The Role of Ab-Anbars in the Vernacular Architecture of Iran with Emphasis on the Performance of Wind-Catchers in Hot and Dry Climates

Abstract

Vernacular and traditional Iranian architecture has always acted rationally, harmoniously, and climate-friendly to meet the needs of the people in dealing with the environment. In addition, without harming the environment, they have achieved the best initiatives with the least facilities. For example, we can mention that the Ab-Anbars in arid and desert areas of Iran, which are used to store water in seasons with precipitation for use in the rest of the year, has been an optimal way to use natural resources and provide climate comfort. The Ab-Anbars are realized with ventilated cisterns through openings on their roof or wind-catchers to keep the water cool and provide comfortable conditions for the occupants. In order to study the essential role of natural ventilation and cooling in the Ab-Anbars, thermal analysis with CFD software was carried out to assess the effectiveness of a typical wind-catcher according to different wind directions in Yazd city. The results showed that Ab-Anbars have played an important role in reducing cooling loads and supply the necessary ventilation rate of buildings and can be used in the future for application in contemporary architecture and urban planning.

Keywords

• vernacular architecture
• Ab-Anbar
• wind-catcher
• CFD
• hot and dry climate
• Iran