Tazotats: Vernacular heritage, thermal storage materials, and heat regulation in arid environments
Mohamed FILALI, EZZAHIR Anass
Abstract. Vernacular architecture, often defined as a traditional building approach that uses local materials and techniques, intimately reflects the available resources, climate, and cultural practices of a specific region. This form of architecture, developed over centuries, illustrates a deep respect for the environment and an intuitive understanding of local conditions. The use of local materials presents numerous advantages. Firstly, these materials are generally accessible in situ, thus reducing construction and transportation costs. Indeed, they are often better adapted to local climatic conditions, offering thermal and structural properties that contribute to the durability and energy efficiency of buildings. In arid regions, the use of raw earth and adobe bricks helps maintain cool interior temperatures due to their thermal regulation capacity. Vernacular construction techniques, such as earth, wattle daub, and dry stone, also reflect a deep knowledge of material properties and the best methods for using them. These techniques, passed down from generation to generation, often incorporate ingenious solutions to maximize the durability and comfort of dwellings. Integrating local materials and construction techniques into modern architecture can offer sustainable and culturally relevant solutions to contemporary construction challenges. By revisiting these traditional practices, it is possible to design buildings that are not only ecologically responsible but also deeply rooted in their cultural and environmental context. This study aims to examine the importance of using local materials and traditional construction techniques in vernacular architecture, highlighting concrete examples and the advantages they offer in terms of sustainability, energy efficiency, and preservation of cultural heritage.
Keywords
Bio-Based Materials, Vernacular Architecture, Bibliometric Analysis, Risk Management, Seismic Resilience
Published online 1/10/2025, 9 pages
Copyright © 2025 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Mohamed FILALI, EZZAHIR Anass, Tazotats: Vernacular heritage, thermal storage materials, and heat regulation in arid environments, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 47, pp 156-164, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903391-18
The article was published as article 18 of the book Vernacular Architecture
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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