SUN & WIND - LIFE ENV PROJECT

REPORT ON ARCHITECTURAL SURVEY

Prepared by:
SIATITSA Dimitra, architect
EXARCHOY Vasia, architect
MEDITERRANEAN SOS Network

MedSOS & Greek participation to the project

The work of the Greek partner sought to effectuate what was understood as the central idea of Sun & Wind
project. That is the research for bioclimatic principles in Mediterranean traditional architecture (in our case
Greek), with the nal goal to extract practices and techniques that could be applied today in existing buildings
or new constructions. Not without the necessary inltration and adaptation to contemporary modes of living
and also after being upgraded and combined with new technologies. Another step of the research in the
framework of the project was the recording of existing buildings in order to form an idea around the quality
advantages and defects of the building stock in a representative area. The recording also had the purpose to
study the common construction methods materials, form etc as well as the basic factors that determine the
process of building design today.
In Greek traditional architecture we do not come across examples of bioclimatic applications, as the ones
inherited by the Arabs, which are more elaborated and sophisticated. The bioclimatic aspect of traditional
architecture in Greece derives mostly from the accumulated popular wisdom applied in housing constructions.
Lack of technological means and scarce resources forced to a more sustainable adaptation of the building
to the local microclimatic conditions and the topography of the place. Thus our ndings point to more subtle
elements and basic principles applied in most traditional constructions. Variations on the basic principles and
constructions details appear in different areas of Greece.
Methodology & steps
In the course of the work we had to make some methodological choices in order to make the task manageable.
So it was decided to gradually focus our research on smaller representative areas. The Cyclades islands complex
was chosen to be our eld of research on the traditional constructive typologies of bioclimatic architecture.
Additionally, the recording of the existing building typologies and the research on autochthonous vegetation
will be scaled down to Sifnos Island, an island with characteristic traditional Cycladic settlements.
Even though within the Mediterranean zone connes, Greece has a variety of climatic conditions in different
areas due to geographical factors (different altitudes of massifs, alternation of mainland and sea, etc.).
We can divide Greece in three different climatic zones: Coastal -Mediterranean, I nland -Continental and
Mountainous. There is also a quite diversied built heritage. The constructive typologies vary because of the
different climatic conditions, but also because of different historic (Ottoman, Venetian, Balkan inuences),
social and architectural traditions.

The Cyclades region was chosen as being more representative of the Mediterranean climate that is
characterized by warm summers and mild winters. More specically it is characterized by strong seasonal
winds, long periods of drought, intensive sun exposure and high levels of humidity due to proximity to the
sea.
Although in the following study of Greek traditional architecture we focus on Cyclades, relative elements
of bioclimatic architecture from other areas of Greece are mentioned as they can offer useful and interesting
information.
General principles of bioclimatic architecture encountered in the Cyclades characteristic of the Mediterranean
climatic zones:

Orientation of the main facade and the biggest openings towards the South

Northern compact wall with few small openings mainly for protection from the strong winds but also
for the control of currents for ventilation.

Sun protection with vegetation, arbors, pergolas but also shutters, overhanging of elements from the
envelope or the roof, etc

Use of the thermal mass of the building to even out the variations of temperature between night and
day. Mass is provided by thick heavy walls or by burying the building in the ground

Utilization of the ground for natural cooling (because of the earths high thermal inertia) and protection
from the strong winds.

Seasonal use of spaces during winter or summer

On the settlement level: use of the bulk of the building itself creating a microclimate in the street.
Buildings shade each other minimizing heat penetration

Creation of comfortable microclimates. Semi-open spaces or covered spaces (arcades, covered

verandas) to merge the bright heat outside with the cold dark interiors

The previous were put together in a table according to their bioclimatic function. This enabled the addition
to this rst table of a parallel table with contemporary technological systems which could be used on existing
buildings in order to ameliorate their bioclimatic performance. The nal table gives an idea of possible
adaptations and upgrading of traditional practices, it can be used as a tool to start elaborating contemporary
hybrid systems. The goal is to have at the end an information bank of practices that can help the reduction
of energy consumption in existing or new buildings. Of course these practices will have to be adapted to the
architectural tradition of each place. We should also have in mind that many of the traditional practices recorded
are closely related to a specic way of life which no longer corresponds to contemporary life standards. Of
course this information bank is neither exhaustive nor complete; it is rather an open matrix that can receive
additional information while the research advances into other areas.
In any case possible interventions today are always a combination of contemporary technological practices but
also of local characteristics (especially in Cycladic settlements which are protected by heritage preservation
laws).

Classication according to the bioclimatic function of the element

Bioclimatic
function
1. Ventilation

Elements

2. Cooling

3. Shading and
Solar protection by
additional elements

4. Shading and
Solar protection
integrated in the
building shell
5.
Insulation
thermal inertia

cross-house
currents
controlled by openings
chimney effect
breeze collector/ wind
tower
lanterns
heat dissipation through
evaporation
thermal inertia, insulation
exterior surfaces: materials,
colour, relief
shutters

pergola
overhanging of envelope
and roof elements

patio, atrium, and courtyard

semi-outdoor
spaces
(loggia, gallery)
veranda
/ massive
constructions/
stone - ground
semi-buried
/
buried
construction
6. Passive heating
south
orientation
of
openings (direct gains)
open verandas (liakotoliakos)
hayat : solar room
7. Natural lightning roof openings
8.
Water cisterns and tanks
management
gradation of roofs
grooves
9. wind protection
small openings to the north
microclimate / vegetation
walls
use of ground and ground
inclination
1 0 . H u m i d i t y koutountos : narrow
protection
corridor between building
wall and ground
sofas : wooden elevated
platform inside the house
in order to avoid immediate
contact with the ground
Tourism & Energy demand patterns

Vegetation

climbing
p l a n t s

vertical
arrangement
on wall
climbing
plants

horizontal
arrangement
on pergola

metallic radiator
of roof
underground air
pipes
louvers (______)
interior-exterior

deciduous
plants
and
trees in front
of
northern
windows

plant walls
f.e. cypress

Contemporary
techniques
solar chimney
ventilation
chimney
roof ventilator

double glass on
windows
insulation
materials
solar atrium
trompe-michele
thermosifon panel
skylight

Another issue of concern and reason to focus in Cyclades is their nowadays energy demand patterns, since
those areas are popular tourist destinations. Energy demand rises extremely during the summer season, and
there is the need for energy reduction practices to focus mostly to the passive cooling, ventilation systems,
sun protection and water management, needed during the hot periods. There is a similar situation in most
coastal areas of Greece that develop tourism infrastructure to promote economic development. For this
reason a lot of the cases recorded for Sun & Wind are hotels.
The preservation status of Cycladic settlements
What we also have to keep in mind about new interventions in existing buildings is that many villages and
settlements in the Cyclades Islands (and in many other areas of Greece) are under a preservation status,
controlled by a strict legislative framework as far as forms, materials and distribution of volume is concerned. It
is a legislation that was applied gradually since the 70s as it became obvious that the uncontrolled construction
activity together with the growing tourist sector would eventually destroy the rich built heritage of Cyclades.
This normative framework does not preclude the application of bioclimatic principles in new constructions,
especially the ones of the kind studied by Sun & Wind that directly derive from traditional architecture. But
it makes it more difcult when it comes to the application of new techniques (that in some cases would be
needed for the improvement of the energetic performance of older buildings) imposing more constraints in the
architectural forms and materials used as they have to be adapted to traditional morphological elements and
be coherent with the existing built environment.
The conclusions from the recording process
Why focus the recording of contemporary buildings on tourist accommodation?
- nowadays, the local construction sector is developing around tourist infrastructure: the majority of
new built mass is purposed for tourism of various kinds
- due to seasonal use, energy consumption rates increase dramatically periodically (need to trim peak
demands during the summer)
- the small/medium and especially large tourist enterprises can sustain investment costs on bioclimatic
improvements (either basic or sophisticated methods)
The main defects of the new constructions that can be mentioned are:
- No or not sufcient insulation that could correspond to the thermal inertia of thick walls made of
stone. Especially before the implementation of the thermal insulation code (compulsory for new
constructions since 1979), insulation was a cost usually avoided as it was considered necessary only
for cold climates.
- Larger openings (doors, windows) are applied, that result in increased heat penetration and thermal
casualties.
- General principles such as orientation of the building and its openings, control of ventilation and use
of vegetation and other elements for shading, the topography of the place etc. are not taken under
consideration and are not applied in the building design.
- Local materials and local construction techniques are replaced by the easily applied cement.

References
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