Nowadays, due to climate change, we experience hot summers that also increase energy costs. Now we will take some lessons from the past.
- Iran – Aghazade Palace: It had 2 towers that acted as wind traps to bring air inside the building.
- The ancient Greeks used bioclimatic architecture. The orientation of the houses was facing south for maximum natural light in winter and less sun in summer. The trees of the garden were in the northern part to block the north wind. In the south they planted deciduous trees to block the sun in the summer and allow it to enter the house in the winter.
- Sumerians – thick walls and narrow roads: They lived in southern Iraq 6,000 years ago. They had small windows to minimize the heat and used materials such as adobe and mud that absorbed it. Still the houses were built very close to each other. The streets were narrow so that there was shade from the walls.
- Egyptians: mud bricks, roof terraces for sleeping at night, and high openings in the walls to channel air downwards.
[Source: http://www.cnn.gr]
