https://www.ijumes.com/ International Journal of Urban Management and Energy Sustainability en daily 1 Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0330 Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 +0330 https://www.ijumes.com/article_734803.html Improving energy performance in historic buildings has become a critical challenge due to the need to balance environmental sustainability with the conservation of heritage values. Although numerous guidelines and decision-support tools have been developed, many existing approaches rely on qualitative judgments and lack transparent, quantitative procedures for evaluating the impacts of energy optimization interventions. This gap often leads to uncertainty in prioritizing measures and achieving consensus among multidisciplinary stakeholders. The present study aims to develop a structured Impact Assessment Process that enables integrated evaluation of energy consumption optimization interventions in historic buildings while safeguarding heritage significance. The research adopts a qualitative methodology based on comprehensive literature review, content analysis, and logical–analytical reasoning. Drawing upon Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) principles and Heritage Impact Assessment (HIA) frameworks, a three-stage process is proposed, including baseline condition assessment, identification of intervention strategies, and impact evaluation relative to baseline conditions. The framework integrates five assessment criteria: heritage value conservation, energy performance, CO₂ emission reduction, indoor thermal comfort, and economic efficiency. Findings indicate that applying a structured scoring system and a multi-criteria evaluation approach improves transparency in decision-making and allows systematic comparison of alternative interventions. Furthermore, prioritizing heritage impact assessment at early stages helps eliminate incompatible measures before detailed energy analysis, reducing potential risks to historic fabric. The study concludes that the proposed framework provides a comprehensive and adaptable methodological structure for researchers and practitioners, facilitating more balanced, evidence-based, and sustainable energy retrofit decisions in historic buildings, particularly in contexts where standardized assessment protocols are limited. https://www.ijumes.com/article_727077.html This study investigates the optimization of energy consumption and thermal comfort in classrooms at the Iran University of Science and Technology (IUST) in Tehran by integrating daylighting strategies. A multi-objective optimization approach balanced the selection of glazing materials and the design of shading devices to effectively harness natural daylight. Using Rhinoceros 3D and Grasshopper with plugins Ladybug, Honeybee, and Wallacei X, simulations incorporated Tehran's climate data to model the impact of daylight on energy use and thermal comfort. The research focused on two classrooms, with models representing south-facing (Model A) and north-facing (Model B) orientations. Results highlighted that optimizing window characteristics and shading devices significantly reduced energy consumption and improved thermal comfort, as measured by Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) metrics. For Model A, PMV and PPD improved by 40% and 19%, respectively, while energy consumption decreased from 220 kWh to 190.54 kWh. For Model B, PMV and PPD improved by 17% and 15%, respectively, with energy consumption reduced from 228.78 kWh to 209.03 kWh. The findings demonstrate that integrating daylighting strategies, optimized window characteristics, and shading devices can significantly enhance both energy efficiency and thermal comfort in educational spaces. This approach provides a sustainable and efficient design solution, with potential applicability to various building types and climates. https://www.ijumes.com/article_734691.html With the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence and digital technologies, their increasing incorporation into architectural practice and particularly into the architectural design process has precipitated the emergence of novel design methodologies shaped by digital paradigms. Accordingly, parametric architecture, as a salient manifestation of digitally mediated design, has been selected as the focal lens through which to investigate the epistemological and procedural impacts of digital technology on architectural design thinking. The present research seeks to develop a comprehensive framework aimed at advancing methodological studies in parametric architecture. It endeavors to identify, categorize, and critically analyze the transformations, shifts, and epistemic gaps that distinguish parametric design research from the established corpus of pre-digital architectural design studies. In doing so, the study aspires to provide a strategic foundation for understanding and further cultivating design practices in the digital era. The research adopts a qualitative methodology grounded in the principles of Grounded Theory. Through a systematic review and comparative analysis of canonical architectural design research conducted prior to the advent of digital technologies, alongside contemporary scholarship on parametric architecture, the study identifies conceptual constructs that signify digitally induced transformations within the parametric design process. These emergent concepts were subsequently coded, classified, and analytically synthesized to construct a structured interpretive framework. The findings indicate that the integration of digital technologies into the architectural design process has fundamentally reconfigured its foundational concepts and facilitated the emergence of new design paradigms. The categorization of these newly identified concepts reveals the breadth and multidimensionality of transformations across various domains of the design process under digital influence. Furthermore, the study delineates areas within parametric architecture that require further scholarly investigation and proposes strategic recommendations for the informed and critical integration of artificial intelligence in intelligent design methodologies. https://www.ijumes.com/article_735352.html Historicism is among the ambiguous and conceptually intricate notions that have been interpreted in multiple, and at times conflicting, ways—either in support of it or in opposition. The foundations of this intellectual orientation, in its contemporary form, stem from Hegel’s philosophical reflections on the nature of history. Subsequent to Hegel, various divergent and value-laden interpretations emerged which, according to some scholars, eventually contributed to revolutionary perspectives that produced catastrophic historical outcomes. Consequently, historicism has been heavily criticized by thinkers opposed to this school of thought. From another standpoint, however, historicism may be viewed as a paradigm that arose alongside the intellectual transformations and tensions associated with the emergence of modernity, particularly as a reaction against the purification and absolutization of natural-science methodologies and their uncritical extension to other domains of human knowledge, as well as against the descriptive, causally oriented approaches prevalent in conventional historiography. Within this tradition of historical reasoning—across all fields, including architecture—historical developments and events are examined through the logic of dialectics and the spirit of the age. Any idea or theoretical construct detached from its historical context https://www.ijumes.com/article_735423.html Traditional historical schools in Iran are the manifestation of human-centered architecture with value and quality, and the structure of the formation and spatial organization of these schools has reached its peak in historical cities such as Isfahan and in alternate periods. The concept of typology and evaluation of the architecture of traditional schools from both visual and functional perspectives is the exploration and challenge of modern researchers to achieve the structure of architectural configuration. In this research, the main goal of typology And the evaluation of the visual criterion in 16 schools is related to the three historical periods of Safavid, Qajar and Pahlavi I in the city of Isfahan. The method of the present study is descriptive-analytical and applied in the purpose and has been based on content analysis and inferential reasoning. It has had educational, social and cultural elements in such a way that in the type of social interactions and the type of education, respectively, from the structure of the open space in the visual dimension to the individual behavioral base, and the spatial structure has changed from around the central courtyard of the Safavid era to a wider space more asymmetrical in the later period. https://www.ijumes.com/article_735689.html This study was conducted with the aim of modeling the psychological interactions between the designer and the user in virtual architectural space and examining the role of these interactions in the formation of sensory–visual perception. Despite the expansion of the use of virtual reality technologies, augmented reality, and interactive environments in architecture, understanding how environmental features are transformed into the user’s perceptual experience still faces conceptual and analytical gaps. Accordingly, the present research explains this process by presenting a structural model based on three constructs: “virtual architecture,” “psychological interactions,” and “sensory–visual perception.” The research method is based on a quantitative approach and the use of structural equation modeling with the partial least squares method (PLS-SEM). Data were collected through a questionnaire with the participation of 250 students and individuals familiar with virtual architectural environments. The results showed that virtual architecture has a positive and significant effect on psychological interactions, and these interactions also have a direct and strong effect on sensory–visual perception. In contrast, the direct effect of virtual architecture on perception, in the presence of the mediating variable, was weaker and reported with a negative direction, while the total effect remained positive. These findings indicate that spatial perception in virtual environments is not formed directly, but rather through the user’s active cognitive, behavioral–social, and educational engagement with the environment. The framework presented in this study can serve as a basis for designing interactive virtual environments, especially in architectural education. https://www.ijumes.com/article_734840.html Daylight and visual connection to the exterior are critical factors in architectural design, directly influencing occupants’ comfort, well-being, and energy performance. However, contemporary window design often lacks a systematic understanding of how opening geometry simultaneously affects daylight quality and exterior visibility. This study aims to investigate the combined impact of opening position and elongation on indoor daylight performance and view quality. The research asks how variations in window location and geometric elongation influence daylight metrics and the extent of visual access to the outside. A parametric simulation approach was employed using Honeybee and Ladybug, analyzing 22 scenarios of a reference room model (5×3×3 m) through daylight factor, horizontal illuminance, glare probability, and view analysis indices. The results show that centrally positioned openings with horizontal elongation improved daylight uniformity by approximately [10%] and increased exterior visibility by [36%] compared to vertically elongated configurations. Qualitatively, the findings suggest that balanced horizontal window proportions enhance both visual comfort and spatial perception without excessive glare. Future research should extend the model to multiple climatic contexts and diverse room geometries to improve the generalizability of the conclusions. Future research may extend this framework by incorporating different room proportions, façade orientations, glazing properties, shading devices, and diverse climatic contexts to enhance the robustness and applicability of the results. https://www.ijumes.com/article_735799.html In light of contemporary cultural, social, and technological transformations, rethinking the design of Islamic mosques particularly in the Khorasan region, which has a rich heritage in religious architecture has become an undeniable necessity. This research focuses on the role of conceptual art in enhancing the quality of contemporary mosque design, examining how visual elements such as light, form, color, and interactive arrangements can be employed to maximize audience engagement especially among the younger generation while strengthening spiritual experience and social participation. The research method is qualitative and analytical, utilizing field studies and comparative analysis of four prominent examples of religious architecture in Khorasan in Iran: The Goharshad Mosque, The Jemee Mosque of Neyshabur, the Akbariyeh Cultural Complex of Birjand, and the Hazrat Zahra Mosque in Mashhad. Findings indicate that the integration of conceptual art components with traditional architecture, while preserving Islamic identity, enhances the visitor's sensory, spiritual, and cultural connection to the mosque space and creates conditions for renewing the cultural functions of these spaces. Ultimately, this research proposes that designing mosques with an interactive and multisensory approach can be a creative response to the spiritual and cognitive needs of contemporary societies. https://www.ijumes.com/article_731560.html Energy efficiency is an essential part of sustainable urban development strategies, especially in cities with wide temperature ranges like Tehran, where a significant amount of energy is consumed to maintain occupants’ comfort. Double-wall systems with an air cavity can minimize reliance on mechanical heating and cooling sources; however, thereare few quantitative studies of insulation materials in Tehran’s climatic conditions. In this study, we use a simulation-based approach utilizing the DesignBuilder program and EnergyPlus engine to evaluate the thermal performance of eight insulation materials (polystyrene, PVC, rock wool, fiberglass, polyurethane, glass wool, polyurethane foam, and extruded polystyrene) in double wall systems, with insulation thickness ranging from 5 to 15 cm, for a typical residential unit located in Tehran, using the actual climate data to analyze heat transfer .The results showed that both the insulation type and thickness play an important role in energy efficiency. Polyurethane and polyurethane foam delivered the best performance in this study with approximately a 30% reduction in heat transfer at 12 cm thickness. Other materials also exhibited more energy efficiency than a non-insulation process, although performance improvement was limited as thickness increased. The study concludes that high-performance insulation, particularly polyurethane at 12 cm, can effectively enhance thermal efficiency in Tehran’s residential buildings. This research provides a technical basis for optimizing wall systems in urban environments. Future studies should incorporate cost, environmental impacts, and advanced insulation technologies to develop more comprehensive strategies for sustainable building design in Tehran and comparable climates. https://www.ijumes.com/article_727078.html The central courtyard, a defining feature of traditional Iranian architecture, plays a crucial role in environmental adaptation by enhancing natural ventilation in surrounding spaces. Its design integrates various physical configurations that facilitate airflow and temperature regulation, making it particularly effective in hot and arid climates. The methodology of this research is designed to comprehensively examine the natural ventilation performance of central courtyards in traditional Iranian houses. This study examines the physical structure of courtyards in Yazd’s traditional houses, analyzing how their architectural elements interact with wind dynamics. The methodology integrates experimental strategies, simulations, and case studies to analyze the relationship between the physical characteristics of courtyards and their airflow dynamics. Through a mixed-method approach combining experimental measurements, computational simulations, and case studies, this research explores the correlation between courtyard orientation and ventilation efficiency. The findings show that variations in wind direction can significantly amplify wind speed, often tripling its velocity. However, when the courtyard’s main axis aligns tangentially with the prevailing wind direction, unexpected reductions in wind speed occur due to altered aerodynamic behavior. These insights underscore the importance of strategic courtyard design in maximizing passive cooling and airflow efficiency in traditional architecture, contributing to more sustainable urban planning in similar climatic regions. Results show that by refining traditional courtyard designs based on a deeper understanding of airflow behavior, architects can improve passive cooling strategies and overall environmental performance. Future research should examine additional architectural variables, including courtyard height-to-width ratios and surface materials, to further advance sustainable design methodologies. https://www.ijumes.com/article_727079.html This article outlines a preliminary investigation into the thermal comfort of individuals focusing on intermediate spaces at Isfahan University of Technology. The research involved a cross-sectional survey and on-site measurements to assess thermal comfort, and indoor environmental conditions during a year. The study showed that occupants in intermediate spaces in hot-arid climates demonstrate a higher capacity to adapt to their surroundings compared to the comfort standards set by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers  for main spaces and they still found these conditions acceptable. The neutral temperature in enclosed intermediate spaces was found to be 23.5 degrees Celsius, which is 0.35 higher than the neutral temperature obtained from the AMV model. In general, the results indicate that laboratory and stable models such as PMV are not suitable for closed interface spaces of educational buildings. So, it is better to determine the specific standard of these spaces with field studies in the form of thermal compatibility of occupants with the environment. https://www.ijumes.com/article_729219.html Buildings account for approximately 40% of global energy consumption, with poorly performing building envelopes significantly contributing to unsustainable energy demands. This issue is particularly critical in semi-arid climates such as Tehran, where extreme seasonal temperatures result in high residential energy use for heating and cooling. This study aims to address Tehran''s energy efficiency challenges by optimizing the insulation thickness of residential façades in District 15. Using validated simulations conducted in DesignBuilder and informed by GIS data and on-site measurements, three scenarios of rock wool insulation 3 cm, 5 cm, and 7 cm were modeled and analyzed. The results demonstrate that a 7 cm insulation layer achieves the lowest energy consumption (Cooling: 13.01 kWh/m²; Heating: 306.7 kWh/m²), while the 5 cm option represents the most cost-effective solution, yielding an annual energy savings of approximately 2,500 kWh/m². Furthermore, the study confirms that compliance with Iran’s National Building Regulations, specifically Topic 19, leads to an 18.7% reduction in natural gas consumption. These findings offer valuable insights for urban energy policy, particularly in arid and semi-arid environments. Future research should investigate the integration of phase-change materials and conduct multi-climatic simulations to generalize the applicability of the proposed optimization model https://www.ijumes.com/article_730643.html This study investigates how the proportions of central courtyards affect ventilation flow within spaces adjacent to them. Eleven case studies were analyzed, including five with elongation along the prevailing wind, five with perpendicular elongation, and one square-shaped pattern (inspired by Golshan House in Bushehr). Significant differences were found in air velocity, air age, and inlet air flow between ground and first-floor rooms, with first-floor values generally higher. However, no significant difference was noted in the ventilation efficiency index between the two levels. The key finding is the correlation between ventilation efficiency and courtyard elongation aligned with the urban wind. Increased elongation in this direction enhances ventilation efficiency in interior spaces along the yard's main axis. This improvement arises because elongated courtyards function as channels for airflow, directing it towards room openings. In contrast, perpendicular elongation results in airflow colliding more with rigid walls, leading to energy loss and decreased air intake, thus lowering ventilation efficiency. Future research should focus on employing simulations for southern Iranian buildings and gathering data from additional courtyard houses in the area, highlighting the need to address both technical and socio-cultural challenges in preserving traditional courtyard housing in the hot, humid regions of southern Iran for better use by residents. https://www.ijumes.com/article_735688.html Many Iranian cities are challenged by inefficient urban fabrics, including historic cores, deteriorated districts, and informal settlements characterized by fragmented land ownership, weak infrastructure, limited public and green spaces, and socio environmental vulnerability. Eastern Zanjan, with nearly 511 hectares of deteriorated urban fabric, represents a critical example of these conditions. The Masjidireh-ye Paeen neighborhood was selected as the case study due to severe parcel fragmentation, narrow and discontinuous street networks, infrastructural deficiencies, and elevated seismic exposure. This study reconceptualizes land readjustment as a governance-oriented policy instrument for balanced urban regeneration rather than a purely technical land management tool. A sequential exploratory mixed-methods design was adopted. In the qualitative phase, 30 semi-structured expert interviews and content analysis were conducted, leading to a conceptual framework comprising four dimensions: balanced physical-spatial development, spatial justice and social sustainability, financial-implementation efficiency, and transparent governance. These dimensions were operationalized through 32 indicators across eight criteria. In the quantitative phase, data collected from 384 residents were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis, one-sample t-tests, and Friedman ranking. Spatial structure was evaluated using GIS and Space Syntax techniques. Findings indicate that transparency, participatory governance, and distributive justice are critical determinants of successful regeneration. Residents prioritize safety, accessibility, lighting quality, and street network improvement. The proposed model integrates five procedural stages of land readjustment—trust building, participatory design, cost-benefit allocation, infrastructure provision, and redevelopment—toward multidimensional urban sustainability.