Optimising daylight performance in Mzab Houses: enhancing window and courtyard areas in Algeria’s hot climate

Traditional M’zab houses in hot, arid climates utilise compact courtyards and small windows for privacy and thermal comfort, but this limits daylight penetration. Despite prior studies, no simulation-based quantitative analysis has been conducted to improve this balance in M’zab dwellings. This study fills that gap by conducting the first M’zab-specific daylight-thermal parametric analysis using DesignBuilder, focusing on three representative plans in Ghardaïa, Algeria, under peak July conditions. The analysis examines the effects of varying WWRs (25–100%) and courtyard size (∼1.5 × 1.5 m to 3 × 5 m) across four orientations. Results show that south-facing glazing provides the most daylight but increases cooling demand and solar gains. East-west window enlargements improve daylight slightly but worsen cooling due to higher solar exposure. Enlarging the courtyard boosts daylight by up to 75% while maintaining thermal comfort. The study recommends courtyard enlargement, shaded south glazing, and avoiding east–west window increases for climate-responsive renovations in hot-arid regions.