Climate-Responsive Residential Design Across Azerbaijan’s Climate Regions: Linking Passive Traditions, Envelope Strategies and Energy Efficiency

Abstract

Residential construction in Azerbaijan is expanding alongside rising demand for heating and cooling, making energy-efficient housing design increasingly important. The country’s semi-arid coastal areas, hot lowlands, humid subtropical zones and mountainous settlements create different thermal conditions; therefore, one uniform housing model is insufficient. This article proposes a climate-responsive framework for energy-efficient residential buildings across Azerbaijan’s climate regions. The study synthesizes climate data, building-physics principles, passive design literature, envelope-performance studies and observations of traditional climate-adapted dwellings. It examines orientation, compactness, window-to-wall ratio, envelope continuity, thermal-bridge control, thermal mass, natural ventilation and efficient active systems. The findings show that passive strategies are most effective when combined with continuous envelope performance and region-specific planning. Traditional elements such as courtyards, shaded spaces, thick walls and controlled openings can inform contemporary design without direct imitation. The framework supports housing that improves thermal comfort, reduces operational energy demand and strengthens climate resilience under future climate pressures.