A computer simulation program for predicting the thermal performance of sunken courtyard buildings

Researchers have recommended the implementation of the sunken courtyard concept in buildings especially in hot-arid regions but without providing tools to estimate their thermal performance. This paper discusses ''SUNCORT'' a computer program developed to estimate the thermal performance of sunken courtyard buildings. The program is based on CONDUCT which is a general purpose computer program designed for the solution of partial differential equation of the heat conduction type in two dimensions. ''SUNCORT'' was validated with two studies and used to estimate the energy savings provided by the sunken courtyard concept in the hot arid climate of Kuwait.