The impact of urban form on the energy efficiency of residential buildings in a hot climate. Case study: Ouargla city

Urban development is intensifying significantly in cities, mainly due to rapid population growth. However, this development is accompanied by increased vulnerability to climate change, leading to higher energy consumption. This energy demand is even more pronounced in hot climates, where temperatures are very high during the summer season. The Algerian Sahara is no exception, and is experiencing very accelerated development, which has given rise to the appearance of new urban districts, and different urban characteristics compared to the original core, which constitutes the urban form most adapted to the desert climate and in perfect harmony with the immediate environment. This study attempts to assess the effect of the different urban forms that make up the fabric of the city of Ouargla in south-east Algeria, taken as a case study, on the energy consumption of buildings in a hot climate. This research adopts a mixed approach to evaluate the energy consumption of three buildings located in three neighbourhoods with different urban characteristics. A quantitative estimate of the energy consumed for cooling during the summer season for the three typical buildings selected was simulated using DesignBuilder software, taking into account the city’s specific climatic data, as well as the urban characteristics of the three neighbourhoods selected for the study. As a result, this evaluation covers both the architectural and urban scales. For the qualitative assessment, a field survey was carried out using questionnaires to assess the quality of thermal comfort outside neighbourhoods and its impact on building interiors, and consequently on energy consumption. The results indicate the significant effect of urban form on energy consumption, confirming that the traditional form is the most appropriate to achieve better energy efficiency in a hot climate. Therefore, the research recommends taking into account various influential factors and applying design strategies, regarding urban form, from the first stage of the design process.