This note was reviewed and retained for legacy in August 2018.
In hot arid climates, cooling is the dominant need in order to attain comfort. In this paper, architect Emilis Prelgauskas highlights the natural forces (wind, solar gain, moisture) that can be harnessed for cooling, and the resulting passive building elements which contribute cooling effect when integrated into the built form. With these, natural ventilation and cooling can achieve comfort sufficient to lessen or even obviate the need for mechanical air-conditioning.
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