaptive solutions to the gradual rise in temperature given the poor urban and building quality in their neighborhoods. In addition, the paper will show the outcome of the 8 test cells as a mitigation strategy and locals preference for the proposed solutions. There is evidence for climate change that can’t be denied and there are clear causes which have sever effects on our planet. Hopefully this research will contribute with some temporary solutions and pave the road for more actions to take.

Earth, straw, reeds and wood are the main natural building materials in many parts of the world. These materials have several positive properties including thermal resilience, climatic adaptive performance, and a lower-impact on the environment, which have been tested and proven in vernacular architecture over the years. In contemporary practice there is still a very limited use of vernacular natural materials. Conventional industrial materials dominate, even when traditional materials offer the same quality with the same cost and performance, if not sometimes better. This study is part of a semester-long course in sustainable architecture for students completing masters. It will present students’ hands-on experimental work for 8 different wall sections using wood, earth, reeds and straw in several combinations. The wall sections are built at a 1:1 scale and tested in a living laboratory environment consistent with the Danish climate. Energy performance and U-values were mathematically calculated to assure compliance with Danish energy-efficient building standards. Life cycle costs and a life cycle analysis were calculated as they were of prime concern. Thermal performance, time lag and heat coefficient values were modeled and simulated as well. Students also had to consider water and fire resistance and the formation of moisture in their design proposals. The study proved that using traditional materials can provide equivalent thermal performance outcomes as contemporary industrial materials while producing better indoor air quality and a lower impact on the environment through their minimal carbon footprint (based on cradle-to-cradle calculations). The paper concludes that there are diverse challenges that still hinder the use of vernacular thinking in contemporary practice.

The 6Zs target refers to the concept of a minus carbon and plus energy eco-cycle refugee house. A 37 m2 house was designed and constructed in a participatory manner in the City of Lund, Sweden. The 6Zs include: zero emissions, zero energy, zero waste, zero cost, zero indoor air pollutants and zero impact on the environment after the shelter is demolished. The key idea of this eco-cycle house is to reach net 6Zs during all stages—material extraction, building construction, operation and maintenance—until the shelter’s end of life. The main construction material is plant-based raw fibers (mainly straw and reed), which are available around the building site. This house is designed to accommodate the needs of two adults and one child. It was built with the help of 7 refugees in 11 working days through an experimental participatory urban living lab methodology. The paper discusses the 6Z design concepts and draws conclusions on the preliminary assessment of the house prototype that was built as a proof of concept. The beneficiaries of this project are not restricted to refugees but also include the majority of individuals and families seeking affordable ways of living with a low impact on the environment. The house is designed for the cold Swedish climate, but the design concept and methodological approach can be adjusted to other climates or geographical contexts.

This study discusses a proposal for a 37 m² refugeeearth shelter that could be built with the help of sevenpeople in 11 working days. The study is an experimental, participatory, living lab methodology for creating an eco-cycle shelter. The building’s skeleton is made from a minus carbon earth mix and is equipped with renewables that produce more energy than what the building consumes. No waste is generated during the building’s construction, operation and after end of life, and passive concepts for heating, cooling and daylight are used. The beneficiaries of this design include not only refugees but also the majority of the world’s urban poor.

This book explores the threats facing vernacular buildings and gives concrete examples for future possibilities. It offers a guide to those who wish to get involved in rescuing these buildings, those who re-use them and those who care for them. Whether you are an architect, planner, owner, an entrepreneur or a developer, whether you are involved in a local trust or work for a local authority, or whether you just want to find out about spectacular vernacular heritage, I hope this book will be an inspiration. Several of the hand-drawn architectural illustrations in this book are the result of surveys carried out for this study. This kind of record underlines the importance of the vital role of meticulous documentation in preserving the evidence of existing vernacular buildings, so that we can learn from this evidence when we work with such buildings in the future.

Vernacular architecture is suffering all over the world and Egypt is one of the countries where the desert vernacular is facing a great risk of disappearance. The aim of the research is to introduce a methodological approach applying participatory action research (PAR) as a tool to help save the future of the currently deteriorating desert vernacular architecture. The aim was to help prevent further loss of desert vernacular architecture knowledge and to encourage vernacular know-how in becoming a living part of future building practices. To benefit from local know-how, a desert vernacular model house was constructed using PAR methods that engaged the local community throughout the design and building phases. The model house was constructed based on an understanding of desert vernacular architecture as well as of the urban fabric and building technology. The town of Balat in the Western Desert of Egypt was chosen as a location for this research work application. As this is an international problem the research developed several techniques within PAR, applied in a flexible way, giving the opportunity for further application in similar vernacular settlements suffering from similar problems.

Severe climate and weather events together with political conflicts linked to climate change are the most pressing driving forces for critical numbers of people to leave their homes seeking safe haven. Climate refugees are becoming the next captious challenge we will face. Temporary refugee settlements prove to have high environmental burdens given the short lifespan of the industrial materials produced with high embodied carbon that they are built with. Despite this finding, alternative natural-based low impact materials with a carbon neutral production and construction process do exist. This paper presents the outcomes of a one-year project in designing and constructing a negative carbon and positive energy eco-cycle home. The idea is to achieve a self-sufficient and low impact temporary shelter design with the lowest carbon emissions during construction and after demolition. The design complies with premium passive house standards and was constructed in an experimental urban living lab for proof of concept. The house is now under monitoring to evaluate its performance. The project was carried out in Sweden, but the methodology could be applied in other climatic contexts.

Various natural and man-made disasters force the affected population to flee from their homes to other safe places. Providing these affected people with quick and cost-efficient shelters is always a challenge. Recently, issues regarding the supply of energy to refugee camps have been a main concern given the crises of displaced populations and the problem of how to supply energy to the camps. This study has the purpose of discussing the design of an eco-cycle refugee emergency shelter with the aim to reach a six ‘Z’ target (i.e. ‘6Zs’), meaning zero emissions, zero energy, zero waste, zero cost, zero indoor air pollutants and zero impact on the environment after the shelter demolition. The key idea of this eco-cycle shelter is to reach a net 6Zs during all stages: material extraction, building construction, operation and maintenance until the shelter’s end of life, which depends on plant-based raw materials are brought in from the surrounding area to the building site. The study will discuss the design concepts involved and draw conclusions on the feasibility of achieving the 6Zs target through the modelling and simulation of the shelter’s energy consumption, thermal performance and net carbon emissions. The beneficiaries of this project include not only refugees but also the majority of the world’s urban poor. The shelter is designed for the cold Swedish climate, but the method can be adjusted to other climates or geographical contexts.

The Z Free Home is an eco-cycle home that is meant to represent a return to natural design solutions inspired by the passive and low environmental impact principles found in vernacular architecture. Throughout the centuries, vernacular building has exemplified climate resilience, resource efficiency and circular economic principles. The house will thus use these principles as design guidelines. It will be designed to offset all of its carbon emissions and aim to reach a negative carbon footprint. The Z Free Home will be built using bio-based fibres that can be repurposed from agriculture waste, meaning that when it is time to demolish the building, all its main components can be re-used again as building materials, food for animals, or biofuel. Even if an uninhabited Z Free Home is not demolished, most components will eventually rot and return to nature as compost. Building materials from the kitchen and toilet should however be recycled and reused so as to maintain the standard of zero waste. The house will be designed so as to construct in only 7 days with the help of 7 volunteers through a ‘do-it-yourself’ methodology and using only screwdrivers. All of these factors - zero energy, zero waste, zero carbon, zero labour cost (if you build it yourself), zero impact on the environment when the building is demolished – make the Z Free Home a unique challenge to design and build. This paper will discuss the methodological approach and show some preliminary results from the proposed low impact building envelope using natural materials (clay and plant-based materials like straw, reeds, wood, kenaf and jute) together with the passive and eco-cycle systems. As the project is still underway, this paper will describe outcomes to date and ending with a discussion on the next steps.

Climate and weather severe events together with political conflicts linked to climate change are the most driving force for mass population to leave their homes seeking safe heavens. Recent climate events showed that climate change is an increasing driver of forced displacement. Climate refugees are becoming and will be the next wicked challenges we will face. That means there is a need for quick and low-cost temporary shelters to host the mass forced migrants. Normally temporary humanitarian shelters are constructed with industrial materials that consume high amount of embodied carbon and energy in the production. They deteriorate quickly within couple of years and needs to be replaced leaving behind huge amounts of waste. Refugee temporary settlements should also be designed and constructed using means with minimal impact on the environment in order to prevent the mounting increase of climate change symptoms and reduce the associated humanitarian crises. Since long, alternative natural based low impact materials do exists using a carbon neutral production and construction process. This paper is presenting the outcome of one-year project in designing and constructing a minus carbon and plus energy eco-cycle home. The house prototype was designed following a participatory approach involving refugees in the design and construction process. The idea is to achieve a low impact design during construction and after demolition while providing refugees the chance to receive a training on construction methods. The design complies with premium passive house standards in Sweden. The net outcome of the building is negative carbon and plus energy. The project was implemented in Sweden but the methodology could be applied in different other climatic and geographical contexts.

Forced migration is not a recent phenomenon, nor is the reality of the amount suffering of the displaced population fleeing from armed conflict. Finding housing for refugees has not only become an acute obligation for hosting countries but it is a situation predicted to continue, and possibly increase, in the future. This study is discussing and showing the results of the first phase of an ongoing project for designing and constructing an eco-cycle refugee shelter. The project discussed how an environmentally low impact shelter could be provided that pays respect to social norms, religious beliefs and cultural traditions of refugees. The study is applying a trans-disciplinary participatory methodology using an occupant centred approach. It is looking at current post conflict housing issues in hosting countries with a focus on Syrian refugees in Sweden, and it depicts a phase of the project where a foundation for subsequent phases – including constructing a physical house prototype through involving refugees in a construction training – was laid. The project aims at fulfilling refugees’ needs and involve them in the design and construction process as well as raising the awareness of a cost efficient and climate responsive way of building back better in the refugee’s home country.

Internal and external migration from vernacular settlements is not a new phenomenon. However, the scale and scope increased when forced migration is becoming exacerbated due to both armed conflicts and climate change. Political tensions are one of the most common threats to vernacular dwellings in conflict areas. Not only do destruction and vandalism cause harm to vernacular architecture, but people living in vernacular buildings are often forced to leave their homes in order to seek safety. On the other hand, vernacular architecture can help refugee crises in hosting countries. Billions of dollars are invested in establishing temporary refugee camps, yet we know for a fact they are rarely temporary. People stay in such camps for decades, commonly Cons located on the outskirts of cities, where vernacular settlements also tend to be. Investments in rebuilding, restoring and reusing vernacular settlements can be a win-win situation. The time and cost of the rehabilitation process might also not be suitable to many camps, or camp-like, contexts. Also, encounters some regulations for listed vernacular heritage sites that cannot be used as dwellings and must be kept as open museums. In this study, a proposal for reusing and rehabilitating vernacular settlements will be discussed together with reflections on challenges and obstacles. The case study chosen for this research is in the Middle East, where the majority of refugees settled after the Arab Spring. This paper demonstrates a methodology in which algorithmic modelling is applied to refugee settlement site planning.

Cooling is becoming an essential commodity in our modern lives. Cooling is not just important for human comfort but also essential for prolonging the shelf life and quality of almost everything from food to vaccines. The need for cooling is increasing due to the impacts of climate change. In the building sector, specifically housing, we still rely mainly on high-tech air-conditioning systems which normally run-on fossil fuel energy for electricity. The increasing demand for cooling is driving up the increase in emissions and pollution. Global warming is becoming inevitable, and the world will need to expand access to cooling technologies while enforcing energy efficiency, low-carbon energy, and phasing out harmful power sources. Despite the beneficial innovations in the energy sector are unlocking, cooling is still energy abusive. This “Stay Cool” project intends to make cooling systems more environmentally friendly. In this study, innovation plays a vital role in offering low-tech and low-cost cooling solutions for both hot and cold climates. Two Nordic countries in a cold climate, Sweden and Denmark, and two African countries in hot dry climates, Egypt and Namibia, are used as case studies for application and testing. A hands-on experimental passive cooling system made from traditional shisha clay funnels for the hot and dry Egyptian climate was first tested in an urban living lab for proof of concept. Several shapes and sizes of clay funnels were investigated and tested for their performance in cooling. The clay funnels were first measured and simulated for their efficiency in accelerating airflow inside residential units and their ability to enhance air velocity if combined with cross-ventilation strategies. The simulation results showed significant enhancement in airflow and air speed inside the test room compared to conventional windows, while the monitored test cells showed an average reduction in indoor temperature of 5 °C and an average humidity reduction of 40%. Based on onsite monitoring, three different design proposals were developed to enhance the performance of the eco-cooler. After testing the design proposals, onsite prototypes will be tested as a continuation of the pilot case. We aim to reach a reduction of indoor air temperature by up to 10 °C. 

Rapid urbanization and increasing heat exposure from climate change in combination with the urban heat island effect has become a contemporary pervasive threat to human health. We monitored four urban typologies with temperature and humidity sensors during the 2015 summer peak in Cairo, Egypt to evaluate which typologies could potentially reduce adverse impacts on human health. Our mixed methods approach included qualitative surveys to gauge how people perceived heat stress.  While our monitoring revealed that indoor temperatures were cooler by 1.64°C in the low-density typology relative to outdoor temperatures, the minor indoor temperature differences revealed that building envelopes had little impact on protecting inhabitants.  The study points to the urgent need for more comprehensive empirical monitoring of indoor heat stress in urban areas. Future research would benefit from greater interdisciplinarity so that a more inclusive range of heat stress scenarios, particularly in urban areas in the Global South, can be anticipated, and thereby monitored, mitigated and potentially avoided in order to reduce human health insecurity impacts from climate change.  

Sustainability and environmental illiteracy is still common in architectural curricula for undergraduate education. This may lead to further generations of architects who are unequipped for global sustainability goals. This paper discusses a living lab teaching experience which investigates the roles of learning through doing and hands-on building experimentation to root an understanding of sustainability in architectural education. The design studio at the centre of this paper was focused on passive, low-cost and energyefficient approaches suitable for a hot arid climate. The students were asked to design a refugee shelter prototype that was cost- and time-efficient, that would also present the least impact on the environment after demolition. The course’s teaching process also included invited guest speakers, field trips and a hands-on workshop for low-tech building techniques as a prelude to designing and building a full-scale physical model. Thermal comfort and energy consumption for the design proposal were evaluated by simulation, and the physical model was evaluated by field monitoring. This paper outlines the design studio pedagogical experimental living lab process and the resulting students’ projects. It also shows the various skills the students acquired and suggests how this type of pedagogy can be viewed as a pilot model for green architecture education.

Sustainability and environmental illiteracy is still common in architectural curricula. This may lead to further generations of architects who are unequipped for global sustainability goals. This paper discusses a living lab teaching experience which investigates the roles of learning by doing and hands-on building experimentation to root an understanding of sustainability in architectural education. The design studio focused on passive, low-cost and energy-efficient approaches suitable for a hot arid climate. The students were asked to design a refugee shelter prototype that is cost- and time-efficient with the least impact on the environment after demolition. The course teaching process also included invited guest speakers, field trips and a practical hands-on workshop for low-tech building techniques – all that can serve as a foundation for designing and building a full-scale physical model of their refugee shelter proposal. Thermal comfort and energy consumption for the design proposal was evaluated by simulation, and the physical implementation was evaluated by field monitoring. This paper outlines the design studio pedagogical experimental process and the resulting students’ projects. It will also show the various skills the students had acquired and present how this type of pedagogy could be viewed as a pilot model for green architecture education.

Due to extreme climate change events, achieving indoor thermal comfort has become a significant challenge in remote desert areas; particularly with the increasing number of energy shortages in these areas. This study uses participatory action research methodology by means of an occupant centred approach for the design and construction of a Trombe wall system, suitable for passive heating and cooling in hot arid climates. The Trombe wall is used as a low-tech retrofitting passive solution to provide deprived communities in off-grid desert areas with a better indoor climate. The paper presents data from one year of monitoring and post occupancy evaluation for the Trombe wall installed as a retrofit in a residential unit in Sinai, Egypt as a proof of concept. Available affordable local materials were of main concern because of the project’s remote location in a mountainous desert area with very limited natural resources. The idea was to involve the local community in the different phases of the project, then train them onsite on how to use the Trombe wall system. Results indicate that the use of the Trombe wall did in fact enhance indoor heating and cooling loads. In addition, the direct involvement of the local inhabitants proved to have a positive impact on the Trombe wall’s performance and efficiency. The discussion elaborates on key lessons learned and challenges faced from the urban living lab experience presented in the study. Lastly, recommendations for further implementation of the passive Trombe wall system are presented.

In the coming years, it is anticipated that if we continue with the same pace of energy consumption, communities will continue to face three major challenges; a mounting increase in energy demands, pollution, and global warming. On a local scale, Egypt is experiencing one of its most serious energy crises in decades. The energy consumed in indoor cooling and heating is the biggest portion of total energy consumption in residential buildings. This paper is an experimental simulation study for building retrofitting in off-grid settlements in semi-arid climates, using Trombe wall as a low-tech passive heating and cooling solution. In this study, we made developments to the conventional classic Trombe wall using occupant-centered design and living lab experimental methods. The thermal efficiency of the proposed Trombe wall design is simulated during winter and summer peaks. In the proposed design we used gray paint instead of typical black paint in addition to 15 cm reversible natural wool insulation and two 3 mm thick roll-up wool curtains. The new design reduced the heating load by 94% and reduced the cooling load by 73% compared to the base case with an annual energy savings of 53,631 kW h and a reduction in CO2 emissions of 144,267 kg of CO2. The living lab test proved that the proposed design of the Trombe wall is economically viable and the payback time is 7 months. It is recommended that the proposed design be monitored for a whole year to have an accurate assessment of its efficiency. A post occupancy evaluation is also needed to measure local residents’ acceptance and perceived comfort after retrofitting.

Purpose - Over the last eight years, the Middle East has experienced a series of high profile conflicts which have resulted in over 5.6 million Syrians forced to migrate to neighbouring countries within the MENA (Middle East and North Africa) region or to Europe. That have exerted huge pressure on hosting countries trying to accommodate refugees in decent shelters and in quick manner. Temporary shelters normally carry a high environmental burden due to their short lifespan, and the majority are fabricated from industrialised materials. This study assesses the carbon impact for a minus carbon experimental refugee house in Sweden using life cycle assessment (LCA) as tool. SimaPro and GaBi software were used for the calculations and the ReCiPe midpoint method for impact assessment. The results show that using local plant-based materials such as straw, reeds and wood, together with clay dug from close to the construction site, can drastically reduce the carbon footprint of temporary shelters and even attain a negative carbon impact of 226.2 kg CO2 eq/m2. Based on the results of the uncertainty importance analysis, the overall global warming potential impact without and with sequestration potential are mostly sensitive to the variability of the GWP impact of wood fibre insulation. Design/methodology/approach - The methodology is designed to calculate the GWP impact of the refugee house over its entire life cycle (production, operation and maintenance and end of life). Then, the sensitivity analysis was performed to explore the impact of input uncertainties (selection of material from the database and the method) on the total GWP impact of the refugee house with and without sequestration. The ISO standards (International Standard 14040 2006; International Standard 14044 2006) divide the LCA framework into four steps of Goal and scope, inventory analysis, impact assessment, and interpretation. Findings - This study has shown an example for proof of concept for a low impact refugee house prototype using straw, reeds, clay, lime and wood as the principle raw materials for building construction. Using natural materials, especially plant-based fibres, as the main construction materials, proved to achieve a minus carbon outcome over the life cycle of the building. The GWP of the shelter house without and with sequestration are found to be 254.7 kg CO2 eq/m(2) and -226.2 kg CO2 eq/m(2), respectively. Originality/value - As there are still very few studies concerned with the environmental impact of temporary refugee housing, this study contributes to the pool of knowledge by introducing a complete LCA calculation for a physical house prototype as a proof of concept on how using low impact raw materials for construction combined with passive solutions for heating and cooling can reach a minus carbon outcome. The GWP of the shelter house without and with sequestration are found to be 254.7 kg CO2 eq/m2 and -226.2 kg CO2 eq/m2.

Today’s architecture swarms with concepts of energy and resource efficientbuildings. In contrast, vernacular buildings are characterized by low-tech climaticresponsive strategies and by their inhabitants’ resource and energy savings practices during construction and operation of their dwellings. That makes vernacular buildings highly relevant to resource efficiency in contemporary building research. The main focus of this study is to explore and analyse human behaviourto reach responsive and conscious resource efficient solutions in two differentclimatic context; in Egypt and Denmark. The aim is to suggest sustainable principles out of human conduct for contemporary resource efficient building practice.Though Danish and Egyptian climates and cultures are very different from eachother some human approaches to sustainability appeared to be similar. That wasevident through a comparative analytical study applying case-study methodologyfor two courtyard adobe dwellings; one in each country. The paper contributes toexisting vernacular sustainable building studies by filling a knowledge gap on howhuman factors is a key parameter in acclimatization in buildings and how that caninfluence resource efficient building practice.

This study presents a comparison of the life cycle carbon emission (LCCO2) and embodied energy calculation between two kinds of bricks, sun-dried and fired clay, as means of evaluating the energy and climate impact of each brick type and the economics of production. Focus is paid to the differences across the whole production chain between sun-dried clay bricks, which represent the traditional norm, and fired clay bricks, which are the most widely-used walling materials in conventional buildings. A case study was carried out in Dakhla Oasis in the Western Desert of Egypt. The results of this study show that if sun-dried bricks are used instead of fired bricks, a reduction of up to 5907 kg CO(2)e (in CO2 emissions) and 5305 MJ of embodied energy for every1000 bricks produced could be achieved. The paper concludes by offering alternative scenarios for brick-making and suggestions for improving sun-dried brick production. The methodology used in this study contributes to the development of an investigative-comparative way to assess choices between building materials. It also intends to help inform local homeowners and building practitioners not only in Egypt, but also globally, about resource depletion, energy consumption, and harmful emissions from fired industrial bricks as a common building construction material. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The need for affordable housing requires more compact living. With the increasing frequency and impact of climate change incidents, a new way of thinking is needed to live in a more resilient and climate responsive way. The idea of a Z free home began by considering these two needs. As a tiny mobile house equipped with passive and eco-cycle systems, it achieves 9 zero targets. This paper evaluates the design concept, building modelling, and building simulation for the Z free home design. The project is ongoing and aims to model a full physical prototype as a proof of concept for the 9 zero targets in an urban living lab context in Lund Sweden.

In recent years, the need for affordable sustainable housing has increased. At the same time, there has been a gradual rising interest in compact living. With the mounting impacts of climate change, a new way of thinking is needed to develop more resilient and climate responsive ways of living that are compact, affordable, and climate-conscious. In response to this need, the idea of a ‘Z-Free Home’ was born. The ‘Z-Free Home’ is a tiny mobile house equipped with essential passive and eco-cycle systems that achieves nine zero targets. The main design and construction concept is based on circular design and a return to nature life cycle principles. In this paper, the architectural design concept, building energy modelling, and simulation for the Z-Free Home design proposal is discussed. This paper describes the concept design and design development phases together with building modelling and simulation. A focus was made on the use of virtual reality in design development assessment as a new method for evaluating passive and eco-cycle systems. The results show that it’s possible to achieve nine different zero goals while the analysis illustrates the challenges in achieving them. The paper also described the next steps planned for the proof of concept, i.e., the 1:1 house model. The project is ongoing, and it aims at a full-scale physical prototype as a proof of concept for the zero targets. The ‘Z-Free Home’ is designed for the cold Swedish climate but could be more widely applicable in other mild climates as well as hot climates.

Current trends in energy supply and use within the building sector in Egypt are patently unsustainable and uneconomical; they are not environmentally and sometimes not even socially viable. Renewable energy has recently started to attract considerable attention as a future energy source. After major problems with electricity blackouts the photovoltaic (PV) market, in particular, has been growing significantly in Egypt over the last 5 years. This study was conducted to develop an evaluation method to assess the potential of applying passive design and low carbon and construction strategies together with PV systems for electricity power supply. A one year Building Performance and Post Occupancy Evaluation was carried out for a selected case study in Baharia, Egypt using records of energy use, demand profiles, and monitored thermal behaviour in indoor environments, together with a review of occupants’ satisfaction. The outcome of this study offers an applicable methodology for assessing the performance of mixed use off-grid low carbon and PV plus-energy buildings. The results aim to serve as a base for future national legal requirements for a zero carbon and PV plus-energy solar building practice especially in off-grid desert settlements in Egypt.