Why scientists in Germany are studying the ‘variety and beauty' of traditional Gulf homes
Built for the desert heat using stone, coral and mud brick, the UAE 's traditional homes are central to the country's heritage. Today, old Gulf-style houses are being studied by an academy of German and Arab scientists to help solve the newer problem of climate change . Researchers involved in the project, which looks at the architecture of the UAE, Oman and Algeria , say the old ways have…
Scientists in Germany are currently studying the variety and beauty of traditional Gulf homes to help address the issue of climate change. These homes, built using materials like stone, coral, and mud brick, are central to the UAE's heritage. The project, funded by the Arab-German Young Academy of Sciences and Humanities, involves researchers analyzing the architecture of the UAE, Oman, and Algeria to assess their energy efficiency.
The aim is to present their findings in Muscat next month to scientists from various nations. Traditional UAE homes often utilized materials such as coral stone and wind towers known as barjeels to maintain cool interiors through natural ventilation. These passive cooling methods were a focal point of the project, which began with a tour of Gulf homes led by Dr Al Ansari, the founder of Oman's Shaheen Institute and a professor at Berlin's Technical University.
The UAE's "passive house" concept, designed to combat extreme heat, shares similarities with Germany's own "passive house" concept, which focuses on insulation against cold winters. However, in Oman, a special permit is required to construct buildings using traditional Omani limestone, a material known for its energy-saving properties.
In Algeria, researchers will investigate whether the country, which has a history of anti-colonialism, has also incorporated European methods into its building practices. The project aims to discuss the potential integration of traditional, climate-adapted architecture into building codes.
Written by urgent.news from The National UAE's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
