Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization

Qinghai Province urgently requires the development of adaptive energy-efficient rural housing construction to address resettlement needs arising from hydropower projects, given the region’s characteristic combination of high solar irradiance resources and severe cold climate conditions. This researc...

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Main Authors: Bo Liu, Yu Liu, Qianlong Xin, Xiaomei Kou, Jie Song
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-04-01
Series:Buildings
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/9/1434
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author Bo Liu
Yu Liu
Qianlong Xin
Xiaomei Kou
Jie Song
author_facet Bo Liu
Yu Liu
Qianlong Xin
Xiaomei Kou
Jie Song
author_sort Bo Liu
collection DOAJ
description Qinghai Province urgently requires the development of adaptive energy-efficient rural housing construction to address resettlement needs arising from hydropower projects, given the region’s characteristic combination of high solar irradiance resources and severe cold climate conditions. This research establishes localized retrofit strategies through systematic field investigations and Rhinoceros modeling simulations of five representative rural residences across four villages. The key findings reveal that comprehensive building envelope retrofits achieve an 80% reduction in energy consumption. South-facing sunspaces demonstrate effective thermal buffering capacity, though their spatial depth exhibits negligible correlation with heating energy requirements. An optimized hybrid shading system combining roof overhangs and vertical louvers demonstrates critical efficacy in summer overheating mitigation, with vertical louvers demonstrating superior thermal and luminous regulation precision. Architectural orientation analysis identifies an optimal alignment within ±10° of true south, emphasizing the functional zoning principle of positioning primary living spaces in south-oriented ground floor areas while locating auxiliary functions in northeastern/northwestern zones. The integrated design framework synergizes three core components: passive solar optimization, climate-responsive shading mechanisms, and performance-enhanced envelope systems, achieving simultaneous improvements in energy efficiency and thermal comfort within resettlement housing constraints. This methodology establishes a replicable paradigm for climate-resilient rural architecture in high-altitude, solar-intensive cold regions, effectively reconciling community reconstruction needs with low-carbon development imperatives through context-specific technical solutions.
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spelling doaj-art-e8823bcb97374462b1aff6c0beb572092025-08-20T01:50:45ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092025-04-01159143410.3390/buildings15091434Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope OptimizationBo Liu0Yu Liu1Qianlong Xin2Xiaomei Kou3Jie Song4School of Architecture, Xi’an University of Architecture and Technology, Xi’an 710055, ChinaSchool of Mechanics, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaPower China Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, Xi’an 710065, ChinaPower China Northwest Engineering Corporation Limited, Xi’an 710065, ChinaSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi’an 710129, ChinaQinghai Province urgently requires the development of adaptive energy-efficient rural housing construction to address resettlement needs arising from hydropower projects, given the region’s characteristic combination of high solar irradiance resources and severe cold climate conditions. This research establishes localized retrofit strategies through systematic field investigations and Rhinoceros modeling simulations of five representative rural residences across four villages. The key findings reveal that comprehensive building envelope retrofits achieve an 80% reduction in energy consumption. South-facing sunspaces demonstrate effective thermal buffering capacity, though their spatial depth exhibits negligible correlation with heating energy requirements. An optimized hybrid shading system combining roof overhangs and vertical louvers demonstrates critical efficacy in summer overheating mitigation, with vertical louvers demonstrating superior thermal and luminous regulation precision. Architectural orientation analysis identifies an optimal alignment within ±10° of true south, emphasizing the functional zoning principle of positioning primary living spaces in south-oriented ground floor areas while locating auxiliary functions in northeastern/northwestern zones. The integrated design framework synergizes three core components: passive solar optimization, climate-responsive shading mechanisms, and performance-enhanced envelope systems, achieving simultaneous improvements in energy efficiency and thermal comfort within resettlement housing constraints. This methodology establishes a replicable paradigm for climate-resilient rural architecture in high-altitude, solar-intensive cold regions, effectively reconciling community reconstruction needs with low-carbon development imperatives through context-specific technical solutions.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/9/1434Qinghaiimmigrant resettlement housingsolar energy utilizationsunspace temperature controlenvelope optimization
spellingShingle Bo Liu
Yu Liu
Qianlong Xin
Xiaomei Kou
Jie Song
Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization
Buildings
Qinghai
immigrant resettlement housing
solar energy utilization
sunspace temperature control
envelope optimization
title Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization
title_full Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization
title_fullStr Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization
title_full_unstemmed Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization
title_short Energy-Efficient Design of Immigrant Resettlement Housing in Qinghai: Solar Energy Utilization, Sunspace Temperature Control, and Envelope Optimization
title_sort energy efficient design of immigrant resettlement housing in qinghai solar energy utilization sunspace temperature control and envelope optimization
topic Qinghai
immigrant resettlement housing
solar energy utilization
sunspace temperature control
envelope optimization
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/15/9/1434
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