A CRITICAL-REVIEW OF THE USEFULNESS OF MICROCOMPUTER BASED DESIGN TOOLS FOR PASSIVE SOLAR DESIGN OF LOW-COST HOUSING IN DEVELOPING-COUNTRIES

The popularity of micro-computer based tools for passive solar design of buildings is extending to developing countries and the low cost housing market. This paper discusses their effectiveness by evaluating the levels of expertise required to run a typical programme. Some of the shortcomings of computer design tools are identified with reference to validation studies in the literature and also some case studies in developing countries where the thermal comfort gains made through computer design are seen to be minimal and even trivial. In a situation where millions of poor households are informally providing their own homes, education awareness programmes would seem to be a far more effective and rewarding strategy to achieve greater thermal comfort and energy savings in this sector. © 1990.