Analysis of Thermal Comfort of Vernacular Dwellings in Cold Desert Climate Condition of India Case Study of Ladakhi Houses in Leh, Lasakh

Abstract

The cold desert is one of the extreme condition where architecture anthropology is achieved dealing with adversities such as strong speedy winds, heavy snowfall, high altitude, and extreme cold. Dwelling is the primary shelter to protect against harsh climate in which human spends their life. Humans require certain comfortable condition to perform, stay active and healthy. The thermal comfort is the major factor of Human comfort and is majorly dependable on climatic environmental factors. In this case the air and radiant temperature along with air velocity are critical to deal with. To attain thermal comfort, the mechanical heating and ventilating systems are used currently which consumes ample of energy and major contributor of global warming. Environmental sensitive place such as cold desert, where water is scarce (source of energy), even minute increase in temperature due to global warming melts the glacier leading to landslides, floods, erosion and other adversities. Desert vernacular has always been the product of sustainable cycleThe aim of this research is to check the natural thermal performance of vernacular Ladakhi houses of Cold desert climatic condition(Ladakh) of India. The paper comprehends, access and evaluate thermal comfort of vernacular residential building in Leh, Ladakh to find out the contribution of each in attaining the thermal comfort. The study will be done in two parts after the literature review through secondary source data; the first part deals with interview of people where the questions related to thermal comfort are asked and the second part is simulation through software Energy Plus Design Builder, which will give quantified thermal analysis of Ladakhi houses. The method is deductive reasoning through quantitative approach. The observation, findings and inference depicts that the passive techniques and opening to room volume ratio plays major role in attaining the ambient temperature apart from the use of local material. The expected outcome of the research is the inference of analysis in form of constant and variables which one can consider as a guide for designing thermally comfort dwelling in extreme conditions of cold desert.