Adaptive Architecture: Low-Energy Technologies for Climate Control in the Desert

Le Corbusier considered buildings “machines for living in.” Modem buildings have indeed become increasingly complex, involving technologically advanced building materials, and mechanical systems for controlling interior air quality, thermal comfort, lighting and acoustics. These systems, which rely exclusively on the utilization of non-renewable energy, are often expensive to install and energy intensive in operation. This is particularly true of buildings constructed in locations with extreme climatic conditions, such as deserts, where the difference between ambient conditions and the desired interior conditions is large.