Page 1 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 10

September 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 207

Simulation assessment of a health Centre in terms of thermal

comfortin hot and dry climate in Constantine Algeria.

Dr. Ammar. Korichi1

, Roustila ,Mekideche2

, Salah. Krada3 Youcef. Laraba4

Faculté d’architecture et d’urbanisme, laboratoire Energie et Environnement

E-mail : kori_am@yahoo.fr

Abstract: Nowadays, health facilities are buildings

where there is a considerable concern for occupant

wellbeing and comfort. Facade configurations are the

most important aspect to the external environment,

and they have a very significant role in setting the

comfort level within the space. The aim of this

simulation study is to assess the impact of the

ventilated facade in terms of thermal comfort and

energy consumption in hot and dry climate conditions

using a pilot project of a medical surgery in

Constantine, Algeria.

Key words: building simulation, sustainable

environment, energy efficiency, ventilated facade,

hospital and health facilities, thermal comfort, and

energy consumption.

1- Introduction

One of the ultimate objective set by local

authorities and governments around the

world in order to reduce energy consumption

is to design sustainable buildings with high

energy performance (1).

This implies consideration of the impact of

climate and environment on the building and

the effect of the building condition on the

occupants. This awareness has initiated many

studies related to climatic design to

maximize indoor comfort with minimum and

efficient use of the energy. Understanding the

local weather climatology and learning a

reliable prediction process is essential for an

architect before designing the building (2).

For instance, hospitals and health facilities

are buildings sector where there is a

considerable concern for occupant wellbeing

and comfort.

Facade configurations are the most important

aspect to the external environment, and they

have a very significant role in setting the

comfort level and user satisfaction within the

space (4) (3).

In Algeria , the global energy consumption

has being increasing fast during the last

decades; and an expected increasing in the

number of population and projects

development which are the main factors of

the consumption in the built environment

sector, will be even more accurate (5).

In addition, a large program to provide

newhospitals and health facilities buildings

has been introduced and new ones have been

built in the last decade and others are actually

planned throughout the whole country. Yet

this program is based on the very limited

information and guidance of design (6).

The evidence indicated that there are a

number of problems related to the

appropriateness of hospitals and health

facilities buildings in terms of sustainability

and energy use.

It seems that many hospitals and health

facilities buildings are built which do not

match user requirements in that they do not

provide the appropriate sustainable

environment and efficient energy use.

Yet adequate standards, norms and

requirements related to environmental

aspects and energy use for the design of

hospitals and health facilities buildings is

considered essential to ovoid the type of

problem which occurs in existing

Page 2 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 10

September 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 208

Algerianhospitals and health facilities

buildings provided.

2- Research objectives

Thermal comfort in health care buildings is

a significant factor which architects and

experts have to consider carefully. The use of

simulation tools during the design period can

help the designer to improve building

performance; moreover, simulations can be

used to predict the indoor climate and the

energy use of an existing building.

Therefore, the aim of this simulation study is

to assess the impact of the ventilated facade

on thermal comfort and energy consumption

in hot and dry climate conditions in the

patient's room within a pilot project of a

medical and surgical clinic.

In order to achieve this a three step

methodology has been used in order to :

- Explore and define, thermal comfort

aspects in hot and dry climate

- Explore and assess effective strategies

to provide an appropriate environment

whithin heath facilities.

- Develop a simulation evaluation

approch of the thermal comfort of patient’s

room through a specific criteria and

standards related to the scoope of the study.

- Develop a set of a conclusions and

recommendations.

3- Research methodology and

literature review

Hospitals and medical facilities are a

construction sector where there is an inherent

concern for the well-being and comfort of the

occupants. Also a sector that has unique and

intensive energy use requirements (7).

Among the types of comfort that must be

ensured for a patient, thermal comfort is

defined as a state of satisfaction of the body

with respect to the thermal environment "and

to assure it the person must have neither too

hot, not too cold and no annoying air flow.

Maintaining the thermal equilibrium between

the human body and the environment is one

of the main requirements for health, well- being and comfort. This balance must be

sought with the external environment, which

depends on the Combination of many factors.

Some are of an individual nature such as

metabolism (activity), clothing ... etc ,

And others are factors of the environment,

such as air temperature, radiation, moisture

and air movements (8) (9).

The climate is one of the most important

aspects of the physical environment, its

influence on the human body is much

perceived, physically and psychologically

and reactions exerted on the system of the

biological equilibrium, which tries to adapt

to different variations related to the

environment (10).

The pilot project considered is located in

Constantine a city in the north-east of

Algeria; it is characterized by a hot and dry

climate.

The architecture that develops in arid zones

has coherent and deep building techniques

that favour the passive climate conditioning

of their environments to provide shelter and

comfort of their natural environment to dry

and hot climatic conditions.

This type of climate is known for areas that

Page 3 of 10

Journal for Studies in Management and Planning

Available at http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/

ISSN: 2395-0463

Volume 03 Issue 10

September 2017

Available online: http://edupediapublications.org/journals/index.php/JSMaP/ P a g e | 209

do not receive heavy precipitation and

humidity is very low. The buildings in this

climatic zone should therefore be oriented

according to the solar point of view so that

the building receives maximum solar

radiation during the winter season and

minimal radiation during the summer season.

The facade is an important element in

buildings, its main function is to protect and

distinguish the interior from the external

conditions of the environment

Architects do not see the building envelope

as an isolated building component, but rather

consider it an integral component of

considerable importance in terms of the

appearance of the building. The building

envelope is therefore part of an integral

design concept.

Among sustainable methods to have a better

thermal comfort, the ventilated facade, which

is the most complete synthesis of the

conditions that a wall must fulfil to ensure

the well-being inside the building(12) (11).

It is made of two parts: an inner structure

covered with a protective outer skin.

In summer, much of the radiant heat reflected

outward. The filtered heat in the chamber

activates the chimney effect. So only a small

part of the heat flow is absorbed by the

building, and if the insulation is properly

installed, the heat absorbed by the building is

zero. The reflection effect of heat can be

increased by using light colours on the

facing.

In winter, in cold weather, the wall acts as an

internal heat accumulator which is more

difficult to be transmitted to the outside

thanks to the insulating layer. Therefore, it

comes back inside. Air circulation in the

chamber contributes to thermal equilibrium.

4- Case study and analysis

The pilot project involves the design of a 70-

bed medical and surgical clinic in the urban

district Zouaghi. Constantine, on a land of

about 17450m2, depending on the high

environmental quality and specifically the

impact of the ventilated facade on the

thermal comfort of a patient’s room.

The pilot project is a medical-surgical clinic

which is located in the boulevard of the

clinics in Zouaghi urban district , the

geographical coordinates of the basic

building correspond to the city of

Constantine, a town in the north-east of

Algeria, with:

i- Latitude: 36.17 ° North

ii- Longitude: 6.37 ° East

iii- altitude is 694 m

The case study consider the thermal comfort

of the patient’s room

The patient’s room has an area of 26.91m2,

the walls are double wall (15m brick, 5cm air

blade, 10cm brick), the interior walls are

brick (15cm), the lower floor consists of a

layer in stone with a thickness of 20 cm

followed by 10 cm of concrete, covered with

tiles (the sub-screed is made of cement

mortar with a thickness of 2 cm). The roof is

made of 20 cm thick concrete and cement

mortar and a plaster.