Energy efficiency features of vernacular house in Bosnia and Herzegovina: A case study of Svrzo’s house complex

This paper analyzed sustainable principles of vernacular architecture in Bosnia and Herzegovina featured in the Svrzo’s house complex in Sarajevo, which can serve as an example that can be utilized in contemporary architecture. An energy-efficiency analysis was performed by using DesignBuilder software. The aim was to investigate whether the building design, building’s envelope materialization, and spatial organization comply with today’s energy-efficiency standards and if such principles can be applied in contemporary design. The calculation of the energy demands for heating and cooling showed that the division of the house in winter and summer quarters is an energy-efficient approach that could be transposed into contemporary architecture. The calculations also showed that the materialization of the building envelope of the winter quarter is not energy efficient enough to be used in modern constructions, but the positive aspects of the building envelope materialization such as the use of natural, local materials with good heat capacity are important elements which could serve as guidelines for the materialization of contemporary buildings. Therefore, a new materialization was proposed on the basis of these principles. The calculations showed that the analyzed winter quarter became energy-efficient while maintaining sustainable principles borrowed from vernacular architecture.