Zahra Barzegar, Shahin Heidari, Mahnaz Zarei,
Volume 22, Issue 2 (12-2012)
Abstract
Nowadays, with the development of the economy, the demand for energy is increasing rapidly while the energy supply is
growing shorter and shorter. Researches indicate that energy consumption in the residential sector counts for the main parts of
the total energy consumption. This paper evaluates the effect of building orientation on exposure to the solar radiation in a NESW
orientated case of urban residence in semi-arid climate. SW envelope, with an annual exposure of 13.52 percent, only
improves the thermal comfort of the house because of its annual climatic radiation trend. For vertical NE surface with
insufficient winter radiation exposure of (0 %) and cool summer radiation exposure of (3.38 %), it could be concluded that the
NE elevation is suitable and in demand in the summer but not in the winter. Total annual horizontal solar radiation exposure
percentage of (83.04%) indicates that huge non- climatic roof radiation is inappropriate and should be omitted. Finally, the
effects of solar radiation envelopes on electricity and natural gas consumption were thoroughly discussed.
