Sustainable and protection renovation of hui traditional dwellings in China: Thermal comfort on-site testing and investigation

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

The sustainable renovation of traditional buildings is essential for cultural heritage conservation and green urbanization. This study examines traditional Hui minority dwellings in western China, comparing protected historic homes with modern self-built houses. By introducing the Thermal Comfort Time Ratio (TCTR), the study quantitatively evaluates indoor thermal comfort and the effectiveness of passive design strategies. Key factors such as natural ventilation, building orientation, and envelope materials are analyzed. Results show that traditional protected dwellings have a TCTR of 1.96%, while self-built houses reach 3.79%. Optimized designs—including concrete walls, northwest orientation, and 900×1200 mm windows—enhance TCTR to 4.01%, a 104.6% improvement over traditional homes and 5.8% over current self-built ones. Temperature retention also increases by 70.1% and 62% compared to traditional and self-built houses, respectively. Improved airflow further enhances thermal comfort. This research provides a performance-based framework for renovating ethnic dwellings sustainably, balancing thermal efficiency with cultural preservation. The findings offer guidance for low-carbon, climate-responsive design strategies applicable to traditional housing across diverse regions.