Toward applicable green architecture : an approach to colonize the desert in Egypt Citation for published version (APA): El Fiky, U. (2006). Toward applicable green architecture : an approach to colonize the desert in Egypt. Technische Universiteit Eindhoven. https://doi.org/10.6100/IR614930 DOI: 10.6100/IR614930 Document status and date: Published: 01/01/2006 Document Version: Publisher’s PDF, also known as Version of Record (includes final page, issue and volume numbers) Please check the document version of this publication: • A submitted manuscript is the version of the article upon submission and before peer-review. There can be important differences between the submitted version and the official published version of record. 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If the publication is distributed under the terms of Article 25fa of the Dutch Copyright Act, indicated by the “Taverne” license above, please follow below link for the End User Agreement: www.tue.nl/taverne Take down policy If you believe that this document breaches copyright please contact us at: [email protected] providing details and we will investigate your claim. Download date: 03. Oct. 2021 Toward Applicable Green Architecture An Approach to Colonize the Desert in Egypt PROEFSCHRIFT ter verkrijging van de graad van doctor aan de Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, op gezag van de Rector Magnificus, prof.dr.ir. C.J. van Duijn, voor een commissie aangewezen door het College voor Promoties in het openbaar te verdedigen op maandag 16 oktober 2006 om 16.00 uur door Usama Mohamed Ahmed El Feky geboren te Kafr El Sheikh, Egypte Dit proefschrift is goedgekeurd door de promotoren: ir. D. van Dansik en prof.ir. N.A. Hendriks Copromotor: dr.ir. E.L.C. van Egmond-de Wilde De Ligny Drukkerij: Universiteitsdrukkerij, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven. Copyright 2006 U . El Fiky ISBN: 90 -386 -1766 -6 II To my wife Mona Elnagar To my parents To my country Egypt III IV Preface and Acknowledgement Green architecture becomes a significant part of the path to a sustainable future. A green building serves the needs of the people who inhabit it. It supports and nurtures their health, satisfaction, productivity, and spirit. It requires the careful application of the acknowledged strategies of sustainable architecture - non-toxic construction; the use of durable, natural resource efficient materials; reliance on the sun for day lighting; thermal and electric power; and recycling of wastes into nutrients. Although many of the environmental problems exist because of the inefficient use of natural resources by industrial and developed countries; developing countries have their share in the issue. Moreover, the developing countries have to benefit from the experience of the developed countries. Indeed, the protection of our planet is easier for those countries under developed than those countries which are already developed. Much is known about the principles of green architecture, but the choice of other priorities or values other than environment and climate in building construction affects the degree of adaptation of the architecture to climatic comfort and environmental sensitivity. This research explores methods and techniques, which ensure the broad application of green architecture principles in new urban settlements, generally in hot arid zones and particularly in the vast Egyptian desert. This research focuses on the identification and incorporation of cultural aspects of current and past green building practices in Egypt with the green architecture experience worldwide. Furthermore, how this could help in applying the green architecture in Egypt. The Toshka region in the southwest desert of Egypt has been chosen as a case study of the research. It has been chosen, because it is an area that needs development and where people from different regions in Egypt are to be relocated. The architectural discipline and discourse, which this study is heavily indebted to, are social and cultural studies as well as the green architecture design strategies. The intention of this study is not to pretend completeness on the issues being raised, nor to present new insights into complex development, technological, and socio-economic issues. The intention rather is, to raise the awareness, among local communities, authorities, and professionals (architects and urban designer, etc), to the utmost importance of the building culture for the adoption of the green architecture in any society. In addition, the study displays the vast potential of non-professional people to provide their knowledge in order to conceptualize, to visualize, and finally, to realize the green architecture in the Toshka region and Egypt. The study has been carried out with support of the Menoufiya University in Egypt. They hope to gain a better insight into the unique field of green architecture and environmental study V from my experiences. This will probably be accomplished through a teaching position upon completion of the program in the Netherlands. Many people have helped me with this study that I shall never be fully able to acknowledge and thank for what I owe and feel towards them. One who stands out is my first supervisor Donald Van Dansik. His careful guidance, enthusiasm, optimism and support in trying to understand my aims with the study have been much appreciated. Also, the same feeling goes to both my second supervisor, Nico Hendriks, for his encouragement, support and enthusiasm and my co-supervisor, Emilia Van Egmond, for her encouragement, diligent guidance, her interest and deep insight of the questionnaire methodology and her attention for details. My gratitude is for Julia Robinson, for her deep interest in green architecture and cultural aspects and her constructive comments on the drafts of the thesis and Inass Hamdy, for her critical and constructive review of the text of the thesis as well as for her support in testing the toolbox with the students from Alexandria University in Egypt. I am very grateful to Peter Erkelens, for all his time in reviewing the complete text of the thesis and his support in testing the toolbox with the students from TU/e in The Netherlands. My gratitude is for Marc Gludemans, who made my study in The Netherlands come to a reality, and his support as a co-supervisor during the first two years of my PhD study. Furthermore, my gratitude goes to Mark Cox, who made the software version of the toolbox possible. I appreciated the deep discussions with Rene Dierkx about the questionnaire methodology and his experience of architecture in hot arid zones. My appreciation is also for my colleagues Fayes Al-Hassan, Ayman Sharawy, Ana Maria Moya Pellitero , Roel Gijsbers, Zakari Mostafa, Kmal Mobarak and Tarik Hamada, for their time they spent in testing the toolbox. My thanks then go to all faculty members of the ADE unit of architecture, for their help during my PhD study. I am grateful for the hospitality that my supervisor and I have received from Dr. Samia El Gundy and Eng. Hessin, the Secretary General of Ministry of Irrigation and Water Supply in Egypt and their support in visiting the Toshka Region. Moreover, I am indebted to all of my friends Elshahat Hegazy, Mohamed El-nagar, Manal El- nagar, Amera Elnagar, Adel Hafiz, Saber Ahmed, Ramadan Miky, Mahmud Monir and Ali Helal, for their immense help in conducting the survey in Egypt. VI Contents Preface and Acknowledgement Part I: ANALYTICAL FRAMEWORK Contents Page 0 G ENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 0.1 Theme ………………………………………………………………………………... 1 0.2 Research aim ………………………………………………………………………... 1 0.3 Origins of the Study ………………………………………………………................ 1 0.4 Research problem……………………………………………………….................. 2 0.5 Research questions ………………………………………………………................ 3 0.6 Relevance of the study………………………………………………………........... 3 0.7 Research hypotheses ………………………………………………………………. 4 0.8 Research methodology ……………………………………………………….......... 4 0.9 Research steps ………………………………………………………...................... 4 0.10 Layout of the thesis…...................................................................................... 5 0.11 Flow Chart of the Study……………………………………………………………. 6 1 ACCU MULATED EXPERIENCE OF GREEN ARCHITECTURE 9 1.1 Introduction ………………………………………………………………………….. 9 1.2 Definitions ……………………………………………………….............................. 10 1.3 Principles of Green Architecture ........................................................................ 13 1.4 Rating systems and design Guides ................................................................... 14 1.5 Green Architecture