The correlation between spatial form and energy consumption of traditional dwellings in southern Shaanxi

Southern Shaanxi features a hot-humid and cold-humid climate. Local traditional dwellings have developed four spatial forms adapted to local conditions: I-shaped, L-shaped, U-shaped and enclosed shaped. Each of these spatial forms has a distinct impact on building energy consumption. Based on field surveys and DesignBuilder simulations, results indicate that L-shaped dwellings exhibit the lowest total energy consumption whereas U-shaped dwellings consume the most. The analysis reveals that heating and lighting are the dominant energy demands as each accounts for approximately 46% to 48% of the total annual load while cooling energy consumption is negligible at only 6% to 7%. Furthermore, heat loss through roofs and external walls constitutes 79% to 82% of the total heating load. The study also identifies that increasing building depth and width shows a negative correlation with energy consumption per unit area. These findings suggest that retrofitting strategies in Southern Shaanxi should prioritize winter insulation of the envelope and geometric optimization over summer cooling measures.