Noureddine Zemmouri

Contemporary lifestyles lead the elderly to spend up to 80% of their time indoors. Research underscores the unique visual requirements of different types of spaces to enhance accessible design for aging populations. This paper aims to evaluate the daylight conditions of the interior spaces of a senior living facility in Algeria. Interviews and on-site illuminance measurements were conducted to investigate perceptions and preferences regarding these spaces. A geometric model was then created in Rhino 8 and Grasshopper to simulate the interior daylight environment over an entire year. The study reveals significant daylighting deficiencies in the investigated spaces, including insufficient illuminance uniformity, localized overexposure near window zones with a potential glare risk, and some underlit activity areas. Additionally, annual daylight simulations revealed marked differences between the two shading scenarios. With the existing shading devices, the north-west-facing bedroom (R1NW) achieved UDI of 87.09%, whereas the south-east activity room (AR1SE) reached only 13.78%; removing the shading increased acceptable UDI in all investigated spaces. However, annual glare analysis showed that this improvement in daylight availability was accompanied by a reduction in glare autonomy. These results support orientation-specific daylighting strategies that include optimized or adaptable shading devices, supplementary task lighting for underlit functional areas, and increased interior finish reflectance to improve daylight distribution while reducing glare.

This paper introduces a comprehensive framework for optimizing daylight performance in architectural drawing rooms located in hot-arid climates through the integration of building performance simulation and political optimizer algorithms. The study investigates the key challenge of balancing daylight availability with visual comfort in educational spaces characterized by high solar radiation intensities. A sophisticated 3D simulation model was created using MATLAB, embedding 15 CIE standard sky types to accurately represent the dynamic luminous environment of hot-dry regions. Empirical validation conducted in Biskra, Algeria, demonstrated high model accuracy with a mean error of 3.5%. The political optimizer algorithm was employed to solve a multi-objective optimization problem addressing three key performance indicators: illuminance uniformity, Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI 300–3000 lux), and task-specific illumination levels (300–500 lux). Optimization results indicated marked improvements, with UDI occupancy rates increasing from 20.66% to 37.66%, representing an 82% relative enhancement. The optimal configuration identified includes a 30% window-to-wall ratio, 70% glazing transmittance, and strategic surface reflectances (ceiling: 80%, walls: 65%, floor: 35%). This research provides a validated computational framework that allows architects to make evidence-based design decisions for educational spaces in climatically challenging settings, effectively bridging the gap between building performance simulation and practical architectural applications.

Buildings account for a substantial share of global energy consumption, much of which is associated with heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems for indoor climate control. Passive strategies rooted in historical architectural typologies, such as courtyard buildings, offer potential to enhance energy efficiency and indoor comfort. This Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses-guided systematic review analyzed 83 peer-reviewed studies published between January 2014 and September 2025. Using thematic content analysis, we synthesized evidence on how key configuration parameters (orientation, aspect ratio, height-to-depth ratio, window-to-wall ratio, and length-to-width ratio) affect three performance domains—thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and daylight performance—across major climate zones (tropical, hot-arid, temperate, and continental). The literature is concentrated in hot-arid and temperate climates, whereas tropical and continental zones remain comparatively underexplored. Orientation and aspect ratio were the most frequently investigated parameters, and simulation-based methods predominated. The review also identifies critical gaps in theoretical grounding, methodological standardization, and empirical diversity. Most of the studies show limited interdisciplinary integration, minimal consideration of occupant/population differences, and restricted real-world applicability, particularly for public and institutional buildings. By consolidating global evidence, this review further proposes a performance-oriented framework to interpret and advance Chinese courtyard architecture, including siheyuan, sanheyuan, and tulou, across diverse climatic and urban–rural contexts. These findings highlight priorities for China-focused research, including multi-objective performance assessment, empirical validation, and climate-sensitive design strategies. Overall, the review provides actionable insights for architects, urban designers, and policymakers seeking to advance climate-adaptive and context-responsive architectural practice.

Daylight plays a crucial role in defining the overall urban experience, influencing thermal comfort, energy consumption, and visual appeal. This research aims to study the light environment in arid urban settings. The study focuses on a quantitative analysis of the light environment based on the morphological characteristics of significant city districts. We examine how urban morphology impacts illumination levels, considering factors such as street orientation, Sky View Factor (SVF), Height-to-Width (H/W) report, surface textures and coatings, and the presence of vegetation, among others. Using a C.A 813 lux-meter, our research involves an on-site measurement campaign across various quarters in Biskra to assess the effectiveness of different lighting control and adjustment strategies. The study reveals that natural illuminance in urban streets is influenced not just by SVF, but by a combination of morphological factors including H/W report, street orientation, and surface reflectance. Contemporary districts with higher H/W report and well-organized layouts achieved the best daylight performance, while traditional areas, despite high SVF, showed the lowest illumination due to dense and irregular forms.

The modern movement of architecture has led to a proliferation of buildings featuring transparent facades, which unfortunately amplify the energy needs of these structures. Mitigating this energy consumption necessitates a reevaluation of architectural strategies. Addressing concerns such as overheating, innovative solutions like smart and dynamic double-skin facades have emerged to curtail energy usage while ensuring comfortable indoor conditions. This study focuses on examining the efficacy of smart facades, employing electrochromic glazing, and dynamic double-skin facades, and integrating dynamic shading systems, in reducing energy consumption within office buildings located in hot and arid regions. Parametric simulations were used on a particular office building, comparing scenarios with and without the implementation of smart and dynamic double-skin facades, particularly on south-facing orientations. The simulations varied the wall-to-window ratio (WWR) to gauge energy performance under different configurations. Furthermore, multi-objective optimization (MOO) techniques were employed to analyze and optimize shading device properties. Parameters such as depth, distance from the glass, shade angle, and spacing between shades were optimized as genetic variables to determine the most energy-efficient configuration for office buildings. The study results demonstrate that the use of EC glazing is beneficial in all WWR percentages, achieving 67.65% of energy saving in 90% of WWR., Also it was found that the optimal solution for saving energy is using DDSF with 20 cm of shading depth, 45° of shading angle, and double low-E vacuum in the inner skin, with an energy saving of 70.32% in the case of 90% of WWR compared to the base case.

The relationship between architectural design and outdoor acoustic environments remains underexplored, particularly in educational spaces where noise levels impact comfort and usability. This study investigates the impact of building facade height on the outdoor acoustic environment in university courtyards. Acoustic measurements were conducted in two courtyards at Batna 1 University, each surrounded by buildings with distinct facade heights. Key acoustic parameters, including reverberation time (RT), early decay time (EDT), rapid speech transmission index (RaSTI), Definition (D50), and sound pressure level (SPL) attenuation were evaluated at specified source-receiver distances. The results reveal a strong correlation between RT20 and distance at higher frequencies due to building facade reflections, while lower frequencies are more influenced by geometric configuration and material absorption properties. The results demonstrate that RT and EDT increase logarithmically or polynomially with distance, especially at higher frequencies (2000–4000 Hz), due to the decrease in direct sound energy and increase in reflected sound amplitude. Taller building facades lead to longer RT and EDT values compared to lower heights. D50 and RaSTI decrease polynomially with increasing source–receiver distance, with lower values observed in the courtyard with taller facades, indicating reduced speech clarity. The SPL attenuation is influenced by surrounding geometry, with the least reduction in the courtyard with lower facade heights, followed by the taller facade courtyard, contrasting with semi-free field conditions. These findings highlight the significant role of building facade height and architectural elements in shaping the acoustic characteristics of outdoor spaces, providing valuable insights for designing acoustically comfortable urban environments, particularly in educational settings.

This study aims initially to evaluate the quality of different soundscapes in the public space of the city of Biskra, in Algeria. A total of 35 participants took part in a laboratory experiment, where 28 sound clips of one-minute duration taken from public spaces in the city were used as stimuli. The A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq,1min) was calculated. The participants rated the quality of the soundscape using attribute scales provided in their own native language. The results of the questionnaire on the recorded soundtracks confirm that the immediate environment affects the ambient sound level and the quality of the sound environment, where the sound environments of the areas located near the roads, with a high mechanical flow, are considered the most unpleasant and noisy, with a high A-weighted equivalent continuous sound pressure level (LAeq,1min). The findings of this study indicate that there are statistically significant correlations between pleasantness and loudness, presence of mechanical sounds, presence of non-mechanical sounds, and a sound exposure level. In addition, this study shows that there is a significant positive correlation between pleasantness and the presence of non-mechanical sounds. The results also showed an inverse relationship between the presence of mechanical and non-mechanical sounds, and that the absence of mechanical sounds allows natural and human sounds to be more audible, making the soundscape more pleasant and calm according to the results of the questionnaire. From this study, the duality LAeq,1min and the components of the soundscape are very representative indicators of the quality of the soundscape.

Strategic assessment is an important tool and means for achieving sustainable urban development, as it is a scientific approach used to crystallize the developmental priorities and goals of cities, and to identify programs and projects capable of achieving these goals within a certain period of time, in line with the current and future aspirations of the population, taking into account the available resources and potential obstacles. The practical framework of the research included a review of the requirements of sustainable urban development, which contains a set of proposals for it, through the application of its evaluation in a strategic evaluation method, based on a developed reference tool proposed by the researcher and with it. Multiple scopes, which makes it possible to understand the performance of the city and determine the conditions for its sustainable urban development, and also identifies weaknesses, strengths and imbalances in the way cities behave in their application of the requirements of sustainable urban development. This tool or specification was designed by the researcher and incorporated the Delphi method In the selection of criteria, the second method is Gap analysis Which was applied to the city of Boussaada, and the results were as follows, the actual matching percentage of the recipe was 4.46%, Which indicates the existence of a non-conformity gap of 95.54%, which indicates the existence of a clear and large gap for the city of Boussaada, which is very limited, divided according to the four sections of the standard, and accordingly, after diagnosis and examination, it achieved a conformity rate of 8%, with a record size of the gap 92%, As for management and vision, it achieved a matching percentage of 7%, and accordingly, the size of the gap reached 93%, and the tools and means achieved a matching percentage of 2%, and the size of the gap was 98%. While the actions and procedures recorded a matching rate of 1%, accompanied by a gap of 99%, all this indicates that the city of Boussaada It suffers from shortcomings in its management methodology for the requirements of sustainable urban development according to the stages of preparing its plans for this, as many factors that have important effects on the sustainability of the plan in the medium and long term are neglected, and therefore it is closer to a traditional development plan that is unable to accommodate the rapid changes it is going through and the challenges it faces, which constitutes a major challenge in achieving sustainable urban development.

Daylight is an important factor that significantly contributes to patients’ healing, with a reduction in the length of stay in the hospital. It can strongly affect energy consumption negatively or positively through lighting control strategies. Therefore, the case of healthcare buildings is very particular and sensitive, especially under extreme climate conditions as in hot and arid regions. The present study aims to determine a balance between daylight use and energy consumption through a parametric-based optimization of the external shading system in a typical hospital room in Biskra. This paper demonstrates how the implementation of parametric design with evolutionary algorithms is considered a reliable strategy to reach optimum solutions in building performance problems. The daylight performance is investigated based on multi-objective optimization to minimize the Energy Use Intensity “EUI”, while maximizing Spatial Daylight Autonomy “sDA” and Useful Daylight Illuminance “UDI”. A simulation model was developed via Grasshopper, which was employed with the use of Ladybug, Honeybee, and Octopus plug-ins. The results revealed that the adaptive facade system can improve indoor daylight levels and energy performance simultaneously compared to the conventional shading system. The presented framework may be used as a reference model, which can enhance opportunities to solve complex design problems in the early design stages and suggest recommendations for sustainable building design.