The Optimised Mixed-Mode building: countering ac reliance by re-synchronizing the thermal environment with occupant lifestyles in Khartoum

The Sudanese house has had to evolve four times in the past 200 years due to changing socioeconomic conditions. It went from a spiralling compound of scattered rooms to a compact building with all the functions under one roof. This change was in order to adapt to the reduced plot sizes and changing occupant behaviour and family structure. Air conditioners have been available since the 1960s, but people relied on adaptive behaviours predominantly. Thermal migration to utilise the thermal variety in different parts of the house was an integral part of life in traditional houses. However, in recent years the increased demand of air conditioners created by the return of expats led to an increase in local production and imports, which made them also more readily available. This increased consumption has led to power cuts as the electric grid cannot cope.

This research utilised a mixed-mode method to understand the phenomenon from different contexts. Interviews supplemented the literature review of the wider context. Two modern concrete and three traditional buildings were chosen as case studies. Extensive interviews recreated the building's past, while the monitoring for a year documented the current use and internal conditions. The study found that occupants in both typologies used internal spaces for prolonged periods. The internal conditions varied throughout the day based on the thermal mass of the materials used and shading.

The study found that the thermal variety that existed in the original traditional houses can be replicated in both modern and modified traditional houses by creating zones. These zones match the user's current modern usage patterns of their house, allowing minimal need for constant movement. This solution allows the Sudanese house to synchronise with the user's daily patterns again, resulting in a reduction in electric consumption.