Sustainable construction in hot and tropical climates
Building in hot or tropical climates remains a challenge. This can be technical when it comes to ventilation, but also demographic since two thirds of the cities are located in this type of region. In this dossier, you will learn more about bioclimatism, biomimicry, or to discover the difficult gestation of local industries, often based on ancestral knowledge.
Building in a warm climate also means adapting to standards or market dynamics from temperate countries. The social aspect has therefore not been forgotten. The problem of air conditioning is closely linked to it, as is the use of raw earth or biosourced materials.
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A special dossier produced in collaboration with Nomadéis, and with the support of the French Environment & Energy Management Agency
Editorial
Under the concept of "hot climates", this dossier will address sustainable construction in tropical regions, but also in desertic regions. An insight into the concept of "hot climates" that motivated the choice of this geographical area.
Nicolas Dutreix, Associate director at Nomadéis
#2 Hot or tropical climate: a clear but difficult definition/strong>
What is the definition of a tropical climate? What is a desert climate? Elements of definition on the geographical areas covered in this dossier.
Brahmanand Mohanty, Asian Institute of Technology, and special advisor for the French Environment & Energy Management Agency
A -Biomimetism and bioclimatism: the advantages of customised solutions
#3 Bioclimatism, standardization and local reality: an impossible equation to solve?
The bioclimatic approach seems well suited for construction in a warm climate. What are the rules and principles of bioclimatism? What importance do local sectors have in sustainable construction in hot climates?
Alain Bornarel, engineer specialized in urban planning and civil engineering at the École centrale de Paris, founder of the TRIBU design office
#4 Building bioclimatic in tropical climate and Reunion Island
Beyond natural ventilation and the envelope, the greening of the building is an essential element of bioclimatic design. Inventory of existing standards, regulations, and solutions.
Antoine Perrau architect specialized in bioclimatism and environmental urban planning in tropical environments
#5 Biomimetism: a solution for building in hot climates?
Inspired by Nature for human production, this is the essence of biomimicry. Used by scientific research, this know-how is also highly appreciated in architecture. To what extent does Nature have efficient models to teach us to limit our energy expenditure?
Nicolas Vernoux-Thélot architect and founder of the firm In Situ Architecture and designer of the church of Nianing
Discover
B - Local supply chains and materials: a look back at the challenges
#6 Construction of local building materials sectors: a social as well as an economic challenge
Enhancing the value of local supply chains for biosourced materials is a major challenge for sustainable construction, particularly in hot climates. However, despite the abundance of materials, they are struggling to form.
Bernard Boyeux, Director of C&B Constructions et Bioressources.
#7 Development strategy for the "tropical built" sector
A synthesis of the "BIOREV Tropics" study, led by Nomadéis, BioBuild Concept and the Urban Ecology Laboratory. This document defines the particularities of insularity and the difficult problem of local sectors, particularly in the French tropics.
Jérôme VUILLEMIN, researcher at the Tropical Building Innovation and Research Centre (CIRBAT).
#8 The use of typha in Senegal, interview with Ernest Dione
Adapting construction techniques and the choice of materials is necessary to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of buildings in tropical or Sahelian climates. The typha, a wild plant, could contribute to answering this challenge of sustainable construction.
Ernest Dione, national project coordinator TyCCAO
#9 Construction with raw soil in Senegal
In Senegal, architects and contractors are taking inspiration from old-fashioned raw earth houses and reviving local know-how to build sustainably. The coming years will probably be important for this ancestral and accessible building technique to continue. A look back at these challenges with Worofila Architecture.
Nicolas Rondet, WOROFILA Teacher at the Pan-African Polytechnic Institute
C - Energy in a hot climate
#10 Energy: a major challenge for sustainable building in the Antilles
From the Overseas Departments the use of expensive and polluting air conditioning systems is very significant. Committed to a sustainable development approach, France must implement strategies to limit energy consumption. Energy news in the West Indies
Pricillia Privat, Head of the Agency of the design office H3C-CARAïBES in Guadeloupe and Loic Nohilé - Project Manager in the Martinique agency
D - Urban planning and development in hot climates
#11 Urban planning and development in tropical climates
Sustainable construction in a hot climate is not only a technical challenge. It also requires taking into account a particular social context. The example of French Guiana.
Denis Girou, directeur général chez EPFAG
12# Urban planning in cities with hot and dry climates: the case of Cairo
By focusing on social housing plans and the theoretical values of post-modernist urban planning, Cairo attempts to overcome the lack of convergence between the sustainable urban design model and post-Revolution urban modernism..
Ahmed El-Hozayen, Assistant in the Architecture and Urban Design Programme at the German University of Cairo
#13 Urbanisme et contraintes sous le climat chaud au Brésil
The urban context of large Brazilian villas and the consequences of climate change. How can we meet this challenge in the major cities of developing countries?
Sergio Myssior, director and partner of Myr Projetos Sustentáveis.
E - Sustainable development in a warm climate: ecological and social challenges
#14 Building in Africa: inclusive techniques and training
In response to the housing problem in Africa, the Association la Voûte Nubienne (AVN) has been promoting the technical concept Voûte Nubienne (VN) in Sudano-Sahelian Africa for almost 20 years, a complete, adapted and sustainable constructive solution.
Mathieu Hardy and Thomas Granier, Association la Voûte Nubienne (The Nubian Vault)
#15 - LETCHI : sustainable and affordable construction in tropical countries
Mr Mohanty, attending the LETCHI conference organized by ADEME this year in Kuala Lampur, presents the strategies put in place to encourage sustainable and affordable construction in tropical countries.
Brahmanand Mohanty, Asian Institute of Technology, and ADEME consultant
#16 Saharan Cities: An imperative of resilience in the face of climate change
The cities of the Sahara are located in one of the regions most vulnerable to the effects of climate change, in particular due to the fragility of the economy and infrastructure. How can the urban environment of Saharan cities be developed to make it more resilient?
Karim SELOUANE, PhD, CEO and Founder @RESALLIENCE
#17 - Sustainable construction in Peru between informality, unskilled labour, self-construction and corruption
Building sustainably in Peru faces a first obstacle: the country's lack of institutionalization. It is therefore difficult to disseminate and perpetuate good practices. Beyond this observation, this article provides some initial solutions.
By Clément Gaillard of Construction21
F - Resilience and hot climates: a major issue
#18 - An operation for renewed housing in French overseas departments
The impacts of climate change on populations living overseas and the need to relocate them. How to anticipate these constraints?
Emmanuelle Durandau, Deputy Permanent Secretary at PUCA
# 19 Anticipating climate change effects by building our cities
By showing that a given place in the world could experience a similar climate in the future to another place in very different latitudes, the climate analogues method makes it possible to imagine the impact of rising average temperatures.
By Cécile Gracy and Candice Ribot of Ademe InternationalE
G - Feedback and case studies
#20 Synthesis of "hot climates" case studies
Since 2016, the Energy and Hot Climate category is part of the Construction21 database. Discover the finalist case studies from previous editions.
Construction21 Editorial Board
#21 The headquarters of the Guadeloupe National Park (REX)
The feedback to the headquarters of the Guadeloupe National Park, an exemplary project that was the 2016 winner in the Hot Climate category at the Green Solutions Awards.
Périne HUGUET, Associate Architect at ATELIER 13
#22 Diamniado's Ecopavilion
An exemplary infrastructure, designed with building materials based on Typha. This building located in Diamniadio, a new town imagined by the Senegalese government on the outskirts of Dakar, will be a driving force for the country's economic development.
Ernest Dione, national coordinator of the TyCCAO project
#23 Rehabilitation in French Guiana: REX device High-performance buildings
Rehabilitation performance is an unavoidable subject in French Guiana. The AQC report aims to alert to constructive defects in order to prevent them and to disseminate good practices.
AQC Publication
# 24 - The context of the Nianing Church
Back on the case study, a shell-shaped biomimetic building located in Senegal. It is inspired by termite mounds to preserve the faithful from the heat.
Nicolas Vernoux-Thélot, architect and founder of the In Situ Architecture firm and designer of the Nianing church.
H - Standards and initiatives
#25 RESET, the standard for sustainable architecture in the tropics
An almost unique standard, it has the particularity of advocating technological frugality. Talk back to one of its editors.
Bruno Stagno, founder of Bruno Stagno Arq. y Asoc. S.A.
#26 EDGE Certification: How to Certify Green in Emerging Markets
In order to reduce carbon emissions from buildings, IFC has created the EDGE certificate, which is designed to help emerging markets make the green transition.
Alzbeta Klein, Director and Global Head of Climate Business at IFC
#27 [Video] What is the RTAA DOM?
This video presents three questions about the RTAA DOM. Created in 2016 in addition to the thermal, acoustic and ventilation decrees of 2009 for the application of articles R162-1 to R162-4 of the construction and housing code, the RTAA DOM is the reference text in all overseas departments.
Intervention by Mohamed Abdesselam de Solener
With the support of
ADEME is particularly committed to the subject of sustainable construction in hot climates, drawing notably on the experience of the French overseas territories, which have developed approaches and tools specific to tropical climates. It is within this framework that ADEME provides financial support for the Green Solutions Awards and this dossier, which contributes to exchanges and reflections on the subject. However, ADEME has not given its technical validation to this dossier, as the contents are published under the sole responsibility of their authors. Read more (French)