GIS-based approach to identify climatic zoning: A hierarchical clustering on principal component analysis
Résumé
In tropical environments, the design of bioclimatic houses adapted to their environment is a crucial issue when considering comfort and limiting energy needs. A preliminary part of such design is an accurate knowledge of the climatic conditions in each region of the studied territory. The objective of this paper is to propose climatic zoning from a database of 47 meteorological stations in Madagascar by investigating hierarchical clustering on principal components. Then, theses results are combined with a spatial interpolation using a Geographic Information System approach. This step allows us to define three climatic zones corresponding to dry, humid and highland zones. These results make it possible to define standard meteorological files that are used to evaluate the thermal performance of traditional Malagasy houses. Regardless of the type of house and the areas considered, the percentage of comfort, according to Givoni bioclimatic chart, varies from an average value of 20 % to 70 % without ventilation and with an air velocity of 1 m/s, respectively. It can be concluded that Madagascar's traditional habitat has adapted over time to the constraints of its environment.
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