Papers by Christophe NKUINA
Energy savings inside buildings require a comprehensive design approach to balance bioclimatic st... more Energy savings inside buildings require a comprehensive design approach to balance bioclimatic strategies with the use of active systems. A climatic responsive building aims to mediate external agents both to reduce climate loads and to create a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. The sensitive approach to comfort gives nowadays more chances to implement passive strategies and especially the use of natural ventilation. The proper adjustment of the architecture to the climate is one of the basic characteristics of vernacular building. Nowadays this area received an important support through the application of cutting-edge technology. Still, despite the clearly visible change of attitudes towards nature, more detailed analysis often lead to the conclusion that the arising buildings are very rarely based on extensive studies of local bioclimatic conditions. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the traditional ways of adapting dwellings to the climate are combined with advanced technology and applied in contemporary bioclimatic buildings but also to pay particular attention to the use of local materials and construction techniques. The northern and southern regions of Cameroon with the Mousgum huts and traditional chiefdoms respectively will allow us to highlight certain technical identities and constructive traditions that are answers to sustainability in local architecture in Cameroon. Five important case studies are briefly presented in order to demonstrate that the relevant distinguishing feature of bioclimatic architecture is to go beyond the scheme of low-energy buildings, constructed from renewable materials and meeting the conditions of sustainable development certification systems. It is much more vital for the true green design to implement the structures in the ecosystem in such a way that they become an integral part of it. Thus understood bioclimatic architecture is logical, well adapted to the climate and therefore also economical. It creates great opportunities and should be perceived as the solution for the developing countries (but also for the whole world).
Bioclimatic architecture, 2024
Energy savings inside buildings require a comprehensive design approach to balance bioclimatic st... more Energy savings inside buildings require a comprehensive design approach to balance bioclimatic strategies with the use of active systems. A climatic responsive building aims to mediate external agents both to reduce climate loads and to create a healthy and comfortable indoor environment. The sensitive approach to comfort gives nowadays more chances to implement passive strategies and especially the use of natural ventilation. The proper adjustment of the architecture to the climate is one of the basic characteristics of vernacular building. Nowadays this area received an important support through the application of cutting-edge technology. Still, despite the clearly visible change of attitudes towards nature, more detailed analysis often lead to the conclusion that the arising buildings are very rarely based on extensive studies of local bioclimatic conditions. The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the traditional ways of adapting dwellings to the climate are combined with advanced technology and applied in contemporary bioclimatic buildings but also to pay particular attention to the use of local materials and construction techniques. The northern and southern regions of Cameroon with the Mousgum huts and traditional chiefdoms respectively will allow us to highlight certain technical identities and constructive traditions that are answers to sustainability in local architecture in Cameroon. Five important case studies are briefly presented in order to demonstrate that the relevant distinguishing feature of bioclimatic architecture is to go beyond the scheme of low-energy buildings, constructed from renewable materials and meeting the conditions of sustainable development certification systems. It is much more vital for the true green design to implement the structures in the ecosystem in such a way that they become an integral part of it. Thus understood bioclimatic architecture is logical, well adapted to the climate and therefore also economical. It creates great opportunities and should be perceived as the solution for the developing countries (but also for the whole world).
Le logement social, outre a stimuler des nouvelles politiques residentielles dans plusieurs pays ... more Le logement social, outre a stimuler des nouvelles politiques residentielles dans plusieurs pays et partant des villes, est l'occasion de proposer de nombreuses articulations multi generationnelles et sociales entre les habitants des quartiers jusqu'a lors constituant zones peripheriques, pour classes sociales specifiques et pour le plus, uniformes. Il est une occasion de repenser la ville dans une logique non plus centree sur un developpement expansif, mais sur un nouvel concept d'urbanisation et sur une approche architecturale diversifiee. L'implantation de l'habitat revetant le costume de logement social devient une importante occasion de reconversion, de requalification et partant de revitalisation des parties du territoire et de l'actuation des nouveaux concepts de consommation pouvant stimuler l'evolution vers un developpement durable. L'interrogation pour nous est : Comment est ce que la revitalisation pourrait etre apprehendee dans une ville t...
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Papers by Christophe NKUINA