Daylighting Strategies in Iranian Vernacular Residential Buildings in Hot and Dry Climate Elham Maghsoudi Nia 1,a , Titi Hajihasani 2, Mohd Yazid Mohd Yunos 2,b* and Nordin Abdul Rahman 2,c 1 Department of Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia 2 Department of Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia a maghsoudinia@gmail.com, b,* mohdyazid@upm.edu.my, c nordinar@upm.edu.my Keywords: daylighting, shading devices, visual comfort, energy efficiency Abstract. Daylighting strategies and control of it, plays a significant role in energy efficiency and provision of visual comforts in buildings. This study conducted a review of literature and observation in a hot and dry region of Iran in order to investigate daylighting strategies and control of it by shading devices in the vernacular residential buildings. The results show thatdaylight in vernacular rooms was provided through door, window, Rozan, Moshabak, and Goljam. These components were equipped with the vertical and horizontal shading devices such as Orsi, Sarsayeh, Tabeshband and Kharakpoushto control the sunlight. The vernacular lighting strategy was in response to the energy efficiency and provided visual comfort. The vernacular concepts and schemes still can be adopted and reused by architects and developers. The study recommends appropriate daylight schemes and shading devices in design phase to achieve energy efficiency in new residential buildings. Introduction In the recent years, the dramatic growth in the energy demands, increased the significance of energy sources and energy consumption rate[1]. Increasing concerns about the energy sources and the environmental pollution have made building constructors to reconsider the daylighting as a remarkable source of energy [2]. In order to improve the quality of indoor environment, sunlight penetration has to be controlled by design strategies, and a tradeoff between cooling, heating and lighting loads should be achieved by integrated design, considering daylight and thermal comfort[3]. The appropriate daylighting design can result remarkable amount of reduction in electricity lighting expenditure and cooling energy consumption[4,5]. The proper ratio standard for the size of windows is 8% to 10% of the whole envelope surfaces for all climate except cold and mountainous regions[6].The natural daylight quality entering the buildings depends on external and internal factors. Indoor characteristics such as the size and location of the window, the depth and the shape of the room and the color of the surfaces affect the daylight level [7]. Methodology This study used literature as a source and conducted some observations in a hot and dry region of Iran in order to investigate different approaches of daylighting and shading in the vernacular buildings. All the literature chosen for the study were related to the daylight strategies and have been published during recent ten years. Kashan city with many vernacular residential buildings was selected as a case study for conducting observation due to the numerous regions with hot and dry climate in Iran. Ten number of VRB were observed, which all were built around 200 years ago. The different daylight components and shading devices considered in these houses. For analyzing the data, various elements and components related to the daylighting and shading, which recognized during the observation would be compared with literatures and classified in this study. Moreover, the functions of each lighting strategies in the vernacular spaces would be discussed. Applied Mechanics and Materials Vol. 747 (2015) pp 329-332 Submitted: 24.10.2014 © (2015) Trans Tech Publications, Switzerland Accepted: 25.10.2014 doi:10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.747.329 All rights reserved. No part of contents of this paper may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of TTP, www.ttp.net. (ID: 60.54.48.202-01/03/15,10:04:07)