Bioclimatic assessment and thermal comfort of traditional Riads in Fez Medina

Traditional Moroccan Riads in Fez Medina demonstrate remarkable resilience to climate variability, significantly reducing indoor thermal discomfort from over 80% to nearly 10–12% through passive bioclimatic design. The study reveals that courtyard configurations and high-thermal-inertia materials like rammed earth walls—with a 12-hour thermal lag—effectively mitigate heat swings while meeting Moroccan thermal regulation standards for U-values. By integrating Mahoney Tables, Givoni’s psychrometric chart, operative temperature, PMV–PPD indices, and ASHRAE 55/ISO 7730 simulations, researchers quantified the benefits of envelope optimization in enhancing thermal comfort. These findings underscore the potential of adaptive reuse for sustainable thermal engineering, positioning Riads as exemplary models for climate-adaptive architecture.

El Harrouni, R., Benaicha, M., Benkirane, I. M., & Becue, V. (2026). Bioclimatic assessment and thermal comfort of traditional Riads in Fez Medina. Results in Engineering, 29, 108889. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rineng.2025.108889