Parametric Assessment for Achieving Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) in Egypt’s New Urban Communities: Considering New Borg El-Arab City Urban Morphology and Openings’ Specifications

What is it about?

Indoor environmental quality (IEQ) refers to the overall thermal comfort internally. In Egypt, new settlements have good climate potentials, as a moderated zone in hot climate region. The common urban morphology in all Egypt’s new urban communities is derived from the New Urban Communities Authority (NUCA). This formation affluence the microclimate sphere surrounded the buildings, while the openings pass that surrounded microclimate sphere are following the Egyptian building legislation. The paper aims to assess parametrically the efficiency of openings’ specifications considering the common urban morphology in Egypt’s new settlements in achieving IEQ. The Parametric Assessment is based on both spatial and environmental information; Building Performance Simulation (BPS) was used as a tool, to support the field study. The applied study is carried out in the Eighth District at New Borg El-Arab City as an example of the common new urban communities, in the less server climate in Egypt. The assessment process resulted in both visual and numerical data that assessed the impact of the common urban morphology and openings’ specifications in achieving IEQ, it showed the weakness of achieving IEQ naturally in Egypt’s new settlements, represented in New Borg El-Arab City. The paper recommended reconsidering the specifications of the Egyptian building legislation and the urban rules of NUCA; to include the parametric simulation tools to assess the spatial specifications and environmental standards. This can support a wide range of architectural and urban alternatives, for achieving a comprehensive sustainable built-up environment in Egypt’s new settlements.

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