Abstract :
[en] There has been a marked increase in the pace of building construction in Phnom Penh, especially residential buildings. As reported by the World Bank, by 2050, about 36% of Cambodians will be living in urban settings. Over time, most building designs incorporated mechanical cooling systems in their building plans to create a comfortable indoor environment, which has led to an ever-increasing rate of energy consumption and thus global warming. In Phnom Penh’s hot-humid tropical urban environment, shading devices are commonly used in building façade design to improve indoor environmental quality by using double façade or shading devices. In this study, the characteristics and development of shading devices in urban residential buildings in Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, are investigated with respect to different architectural periods. This research combines field observations, visual documentations, and architectural analysis techniques to determine the typical shading devices used on the facade. The analysis is performed based on the relationship between (1) the orientation of the building and (2) the facade design. The research aims to investigate the shading types used by 240 residential buildings through different periods and in four (N-S, E-W) oriented facades to learn how the design approaches have been practiced and improved to create quality indoor environments, energy efficiency, and thermal performance. From this study, it is found that most residential buildings designed during the French colonial era (1863-1953), New Khmer Architecture era (1953-1975), and recent times (2000s-present) focused on passive design approaches through the use of balconies (49%), horizontal louvers and deep verandas (15%), egg crates (12%), overhangs (8%), and vertical fins (1%). This research contributes to a better understanding of the different typologies of shading devices in improving the thermal performance of buildings and provides insights for passive design strategies in tropical urban contexts.
