Low-energy design in the United Arab Emirates – building design principles

Climate responsive design and traditional design elements of the Persian Gulf may provide a basis for low-energy design. Current building models employed in the United Arab Emirates are often unsuited to the region's climate, causing massive cooling loads as a result inappropriate site planning, orientation and building envelops with high levels of glazing. The application of an inter-disciplinary design approach that considers urban design, landscape design, architecture and meteorology may provide a more appropriate low-energy design for such hot and arid climate.