Evaluation of energy performance of traditional harput houses: A case of Sefik Gül house

The main objective of this research is to contribute to the discussions which have been continuing for a very long time in a very wide concept, even though the research area is limited to the comfort analysis of the Elazığ Harput Şefik Gül House. Therefore, the research has been started by discussing energy efficiency issues and its aspects concerning the economy, the environment and the society. Through these discussions, it has been understood that any study which focuses on energy efficiency is a contribution to most the most urgent and fundamental problems of the World and our country. The strong linear relation between energy efficiency and thermal comfort has been seen due to the massive and continuously increasing energy consumption of the buildings in Turkey and in all over the world. For this reason, it is inevitable and very urgent to decrease the usage of active heating and cooling systems and increase the usage of passive heating and cooling systems. This approach, using mainly passive systems, is a common opinion in the energy efficiency studies. However, this research aims to contribute the discussions which have been around the traditional buildings effect on the energy efficiency. Most of the traditional buildings already increase the usage of passive systems via their constructional design. Because of that, the relation between energy efficiency and the traditional buildings are studied in this research. For the reasons that are mentioned above, this research aims to contribute the discussions regarding whether the traditional buildings have any positive effect on the energy efficiency of the buildings. That's why Elazığ Harput Şefik Gül House was chosen to conduct a comfort analysis. By measuring the energy efficiency and energy performance of this traditional building it is aimed to accomplish the purpose of this research. The research has been completed by the results of the analysis and the discussion topics that can be discussed in further researches.