Abstract

Most of the environmental influences on buildings are variable by their very nature. This fact creates a need for diverse solutions in energy and environmental design and construction that can facilitate optimum building performance throughout the changing periods. Such solutions, in order to be successful, should be compatible with the climatic, and more generally environmental, conditions that prevail in the region where they are applied. Solutions that satisfy these requirements can come from a wide variety of fields, ranging from vernacular architecture to applications of smart materials and technologies. This paper presents an overview of conventional design and construction measures and practices for managing the variable environmental influences on buildings in the Mediterranean region. To that end, it identifies the environmental factors whose variable behaviour influences the energy and environmental performance of the buildings that are subject to them, and it also evaluates their impact. The study goes on to describe and evaluate the design and construction choices and practices that are implemented in buildings in the region to manage these influences. The aim of this work is to report on the main characteristics of these methods and investigate any ways in which they might be improved.

Keywords: Building; Environmental influence; Mediterranean region; Sustainable design