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Procedia
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Engineering
ProcediaProcedia
Engineering 00 (2011)
Engineering 000–000
21 (2011) 580 – 590
www.elsevier.com/locate/procedia

2011 International Conference on Green Buildings and Sustainable Cities

Green Architecture in clinical centres with an approach to

Iranian sustainable vernacular architecture (Kashan City)
Mohadesehsadat Amiri Mohammadabadia, Shimaossadat Ghoreshia∗
a
Department of Architecture, Khorasgan(Isfahan) Branch,Islamic Azad University, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

For its unique features, the green architecture holds a special place among the architecture experts. Since vernacular
Iranian architecture possesses all the sustainability factors, in the beginning of this article through descriptive
methods and based on the findings of field research and academic studies we inspect and analyze the Iranian
architecture in hot and dry climates specifically Kashan city. In the end while understanding and scrutinizing the
principles of green architecture in clinical centres, a suitable design for green architecture in these buildings based on
Iranian vernacular architecture using modern technologies will be concluded.

© 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.

Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of APAAS
Keywords: green architecture; clinical centers; iranian native architecture; hot and dry climate; sustainability

1. Introduction

One of the main reasons of the expansion and importance of sustainable development in architecture is
that construction and in general built environment designers affect their surrounding environment directly.
Environmental effects of every new building are very evident and when urban houses replace a green area
and or a residential tower shadows the surrounding houses you can easily criticize the built environment’s
designing method.[1] Therefore, designer’s attention towards sustainability issues in architecture and
creating an approach where buildings are designed in the most proficient and aesthetic manner and
meanwhile imposing the least possible harm on the environment have been one of the major issues in
architecture designing.
Rogers writes about sustainable design in design Architecture and says: in sustainable design we are

∗
Corresponding author. Tel.: +9-891-330-561-02; fax: +9-831-166-988-59.
E-mail addresses: shgh [email protected]

1877-7058 © 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2011.11.2053
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looking for realizing the human’s current needs without compromising the natural resources and leaving
them for future generations. This process should be compatible with social and economic principles and
pay close attention to energy consumption and ecological effects of the buildings and cities. The factors
which we need to consider for these purposes are: low energy; suitable compatibility and proper usage of
the resources. [2]
Green architecture, a termed entitled to the architectures which dedicate great importance to the
environment, is one of the characteristics of the sustainable design in which environmental sustainability
is more important. [3]
they created aesthetic structures. They created these environmentally suitable structures with empirical
knowledge and this unstoppable endeavour continued until technology and industry were introduced.
After the changes of industrial age, modern life raised its head and the different needs of people
transformed the pattern of construction in Iran.
It seems that in the age of advancement and evolution new structures with new materials were built
which were not in concordance with the environment and as a result they were not as strong and moreover,
due to the building techniques and in order to overcome the unfavourable climates more fossilized
energies (non-renewable energies) were consumed. [4]
Due to the rich history of traditional architecture in Iran, scholars and experts need to analyze the
positive features of the past architecture (not just imitate them) and make an attempt in order to build
environmentally compatible structures using the new construction materials and advanced technologies.
Clinical centres require greater attention and due to the nature of their existence, the role they play in
preserving health in societies and the everyday need for building and developing these structures in
developing countries, innovation and compatibility with the surrounding environment is very important.
In order to achieve the goals following issues are discussed in this article:
• Analyzing the features of Iranian vernacular architecture in hot and dry climate (Kashan city).
• Identifying the characteristics of green clinical centers
• The methods of applying Iranian vernacular architecture in clinical centers using modern technologies
based on green architecture criterion

1. Architecture of hot and dry climate in Iran

1.1.climate categorization in Iran:

Iran is divided into four major climates:

• the coast of Khazar sea (temperate and wet climates)
• the coast of Persian gulf and Oman sea (hot and wet climates)
• mountainous areas (cold climates)
• plateau desserts (hot and dry climates)[5]
Considering that the average raining in Iran is a lot lower than other parts of the world and as a result
weather in most parts of the country is hot and dry[6], hence in this article we analyze the architecture
sustainability in hot and dry climates specifically Kashan city.

1.1.1.Hot and dry climate specifications in Iran (Kashan city):

• hot and dry weather in summer, cold and dry weather in winter
• low raining
• very low weather wetness
• very low plant cover
• too much day and night temperature difference
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• winds with dust in desserts

• condensed city texture[6]
vernacular architects proposed logical solutions for human comfort, one of which was to idealize the
architectural space with the conditions of their surrounding environment. ((Man first made his home to
protect himself from rain, wind, sun and snow. These goals were to protect them from the environment
and serve their survival)) [7]
This is what has made the connection between climate and architecture and shows that the structural
and architectural features of each area are defined by its special climate.

1.2.Morphology and city texture

Fig.1. morphology

Shaping city textures and providing a proper environment for living was one of the greatest
achievements of vernacular architecture in Iran. [6] Climate is one of the effective elements in city
morphology and Iranian vernacular architecture in hot and dry climates. In this climate, vernacular cities
are built with a condense texture and the houses are attached to each other to the extent that boundaries
among them were difficult to identify. Because of the compression of buildings, the outer surfaces of the
buildings have been reduced to the minimum; hence causing the houses to save enough energy for long
time usages.This also explains the crowdedness of the cities, and also eases access to the other areas of
the city.
Narrow and walled alleys make movement within the building blocks easier; the tall walls inclosing
the alleys create shadows that protect people from the harsh heat in the summer and the twistedness of the
alleys slows down the dessert winds. The walls and the ceiling are usually built thick to protect the inside
from the outer heat. The city structure is designed in a way that the airways open in comforting wind and
close during sandstorms. [6]

1.3. Structural features in hot and dry climates

1.3.1. Orientation:

most of the hot and dry areas of the world are located at equatorial latitudes right where the strongest
sun light in the summer can be absorbed from eastside and westside of the building and in the winter the
most amount of sun light can be observed on northern and southern walls.
Southern wall of the central yard is in fact considered the northern wall of the yard since the central
yard and some of the rooms around it and its southern wall possess the most amounts of shadows during
the year . [7] The rooms behind the southern walls are cold in winter but in summer because of being in
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the shadow, they are cool and comfortable.(North side of the yard where winter’s mild sunlight lays on is
the winter sitting area because it gets more heat and the south side of the yard which is covered by
shadow is the summer sitting area since it is cooler.)[8]
The main purpose of orientation in hot and dry climates is to maximizes the summer breeze and reduce
the daily temperature inside the building and also to maximize the sun light in winter. Northern-southern
orientation is preferred. [9]

1.3.2. Introvertness and the central yard:

Fig.2. Introvertness

In a hot and dry climate, the central yard is considered the centre of the house. This method has been
very effective in creating comfort in traditional houses which was determined by the climate. The central
yard is the most important area for the houses in this part of the country. Pond and the garden are
considered as the major parts of the yard and their length axis are usually in vertical position from each
other. Rooms are located along the main axis of the house and the pond is in front of these rooms which
create a direct visual connection among the people in these rooms. [8]
Therefore, providing cool and desirable air for every housing unit along with preserving deep yards
and the condensed houses breathing through these yards has been possible. The yards are roofed from
every side, like a pit settles the cold weather of the night and uses it during the hot day. [10]

1.3.3. Roofs:

mostly roofs of the introvert houses with a central yard are flat and have a sheltering wall taller than
vision level which fences the entire roof. These sheltering walls are not only for privacy and security
when sleeping or sitting on the roof but they also protect the body of the building from direct sun light
during the day. It needs to be stated that the roof is exposed to sun light and it heat more than any other
section of the house.[7] In dessert areas dome shaped roofs were built on mosques and water
reservoirs.These roofs beside structural benefits, causes the sun light to adjust during the day by the
different curved surfaces. At night they rebroadcast the radiation and help cool the night.[11]

1.3.4. Wind catchers:

another element of hot and dry climate architecture is wind catcher. Wind catcher is located on the roof
and is used to cool, heat and ventilate the structure. In some houses it passes through to the basement. The
pond in the yard and plants in the garden help circulate temperate air in the house. [12] Wind catchers are
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fixed structures that through wind breathe the cool air into the building and on the other hand breathe the
hot and polluted air out of the building. When wind collides with inside wall of the wind catcher it
inevitably slide down and enters the building, on the other side of the wind catcher crevices which are
against the direction of the wind let out the hot and polluted air into the wind.[7]

Fig.3. Wind catchers

1.3.5. walls:

in respect to both material and thickness walls are designed according to the climate. E.g. in hot and
dry climates the walls are very thick, sometimes one meter thick. There are a few benefits to this
thickness, first it increases the delay (the time between absorbing the heat from one side of the wall and
letting it out from the other side), and second it decreases the temperature swing between day and night
since the heat absorbed during the day is released at night. Third, thick walls lose heat at night through
transformation, therefore during the day the walls are cooler than human skin. Human body will radiate
on it even if the temperature is high. These walls will provide the most comfort during the day and at
night will bring the necessary cold through transformation. [10]

1.3.6. Bazshoha:

bazshoha are literally translated as openers, their number and size is dependent on the climate and the
culture of the area. In dessert areas openers are small and located under the ceiling. They are mostly on
north and east side of the structure. In cold areas openers are generally bigger and are located in southern
part of the structure to benefit from the sun light. In temperate areas openers were placed in wind path to
purify the air inside the structure.[11]
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Fig.4. Color

1.3.7. Construction materials:

In the past (in Iranian vernacular architecture) materials were produced with the least possible harm to
the environment, consuming the least amount of fossilized energy and having the least amount of non-
biodegradable material.Also in order to reduce the heavy transportation costs and provide repairing for
the structure ant any needed time the vernacular architects used to use native materials considering the
point that each area’s material suit that same area the best. Therefore, in native architecture there is an
evident similarity between structures of the same region which to the inevitable conclusion that in the
same climate the same materials were used. Overall the reason for Iranian vernacular architecture’s
sustainability was working with good quality materials (e.g. mud, mud-brick and brick) which were
developed and evolved during millenniums and centuries of traditional fabrication.[13]

1.3.8. Color:

a very important and controlling element is colour. The temperature different of a structure with white
ceiling with another structure having a black ceiling is 40 kilos. [7]
((light colors for the outer surfaces are very effective in reducing the daily temperature, by reflection
the sunlight, and this heat reduction causes temperature sustainability and eventually comfort at night. If
proper regular gatch work does not be done on the building, the structure will absorb the most amount of
energy from the sun.))[7]

Fig.5. Plant covering

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1.3.9. plant covering:

in every region the plant coverage depends on the amount of water and its accessibility in that area.
For the following reasons plant coverage is very important for the structures in hot and dry climates, it…
• Reduces the direct sun light and its reflection.
• Shadows the roof, walls, windows and the yard.
• Reduces the dust around the building.
• Slows down the undesirable wind around the structure.
• Centralizes the wind and directs it to the favored places.
• Increases the wetness in dry climates.
• Decreases the temperature around the structure.
Plants ability in adjusting the temperature changes is one of the important elements of controlling solar
energy. The area under the shadow will faster absorb the heat. Wetness of the plants reduces the
temperature and therefore in parts with plant coverage, heat will exist for a longer period. [7]

2. Green Clinical Centres

Clinical centres are one of the public buildings which have an important effect on their surrounding
environment. Clinical centres are one of the biggest water and energy consuming and garbage making
facilities. Since these spaces are one of the major recourse users of a society, it is necessary to apply green
architecture features in them.
Green clinical centres are one of the branches of sustainable architecture and a sub-branch of
treatment-oriented architecture in fundamental green clinical centres. All the efforts made to create these
green centres will only make sense if they affect treatment processes. A second issue is that these centres
despite being health care and sanitation centres are considered as some of the biggest urban polluting
places. With a sustainable and green approach in designing, they should be transformed into a clean
facility. In the past decade the hospital building industry has experienced changes in design, construction
and operation due to an objective of harm reduction. Pioneers in this industry stared a new view to these
objectives. In 2000 hospital building industry entered the sustainable design and was assessed seriously.
Since then focusing on clinical centres and been a factor in designing these centres .[14]
In order to design and build green clinical centre, there need to be some fixed and united standards for
the designer to follow and commit to and hence have an international approach to green architecture. The
effective factors for obtaining a license for a green clinical centre are based on the following:

2.1.1.Site selection and landscape:

Following the main factors of site section for the clinical centre before designing and starting the
project and choosing a proper site are the two most important issues in the sustainability of a clinical
centre. Paying attention to the climate of the site and proper orientation towards the sun in a way that
central spaces inside the clinic, like the rooms, benefit from natural light are of importance too.In this
approach existence of plant coverage is an important priority.

2.1.2.Energy and ventilation:

using clean and renewable energy resources are very important factors which special attention needs to
be paid to. Green clinical centres are among the facilities that consume a lot of energy. In order to help
reduce this consumption different building method need to be considered.[15]
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2.1.3.Water management:

paying attention to water resources, applying methods of proper use, recycling water like purifying
water in clinical centres and using it to water the plants are very important.

2.1.4.Pollution management:

clinical centres are one of the many public buildings that pollute the environment. Making a great
amount of clinical waste and the lack of modern waste burning technology makes it an even greater
problem. Green clinical centres should operate in a way to manage their pollution. The inside space of the
centres should b designed in a way that it separate the passage way of wastes from clean materials.
Quality of materials and resources: nowadays the issue of controlling infections in clinical centres has
turned into a problem. One of the widespread illnesses in clinical centres is the clinical centre disease that
people catch when they are in a clinical centre. Therefore, using high quality materials is of great
importance which ensures seamless anti-bacterial surfaces. [16]

2.1.5.Quality of the inner environment:

This factor is one of the very important points in designing a green clinical centre. 22% of every
international license is dedicated to this matter .[3] Decreasing the duration of treatment is a golden goal
of every green clinical centre because along with decreasing the treatment duration it also decreases the
use of clinical materials of the country. Studies have shown that the environment in these centres affect
patient’s health for several reasons. One is the effect on mind-body relation. When the quality of the
clinical centre gets better, it reduces the environmental stresses hence the mind orders body to focus on
the treatment and as a result it decreases the treatment duration. [17]
Another achievable factor through the increase of quality in clinical centres is distraction. Distraction
is the factor prevents the patient from concentration on his illness. [18]Experts believe that detailed
design helps improve patients’ health. Patients’ physical and mental health are influenced by the clinical
centres atmosphere. [19]

2.2. Some of the green clinical centers in the world

Developed countries have a sustainable view towards designing clinical centers. In these countries the
buildings of clinical center have designed in a way that they be easily led to be green. Knowing some of
the famous green clinical centers would help understand this designing method.

3. Conclusion

Studying green clinical centres architecture and considering the knowledge of the architects and
designers show that different methods exist in applying these principles. What needs to be noted is that
these methods are for creating principles that help preserve energy, be compatible with the climate,
reduce pollution and realize the needs of the users. Since the circle of life in adjoined, to achieve these out
sets we need to follow the general architecture where all the green architecture principles are concentrated.
This is what has happened in Iranian vernacular architecture.
Iranian architecture is formed by considering the different sites and climates and cultural and social
elements. Using non-fossilized fuels, clean and renewable energy and organic growth are all for the
respect to the environment. Iranian architecture can today be a example for architects.
Table 1. green clinical centers
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Used strategies to make it green Location NaName of the institution

-not using PVC surfaces
-isolation walls by fiber glass materials
-benefiting from natural light through photo
cell system inside the building
-proper designing of the green areas
Florida, USA Shands cancer center
-creation of a qualified center for patients and
the doctor
-creation efficient lighting to reduce energy
consumption
-comfortable temperature in the rooms
-creating a green roof
-integrating site and roof passage ways
-efficient use of natural light
Taiwan disease controlling center
-setting up solar energy absorption systems Taiwan
-applying efficient water management
principles
-creating a nice view
-creating an outer layer to protect the inside
space from outside noise
-creating a fluid layer to lead the into the
London Guy Greenfield
building
-using materials and colors that creates a
feeling of security and peace

Table 2. Green Architecture Strategies

In Iranian vernacular
In clinical centres architecture Strategies
architecture

-condensed urban
structure
-the least amount of
environmental destruction
-Choosing proper site according to the climate
-dividing building into
- paying attention to structure and form
two summer and winter
-appropriate building orientation considering the local temperature and Site selection &
sections
natural light Landscape
-building orientation
-all the rooms benefiting from natural light
considering climate and
the sun
-Designing compatible
with nature and existing
facilities and equipments
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-building central yard

-planting tree and plants
to create shadows and
increase wetness -solar energy, building solar windows, trump walls, greenhouse, natural
-building structure under lighting
ground -the energy from the wind
-building ponds in the Building windmills to pump water, wind turbines to produce energy for
middle of the yard to air conditioning
increase wetness -ground heating energy
-building thick walls -storing energy for future use
-benefiting from solar -the energy obtained from waste and garbage Energy and
heating in winter rooms -applying the highest amount of light Ventilation
-using basement and wind -chimney for static cooling
catchers for ventilation -creating green roofs and curved forms
-building winter sitting -using green windows
and summer sitting spaces -planting wide leaf trees to create shadows
to take better advantage -building awnings for shadowing and cooling
of the sun light -building closed spaces with the ability to be semi-closed by flexible
-building curved ceilings walls
-using light colour to
absorb less heat

-building subterranean
canals
-dividing water between -Purifying the used water
different sections of the -using the waste water for air conditioning
building -saving the water from rain
Water management
-leading used water into -proper recycling the sewage water
the garden for watering
-building clay pipes
inside the building for air
conditioning
-using native materials to
decrease the pollution
cause by the buildings
-using modern waste burning machines
-using the remainder of
-suitable designs for inner space of the building by separate the passage
the materials in other Pollution
way of waste and garbage
projects Management
-efficient locating of the waste burns to avoid dangers
-giving value to the
-removing the remainder of the materials
different sections and
dividing service sections
from others
-using modern recyclable native materials with good quality
-using native materials -making efforts to reduce the building costs
Resources and
-efficient use of soil in -using washable paints
material quality
dessert areas -using materials with no crevices in them, e.g., brick, this is possible
through modern technologies
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-creating green areas in

the heart of the building
-setting decorates in the
building
-building man-made
-using atrium to bring nature inside (positive mental effect)
spaces with the least
-paying attention to building’s looks Inner space quality
destruction on nature
-using decoration to distract patients
-Giving importance to
view
The connection of
building’s inside and
outsid

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