Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

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Ain Shams Engineering Journal

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Architectural Engineering

Heritage conservation as a bridge to sustainability assessing thermal

performance and the preservation of identity through heritage
conservation in the Mediterranean city of Nablus
Muna M. Salameh a, Basim A. Touqan b, Jihad Awad c,⇑, Mohammed M. Salameh d
a
Department of Architecture, College of Architecture, Art and Design, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE
b
Department of Electromechanical Engineering, College of Engineering and IT, British University in Dubai, Dubai, UAE
c
Department of Architecture, College of Architecture, Art and Design, Ajman University, Ajman, UAE
d
Department of Applied Art, College of Fine Art, An Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Heritage conservation can revive vernacular architectural methods of construction which naturally
Received 14 April 2021 embody sustainable design concepts. This research investigates and highlights the intrinsic value of her-
Revised 11 June 2021 itage conservation in building a sustainable society; from an environmental, economic, and social per-
Accepted 23 July 2021
spectives. This research is an evaluation of a unique case of heritage conservation in the city of Nablus,
Available online 03 August 202103 August
2021
Palestine, at both architectural and urban scales. The investigation concluded that traditional passive
design solutions have many advantages over modern ones. It was found that the thermal performance
of a conserved traditional building was more effective, making it more sustainable than its modern coun-
Keywords:
Heritage
terpart with the same function. Further, the investigation concluded that heritage conservation is core to
Sustainability protecting identity in its preservation of the past for future generations, especially in an occupied area,
Nablus such as Nablus. This study aims to highlight the vast scope and application of heritage conservation with
Palestine regards to innovative and sustainable solutions in a modern urban society.
Mediterranean Ó 2021 THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams Uni-
Social sustainability versity. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/
by-nc-nd/4.0/).

1. Introduction what makes vernacular buildings sustainable with a deep rooted

Heritage, including vernacular traditional models, has been con-
stantly reused, adapted to local environments, and revered as cul-
tural evidences which deliver a straightforward connection to the
past [1]. Heritage buildings thus become a form of achievement
of human satisfaction in their uncomplicated expression of indoor
spaces through available local traditional resources, along with the
integration of environmental construction passive design concepts.
Effectively this strong embodiment of the local environment is
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: m.salameh@ajman.ac.ae (M.M. Salameh), basem.tuqan@buid.
ac.ae (B.A. Touqan), j.awad@ajman.ac.ae (J. Awad), msalameh@najah.edu
(M.M. Salameh).
Peer review under responsibility of Ain Shams University.
Production and hosting by Elsevier
unique identity to its surroundings [2].
High energy consumption in buildings is justified by the need of
a standard level of thermal comfort for the users. Thus, global
efforts are directed to sustainability within all aspects of life,
together with buildings, to decrease energy intake [3]. Traditional
passive design solutions, such as building materials, courtyards
and thick walls, were main characteristics of the traditional archi-
tecture for the different public and private buildings in different
climates [4]. Heritage buildings due to their time of inception are
not reliant on electrical infrastructure, hence passive design
approaches responsd to the locational needs such as, climatic
forces, local materials, etc. These approaches have the potential
to be adopted in contemporary sustainable architecture. Thus, her-
itage buildings with their passive elements can become standard
or hybrid models for contemporary architecture by either conser-
vation, or by implementation or reinterpretation, of passive design
strategies and concepts in newer projects. In the case of Palestine,
conservation of old buildings takes on a more essential role due to
the presence of the occupation, that is, to protect Palestinian
National Identity. Nablus city in Palestine can be highlighted as

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.asej.2021.07.007
2090-4479/Ó 2021 THE AUTHORS. Published by Elsevier BV on behalf of Faculty of Engineering, Ain Shams University.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al.
an iconic heritage model for its unique conservation efforts in the
old district of the city.
The study intends to inspire and encourage authorities and to
raise awareness on the value of conservation and re-use of tradi-
tional vernacular buildings and passive design strategies from a
social; in terms of protection of identity, and an environmental
perspective; in terms of conservation of energy required to cool
and heat buildings.
2. Research aim and justification
This study investigated the literature from former researches
about heritage to point to the conservation of old buildings as a
positive effect on sustainability. It was noted that there is a lack
of studies on environmental role of heritage, especially with
regards to Mediterranean Palestinian cities under occupation. The
gathered information was analyzed in descriptive and interpretive
manners. The thermal performance of Khan 1Al-Wakala Hotel (Car-
avanserai/ Khan), a conserved building, was evaluated against a con-
temporary hotel building (Royal Hotel) to study the effectiveness of
traditional passive design strategies. The role of passive design solu-
tions in refining the thermal behavior of buildings, and accordingly
decreasing the CO2 discharges and decelerating the climate change
highlights the crucial role conservation can play in creating sustain-
able environments.
3. Literature review
Traditional buildings form a connection from heritage to sus-
tainability [5] as they support the basic components of sustainabil-
ity such as social fairness, and support the sense of belonging, and
environmental conservation and protection. Barthel-Bouchier [6]
stated that heritage buildings are our second nature, and that the
idea of conservation of historic places and monuments has gradu-
ally gained attraction, as heritage can participate significantly in
producing sustainable societies. Moreover the conservation of tra-
ditional buildings can protect the identity of the society as heritage
is not only buildings but also dreams, culture and glories of the
ancestors.
Pereira Roders and van Oers [7] investigated procedures that
can be adopted by the heritage management organizations such
as UNESCO, to improve the environment sustainability of urban
areas. The authors found that the main achievement of the conser-
vation communities and organizations would be to adopt and pro-
mote cultural development models among cities while
collaborating on and developing innovative research on sustain-
able building design. Redden and Crawford [8] state that it should
be considered that heritage and traditional building design meth-
ods were greatly refined and responded to the local climate, thus,
they can be suited for contemporary needs. Building conservation
delivers a chance to revive traditional experiences, preserve cul-
tural identity and heritage and provide enhanced environmental
results. Martínez [9], suggested a value-based tactic for urban her-
itage conservation that respects the values of heritage, he stated
that conservation methods that focus only on the tourism industry
and future of the city can create contradictions to the original value
of heritage.
3.1. Heritage and sustainability:
Vernacular traditional architecture is mostly a model for build-
ings with cohesive sustainable specifications related to local con-
1
The khan is a type of traditional public buildings which were constructed for
travelers to rest and recover at certain locations along their long trade journeys
2
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553
struction materials and energy reduction. These buildings were
sustainable as they were built in response to the environmental,
cultural, social and climatic factors [10]. Howard and Pinder [11]
worked on an area located in the South-Western coast of England,
full of a variety of coastal cultural and natural heritage attractions.
They analyzed how much cultural and natural heritage is sustain-
ably conserved and developed. Applying the definition and concept
of sustainability related to heritage, they examined many natural
and cultural heritage diversities and found many successful con-
servation experiences and good progress in terms of the applica-
tion of sustainability in heritage models. However, they also
found that the impact of climate change works against the conser-
vation of heritage sites in the region that escalates the cost of con-
servation and results in pessimistic investment returns.
Pereira Roders and van Oers [7] discussed the focus applied by
governments and international heritage agencies on historical
cities as a subject for development of urban plans. These plans tar-
geted achieving a sustainable environment. They also highlighted
design plans that integrated and entertained social and cultural
topics, as well as environmental factors. They found that UNESCO’s
new conservation policy provides an important set of principles
that lead to the implementation of sustainable heritage urban
management.
Zancheti and Hidaka [1] developed an instrument to measure
the performance of conserved sustainable urban heritage sites.
The developed instrument was based on two approaches, the sta-
tus of the heritage conservation over time, and the comparison
with a benchmarked site to observe the sustainable impact of con-
servation. They confirmed that the conservation of heritage urban
zones is a core aspect of urban planning and management besides
being a key factor for urban redevelopment plans and schemes.
Osman, [12] pointed to the importance of conservation of tradi-
tional Cairo and its important connections to cultural revival and
urban development. He insisted that there should be administra-
tive standards to conserve and sustain this process. Ghodya, Azzam
and Maarouf [13], suggested that rehabilitation and conservation
plans in historic sites should be implemented parallel to principles
of sustainability to produce positive effects on the community,
economy and social facets of the city.
Abdel-Azim and Osman [14] stated in their study that preserv-
ing and assessing the social identity and the structures of vernac-
ular traditional urban fabrics can help in providing standards for
future sustainable developments for the urban tissue and the
architectural units that respect identity and have eco-friendly
approaches.
Araoz [15] has published a research highlighting the implica-
tions of practicing heritage conservation theory at global level
involving many parties including social, economic, public and
political sectors of contemporary society. The paper was an impor-
tant contribution that set significant ideas and some other related
topics to be researched to establish a bridge between the sustain-
able development and the management of heritage.
3.2. Heritage and thermal efficiency – Environmental sustainability:
Martínez-Molina et al. [16] stated that thermal comfort and
energy effectiveness of heritage historical buildings have con-
firmed that conservation and upgrading of traditional buildings
to contemporary uses is important to support the aspects of sus-
tainable development, reduce energy consumption and preserve
traditional heritage identity. They added that 72% of research
related to heritage was focused on energy efficiency and thermal
comfort in traditional heritage buildings. Energy efficiency of his-
toric heritage buildings was evaluated for different types of build-
ings such as religious, residential, museums, palaces, etc., and by
using different methodologies and software, either for comparison
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al.
with contemporary buildings, or for evaluation and monitoring.
Among comparative studies Li et al. [17] and Leng et al. [65], con-
ducted a comparison between traditional buildings and modern
ones, They confirmed that traditional buildings consume around
28% less energy than modern ones. Another survey conducted in
Libya by Ealiwa et al. [19] confirmed that users of naturally venti-
lated traditional buildings expressed higher thermal comfort satis-
faction over users of contemporary residential buildings with air
conditioners. Moreover, Cantin et al. [20] confirmed in their com-
parative study between heritage and modern residential buildings
in France that traditional buildings have better thermal perfor-
mance and energy efficiency than modern ones because of their
design featuring climate responsive solutions that can manage
the effect and the change of outdoor temperature better than mod-
ern buildings.
3.3. Heritage and passive design solutions – Environmental
sustainability:
Traditional buildings were established as a reaction to climate,
culture, and social requirements in order to create comfortable
indoor spaces with lower energy consumption and use of natural
resources [11,32]. Katanbafnasab and Abu-Hijleh [23] mentioned
that traditional solutions of architecture have turned out to be a
central approach for sustainable and vernacular architecture, most
of these solutions are recognized as passive design concepts. Pas-
sive design strategies were combined in buildings to modify indoor
thermal settings with no or bare consumption of energy [24–27].
They do not integrate electrical support as they mostly function
in reaction to microclimate circumstances such as the sun, wind,
locational context and so on. Hamed [28] conducted a comparative
analysis of common types of residential designs including tradi-
tional and vernacular houses in Matrouh, Egypt. This comparison
was to highlight the best design with superlative thermal perfor-
mance while accomplishing cultural heritage safeguarding, socioe-
conomic improvement, and identity protection. He found that the
best residential type was the Bedouin house for its ‘‘harmonization
between architectural identity and energy efficiency in Matrouh resi-
dential sector” because of passive design solutions that included
traditional sustainable materials and the traditional style architec-
tural layout.
3.4. Heritage and identity – Social sustainability:
Heritage architecture is essential in the understanding of his-
tory, culture, society and tradition, and enables people to improve
their awareness about themselves and their identity. Taha [29]
mentioned that inhabitants are emotionally attached to their cul-
tural heritage. Zancheti and Hidaka [1] pointed out the importance
of heritage conservation and listed objectives of conservation as
‘‘(1) to maintain its physical and material characteristics and (2) to
keep its cultural meanings”. Elshater [30] emphasized that commu-
nity awareness of the value of historic chattels should be raised
and considered in future conservation studies, for the assurance
of implementing local character over modern artificial ones in
order to promote a sense of belonging and identity. Ashworth
[31] argued that heritage from the past is broadly utilized to meet
a group of modern purposes such as, forming the socio-cultural
identity for a place. He added that history forms heritage and her-
itage creates identity. Uzzell [32] insisted that the conservation of
heritage is essential for enhancing the senses of users with regards
to identity and place. Thus it is very important to keep this goal in
mind when planning and implementing conservation practices. Di
Pietro, Guglielmetti Mugion and Renzi [33] studied the concepts of
identity, user involvement, standards, and technology in the con-
text of heritage sightseeing. They added that it is essential to focus
3
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553
on improving the sightseers’ understanding of heritage spaces as a
way of developing identity and a sense of belonging, which could
naturally support crowdfunding as another choice for funding of
heritage projects. Taha [34] confirmed that the conservation of her-
itage buildings increases awareness and embeds a common sense
of belonging in people. Al-Qeeq [35] insisted that conserving archi-
tectural heritage is necessary for several reasons, reinforcement of
the roots of culture, providing deep sense of identity with regards
to location, and re-telling about the characteristics of the former
life practices and architecture. The conservation of built heritage
and locations can raise awareness about the ancestors. Heritage
is assumed to be as one of the basics for protecting culture and
local identity for people. Eldiasty, Hegazi and El-Khouly [36] stated
that the conservation and development of heritage sites is core to
preserving cultural identity, which is vital to protecting the local
relevance of a people. They suggested a joint model that helps in
preserving historic heritage sites and promotes tourism while
respecting site identity, cultural, and commercial aspects.
3.5. Heritage in Palestine – Mediterranean country
Tawayha, Bragança and Mateus [37] stated that synchroniza-
tion between the natural and built environment is the best criteria
for vernacular architecture. In this regard, Mediterranean vernacu-
lar architecture is interrelated to its context, climate, location,
environment and traditions. In Palestine, a Mediterranean country,
buildings were constructed depending on the occupants’ culture,
needs, availability of local materials, etc. The architecture was sim-
ple and sustainable.
Due to its location, Palestine is considered a center for accumu-
lated cultural, religious, spiritual, historical occurrences, and its
urban heritage is heavily dictated by the significance of historic
and religious events that occurred in it, affceting both international
and local groups. Palestinian cities include a variety of historical
buildings such as Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic antiquities. His-
torical buildings include mosques (ex. Aqsa Mosque), churches
(ex. Resurrection church), caravanserais, public paths, etc. There
is no doubt that the conservation and study of these old historical
buildings is of great importance for Palestinian identity, as these
buildings are connected to memories and a unique past serving
as evidence and validation to self-determination, especially in the
current situation of occupation. However, under the present condi-
tions in Palestine it is very difficult to provide enough support for
the study and conservation of traditional buildings in the absence
of sufficient momentum for financial and political support. Thus,
the local Palestinian population face the fate of extinction and
destruction with regards to the records of their historical memo-
ries and identity, making sustainable heritage conservation of
paramount importance as a means of sustenance of Palestinian
ethnicity.
4. Methodology
Thie research is a comprehensive descriptive analysis from
existing literature and data collected from field visits, archives,
municipal reports, observations, books, journals, case studies,
etc., in addition to interviews with architects in charge of conserv-
ing heritage buildings. Most of the data was collected in 2020 for a
comprehensive reading for the contemporary layout of the impor-
tance of heritage. The descriptive analysis highlighted pioneering
inferences and concepts in the current experience between her-
itage and sustainability. The successful process of heritage conser-
vation in Nablus city was the main criteria for selecting this city as
a case study for this research, as it is a unique case for the meaning
of the sustainable heritage and protection of self-identity.
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al.
4.1. Case study - Nablus in Palestine as a Mediterranean city
The city of Nablus is an example of a Mediterranean Palestinian
city with valuable heritage icon. The case of conservation in Nablus
is considered to be a successful model at different scales related to
sustainability and identity. The investigation of the case study
gives a comprehensive understanding of the impact of preserved
traditional buildings on identity and sustainability. From the per-
spective of economic and environmental sustainability the thermal
performance and energy consumption of the preserved buildings
were analyzed and evaluated.
4.2. Software simulation - energy consumption
Investigation was carried out by using IESve software (Integral
Environmental Solution - Virtual Environment) to compare the ther-
mal performance of conserved Khan Al-Wakala Hotel to a new
hotel (Royal Hotel) to compare the difference in the energy con-
sumption in both buildings as a parameter to highlight the positive
thermal performance of traditional counterparts.
5. Discussion
5.1. Nablus city – A valuable icon of Palestinian heritage
Nablus is one of the Canaanites cities since their immigration
from Arabia to Palestine in 2500 BC. The Roman emperor Ves-
pasian named it as Flavia Neapolis in 72 CE. It is a city in the north-
ern part of Palestine and is located approximately 49 km north of
Jerusalem. It features a unique geographic setting along trade
routes which has helped in its prosperity as a commercial focal
point for many cultures [38].
The unique value of the old city of Nablus came from its distinc-
tive buildings with traditional construction systems and distinctive
architectural and urban configurations [39]. The UNESCO heritage
center report, 2012, stated that the old city of Nablus showed an
important outstanding universal value because of the available
present indication of the intersection of human standards and cul-
ture throughout time, as several civilizations evolved in the city.
The overlapping of Canaanite-Roman-Ottoman urban structures
has formed a unique expansion of the urban fabric and the archi-
tectural style. Besides this, the old city of Nablus is a unique image
for an ancient city which is still alive, and many of its traditional
buildings still operate in an efficient manner. This gives the city
the unique capability to continue and sustain its character despite
the destruction caused by occupation to the urban pattern of the
city [40].
The old city is a dense structure of narrow alleyways and public
spaces, with many unique architectural features like vaulted
arches [34], domes, minarets, roofed streets, vaults, etc. The city
includes more than 100 historical monumental buildings such as
Turkish baths, water springs, khans, ancient soap factories,
churches, mosques, historic palaces, etc. (Fig. 1-a, b), Moreover,
the city includes verifications for variety of accumulated cultures
and civilizations with unique characteristics from various periods,
Roman, Islamic, Ottoman, etc. [39].
5.2. Environmental sustainability - traditional urban fabric formations
versus modern ones
Analyzing the traditional formation of the vernacular urban fab-
ric explains different sustainable approaches that helped the users
of a particular time to meet their social, environmental, and cul-
tural needs [22]. Many researchers have discussed the main
aspects and objectives for analyzing the urban fabric of a city.
4
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553
Abd Elrahman and Asaad [41] suggested different goals and
principles for urban design development and evaluation, but they
stated that these goals should be selected based on the site, loca-
tion and nation. This paper discusses the following parameters:
City urban structure, Layout of Streets, Skyline and scale, Layout
of Buildings and their exterior openings, for the analysis of Nablus
city as a Mediterranean city for the comparison between the old
and the new urban fabrics.
5.2.1. City urban structure
Based on the investigations of the city structure with its old and
new urban fabrics as in Fig. 2-a, b, it is noted that the old city of
Nablus is characterized by a compacted urban fabric with attached
buildings due to traditional and environmental cultural needs. The
compacted traditional fabric decreases the surface area of exposure
to the sun and thus reduces heat gain in summer and heat loss in
winter sustaining better indoor thermal conditions inside build-
ings. On the other hand, the new urban districts are characterized
by isolated building units according to municipality setbacks regu-
lations and feature more exposed surfaces to the sun which
increases heat gain in summer and increases heat loss in winter.
5.2.2. Streets layout
Due to the location of Nablus city between two mountains to
the north and south, the natural expansion for the city was to
the east and west. The main streets in both areas of the city, old
and new, are extended east to west, but it is clear as in Fig. 2-b, that
the streets in the old city are narrow, winding and are all mostly
shaded by the contiguous buildings. In the modern areas the
streets are wider, almost straight and lined by pedestrian paths.
These streets are mostly unshaded or partially shaded by tall build-
ings and are more exposed to the hot summer sun and cold winter
wind.
5.2.3. Skyline and scale
Due to the type of materials that were used in the construction
of the old city, buildings were constructed up to two or three floors
height with vaulted and domed roofs which provided exposure to
the winter sun and created a healthier indoor environment (Fig. 2 -
c). Besides that, the citys’ buildings and pathways were designed
with congruence to the human scale which gave the city a comfort-
able feeling with clear harmony in the skyline. On the other hand,
the buildings in the new area vary in height and can reach up to ten
floors. The relatively tall buildings prevent the winter sun from
reaching other buildings, strengthen cold winds, and create an
unhealthy atmosphere for the users. In this case a lot of energy
consumption is needed to provide a comfortable indoor environ-
ment for users.
5.2.4. Buildings layout
Most of the buildings in the old city are designed around court-
yards, as in Fig. 2 -d. Houses have courtyards in the middle of their
composition as private outdoor areas especially for women with
respect to cultural needs. Courtyards ae featured also in public
buildings such as traditional soap factories and public paths. These
courtyards are extremely effective passive design solutions that
help to improve the microclimate of the building and the adjacent
spaces. Courtyards have good air circulation due to the stack effect
that depends on the difference in air temperature to improve air
circulation. Contemporary buildings do not feature courtyards
and are designed as solid masses which negatively affect indoor
air circulation and consequently result in poor ventilation.
5.2.5. Buildings opening:
Most of the buildings’ windows in the old city are placed around
the indoor courtyard as in Fig. 2 -d, protecting them from the direct
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al. Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

a- Monumental buildings in the old city of Nablus [39].

Street Vault Roofed streets Domes Stone stairs

Hammam Soap Factory Mosque Dewan (Gathering area)

Shiffa Bath Al Nabulsi Soap Factory Al Nasser Mosque Dewan Al Atoat Entrance

b- Examples of Monumental buildings and architectural features in the old city of Nablus (Author).

Fig. 1. Monumental buildings and architectural features in the old city of Nablus.

5
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al. Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

New city of Nablus Old City of Nablus

a-City urban
structure

New city Old city

of Nablus of Nablus

b-Layout of
streets

c-Skyline
and scale

d- Layout of
buildings
and their
exterior
openings

Fig. 2. Visual comparison between old and new areas; urban and architectural features, of the city of Nablus.

effect of the climate in contrast to newer buildings which have The old city of Nablus has sustained its original identity through
exposed windows on exterior facades with direct exposure to the its urban and architectural fabric. The growth of the old city’s
climatic elements. structure was organic and adaptive to the existing buildings in a
way that enriched its urban fabric. On the other hand, the new city
of Nablus has a modern international identity without respect for
5.3. Social sustainability- culture and identity
the original character of the city and its urban fabric follows a
structured growth that fits with new planning and construction
Bernardo [42] stated that the literature of Tawfiq Canaan, who
regulations [44]. Heritage and the traditional urban fabric of the
studied and analyzed Palestinian society traditions, had provided
city support sustainable culture as it provides users with a deeper
data about Palestinian vernacular architecture and its features.
lived-in context and greater self-confidence by representing the
He added that this architecture presents the coherence between
culture and identity that they belong to [31–35]. Based on this
location and configuration. Carabelli [43] stated that ‘‘The impor-
principle, Taha [34], the director of the old city unit in Nablus
tance of reference to heritage valorization and identity is clear and
Municipality, pointed to the old city of Nablus as ‘‘The Open
unforgettable; it is a future vision for all communities and something
Museum”, she confirmed the importance of adopting the issue of
even more important for Palestinians”.
6
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al.
preserving the heritage of the city under occupation as a vital need
as a national confrontation for the protection of the country’s iden-
tity, due to its consideration for place identity and form. In the
same approach, the Palestinian government founded preservation
strategies controlled by the city of Nablus. These strategies associ-
ated cultural heritage as the key element for sustainable improve-
ment and preservation of the historic center of city in the potential
to become a cultural and social center in Palestine.
5.4. Awareness of sustainability and conservation plan
Despite the devastation, demolition of historical buildings and
the damage of a huge part of the architectural urban structure of
the old town by the occupation, the historical center of Nablus
has maintained a vital, creative, sustainable and historical value
and was thus listed in the tentative UNESCO World Heritage List.
The Nablus municipality set a plan for conservation that helped
in stopping the immigration of the old city inhabitants to other
parts of the city by enhancing and upgrading the services in the
urban fabric and transforming it into a safe and comfortable place
that supports the needs of the users while respecting the historical
fabric [34]. The conservation plan was formed after the recognition
of the local needs that need to fit in the traditional heritage build-
ings. Thus, the conservation plan focused on refurbishing the sig-
nificance of the old city in all aspects of economic, cultural and
sustainable improvements that can be categorized under the major
pillars of sustainability. The following strategies were imple-
mented under the following sphere of sustainability:
Social Sustainability
 Enhancing the tenants’ and guests’ living circumstances.
 Creating balance between contemporary needs and heritage by
restoration and redevelopment of cultural heritage.
 Reinforcing and improving the connection between the old city
dwellers and their traditional houses, by emphasizing the cul-
ture and identity that they belong to. This additionally
enhanced the residents’ self-confidence in the capability of their
tradition, which resulted in greater awareness and pride, that
opposed the destruction of traditional buildings.
Economic Sustainability
 Providing public services to encourage economic development.
 Enhancing the conditions of housing to persuade people from
different environments to settle in the center thus enhancing
the city’s investment portfolio.
 Improving current commercial practices and traditional crafts.
 Conserving cultural heritage as a resource of experience and
tourism advancement.
 Applying safeguard schemes and regulations linked to global
heritage laws to conserve and renovate the old city, and repair-
ing buildings by following worldwide professional conservation
guidelines.
Environmental Sustainability
 Spreading consciousness and local social involvement in the
conservation plan.
 Safeguarding the old city’s urban heritage and protecting mon-
uments to certify their sustainable design which can be a living
evidence of sustainable structures with passive design
solutions.
 Upgrading and modernizing the urban features rather than
demolishing them and replacing them with modern ones.
7
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553
The conservation master plan was designed in a way that safe-
guarded the unique character of the historic center and the context
of the urban heritage fabric, Many sectors in Nablus are involved in
the rehabilitation process including universities, professionals,
government institutions, NGOs Taawon2, local societies, associa-
tions, the chamber of commerce and the private sector. Moreover,
the conservation plan increased awareness and appreciation for
the preservation of heritage amongst the local community, inspiring
public participation [34].
The implementation of the conservation master plan resulted in
many significant achievements:
 Revival of nine clusters of historic dwellings (Hosh) that accom-
modate more than 100 needy people and a restoration of a
number of ruined housing complexes (Fig. 3-a).
 Safeguarding and renovation of 84 traditional facades to protect
them from collapse (Fig. 3-b).
 Restoration of about 20 % of public services networks and pave-
ment tiles (Fig. 3-c).
 Renovation of 8 public projects inside the old city, involving the
restoration of the Clock Tower main square (Fig. 3-d).
 Restoration of 5 cultural buildings in collaboration with society
organizations (Fig. 3-e).
 Restoration of Khan Al-Wakala (Caravanserai Khan) as the first
traditional hotel in the old town (Fig. 3-f).
 Increasing social awareness of heritage and safeguarding of
regulations.
 Restoration of the traditional flea market (clothing Bazar), with
preparations for the study of conservation of other markets
(Fig. 3-g).
 Preparation studies for 100 heritage architectural and tradi-
tional locations [34].
5.5. Sustainable effect of conserved buildings - computer simulation
The Palestinian authorities receive donations for the conserva-
tion and restoration of heritage projects from various sources.
Khan Al-Wakala (Caravanserai or Khan) is one of the old buildings
that was refurbished with the support of UNESCO [45]. The con-
struction was based on different traditional passive design con-
cepts like courtyards and thick stone walls which enhanced the
hotel’s indoor temperature and resulted in lower energy
consumption.
5.5.1. Nablus khans (Caravanserais) - sustainable heritage
Heritage architecture includes many monumental buildings
that can be conserved and reused to meet current needs. The khan
is a type of traditional public buildings which were constructed for
travelers to rest and recover at certain locations along their long
trade journeys [46–49]. Shukri [50] stated that Palestine had more
than 160 Khans, three of them are located in Nablus, as the city
was stationed along the ancient trade route [53]. The three tradi-
tional caravanserais in the old city of Nablus are Khan Al-Wakala,
Khan Jadid and Khan Al Tujjar (Fig. 4).
Khan Al-Wakala (Fig. 5 & Fig. 6) in the western part of the old
city was constructed in 1868, and it is one of the old buildings that
were refurbished as a hotel with the support of UNESCO. Its archi-
tecture is like many other khans with a square or rectangular lay-
out [54,55], that includes many passive design solutions like a
courtyard and thick stone walls to maintain a comfortable indoor
environment in the extremes of summer and winter. The tradi-
2
Taawon is an independent non-profit association working toward building and
strengthening the capacities of Palestinians through the implementation of develop-
mental programs
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al. Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

a- Renovated buildings

c- Renovated d- Restoration of b- Renovation of traditional facades

pavement tiles the Clock Tower
main square

e- Restoration of the cultural public f- Restoration of Khan Al-Wakala g-Restoration of

buildings (Caravanserai Khan) project. clothing market

Fig. 3. Restoration of buildings and architectural features.

Khan Al-Wakala Khan Al Tujjar Khan Jadid

Fig. 4. Khans in the old city of Nablus (Author).

8
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al.
Fig. 5. The courtyard in the conserved Khan Al-Wakala in the old city of Nablus (Author).
tional courtyard was a core requirement for several types of tradi-
tional buildings [56]. It was used in the Middle East for a long time,
particularly in hot places [57], for its capability of refining lighting,
ventilation, and thermal settings for surrounding spaces [58]. The
courtyard can keep the cold air at nighttime and provide shading
in the hours of the day [59]. Besides the courtyard, the Khan has
other passive features which are the thick stone walls as a thermal
mass, heat retention and slow release of heat that slow down the
heat transmission between the outdoor climate and the indoor
spaces.
5.5.2. Simulation conditions:
To evaluate the sustainable impact of conserved traditional
buildings, their intrinsic value, and to enhance the argument for
greater implementation of traditional passive design strategies,
the research investigated the thermal behavior of two buildings,
the renovated traditional khan (Khan Al-Wakala) and the modern
Royal Hotel building (Table 1). Both case studies have the same
space volume for simulation, which is about 13000 m3. The Khan
has two floors while the Royal Hotel was simulated with four floors
only which is equivalent to the volume of the khan standardize the
simulation test. Both buildings were simulated with around 24
guest rooms, reception, cafeteria, administration, and restaurant.
The main difference in the two buildings is that the Khan has a
closed courtyard which acts like a climate modifier, while the
Royal Hotel is one solid mass without courtyard.
1. Simulation software for thermal performance
The thermal performance was investigated by IESve software
(Integral Environmental Solution). Crawley et al. [60] stated that
IESve software is at the forefront in the evaluation of the environ-
mental performance of constructions. This software is preferred for
its accurate results and ease of use [61]. Furthermore, the software
provides a range of assessments about the building such as, energy
consumption, sun exposure and so on.
Almhafdy et al. [62] used the IESve software to evaluate the
thermal effect of buildings in Malaysia. The study was used to
show the thermal effect of the courtyard as a passive design solu-
tion and the accuracy of the software was validated through field
measurements. They stated that the comparison of air temperature
between the field measurements and the simulation results by
IESve gave acceptable results, confirming IESve as a suitable instru-
ment for thermal performance simulation. Leng et al. [18] con-
ducted a research to validate the results of simulations in the
IES-ve software compared to the field measurements ones, they
concluded that the gap between both input data (simulated and
measured) was acceptable and they affirmed that IES-ve software
can be adopted for the evaluation of thermal performance of build-
ings for purposes of research.
9
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553
2. Simulation climate
Nablus has a moderately temperate Mediterranean environ-
ment that creates winter with rainy cold conditions and summer
with dry hot conditions. Spring season occurs mostly in March
and April, and the hottest months are August and July with the tem-
perature averaging at a high of around 29.6 °C. On the other hand,
January is assumed to be the coldest month with average tempera-
tures generally around 6.2 °C. The dominant wind direction is NW
at 13 km/h, while the average humidity is around 67% as in Fig. 7
[63]. For thermal simulation in IES-ve the cooling set point was
defined as 25 C0 and the heating set point was 19 C0 [64].
3. Simulation building materials
The building materials which were used in the simulation were
unified as basic materials for roofs, floors, walls and glazing, as the
research is focused in the investigation of the effect of the court-
yards on the thermal performance of buildings (Table 1).
5.5.3. Simulation results and analysis
1. Sun exposure
The sun exposure hours on the walls and the roofs of the two
buildings was different (Fig. 8). The simulation outcomes of the
sun exposure hours were related to the sun path around the build-
ings. The smallest amount of sun exposure was for the traditional
Khan hotel. This can be explained as the Khan has a courtyard
which casts shade and it is located within an old urban pattern
which is compacted and creates shade on its roof, unlike the mod-
ern hotel which was separated from the nearby buildings accord-
ing to the municipality setback regulations. As a result, the walls
and the roof of the Khan hotel were less exposed to heat, and con-
sequently maintained cooler indoor spaces, especially in summer.
2. Heating plant sensible load
The heating plant sensible load indicates the energy consumed
for heating. According to Fig. 9 it is clear that the Khan building
needs less heating plant sensible load, 204.7MWh, while the Royal
Hotel required around 221.3 MWh. Thus, the Khan Hotel building
has a 7.5% lower heating plant sensible load than the Royal Hotel.
Therefore, the Khan hotel consumes less energy for heating in the
months that have temperatures lower than the comfort level of 19
C0 [64].
3. Cooling plant sensible load
The cooling plant sensible load specifies the energy used for
cooling. According to Fig. 10 it is clear that the Khan Hotel building
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al. Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

The traditional Khan Al-Wakala in the old city of Nablus (right) and the
modern Royal Hotel (left) in the modern expansion of the city [51].
The traditional Khan Al-Wakala The modern Royal hotel

Plan (image by the author from the Plan, Source: [52]

building)

Fig. 6. The traditional Khan Al-Wakala and the modern Royal Hotel. (See above-mentioned references for further information.)

needs less cooling plant sensible load at 46.7(MWh), while the
Royal Hotel building required around 63.4 MWh. Thus, the Khan
Hotel building has a 25% lower cooling plant sensible load than
the Royal Hotel building. Therefore, the conserved Khan Hotel con-
sumes less energy for cooling in the months that have temperature
greater than the comfort level 25 C0.
The difference in the results of the simulation reflects other
researches conducted in the same regard. Galán-Marín, et.al [66]
confirmed the positive thermal effects of traditional buildings with
courtyards. They claimed that courtyards can effortlessly improve
the temperature in indoor spaces and reduce the impact of outdoor
temperatures. Hence, they pointed to the importance of adopting
courtyards in existing buildings. Redden and Crawford [8] pointed
to the high cultural value of heritage in the essential role it plays in
dealing with climate change and its effects. They added that histor-
ical buildings are more efficient in environmental performance.
Tawayha, Braganca and Mateus [4] stated that there is a variation
in the layout of the old city and the new city of Nablus. As the
dense pattern of the old city decreases the areas of the surfaces
that face the direct sun therefore decreases the amount of lost heat
in winter and the amount of gained heat in summer and provides
covered, shaded and protected roads for people in all seasons from

10
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al. Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

Table 1 rain, sun and wind, Unlike the pattern layout of the new city which
Building materials that were used in the IES simulation. has wide streets and spaces that expose most of the surfaces of
Structural element Materials Thickness mm Conductivity buildings to the climate forces. Moreover, they added that the
W/(m k) height of buildings in the old city is low and ranges between two
Walls Cement plaster 5.0 0.720 to three floors promoting good ventilation, sun access and wind
Expanded polythene 50.0 0.035 circulation, unlike the higher (at times reaching up to 16 floors)
Vermiculite Brick 200.0 0.270 contemporary buildings in the new part.
Vermiculite plaster 5.0 0.200
Ground Insulation 98.2 0.025
Reinforced Concrete 100.0 2.300 6. Limitations of the study
Concrete tiles 20.0 1.100
Roof Insulation 5.0 0.030
Membrane 0.1 1.000 The number of studied models for thermal simulation in both
Concrete deck 100.0 2.000 old and new buildings was limited to two. This should be expanded
Plasterboard 12.5 0.210 in order to reach a more robust conclusion. The type of buildings in
Glass Clear float 6 mm 6.0 1.060
terms of use can be expanded to various other functions such as,
residential buildings and so on. Further, there needs to be greater
insight into the economic impact of such conservation projects

Wind Sun Path Wet and dry pulp temperature

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Fig. 7. Climate conditions in Nablus, wind source [65]; sun path and wet and dry pulp temperature source (IESve software).

Fig. 8. Sun exposure on the walls of the two buildings.

250.0
HEATING PLANT SENSIBLE LOAD (MWH)

200.0

150.0

100.0

50.0

0.0
Sum
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
med
01-31 01-28 01-31 01-30 01-31 01-30 01-31 01-31 01-30 01-31 01-30 01-31
total
Royal Hotel 56.7 47.9 37.0 20.4 1.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 15.4 42.6 221.3
Khan Al Alwakala 51.6 43.0 34.1 17.4 0.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 17.7 40.1 204.7

Fig. 9. Heating plant sensible load.

11
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al. Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553

70.0

COOLING PLANT SENSIBLE LOAD (MWH)

60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
Sum
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
med
01-31 01-28 01-31 01-30 01-31 01-30 01-31 01-31 01-30 01-31 01-30 01-31
total
Royal Hotel 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 6.0 6.3 15.9 19.2 9.8 6.0 0.0 0.0 63.4
Khan Al Alwakala 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.9 5.1 13.6 15.5 6.2 3.3 0.0 0.0 47.6

Fig. 10. Cooling plant sensible load.

and how they help in sustaining future generations through the
past, there is a lack of literature and research in this regard, and
this angle can be pursued in future studies.
7. Conclusion
The results proved that the conservation of heritage has direct
positive impacts on all spheres of sustainability; environmental
and socioeconomic. Heritage conservation is of paramount impor-
tance in a city such as Nablus, that is a contemporary breathing
reflection of its heritage and thus, an evidence of identity against
occupation. The qualitative analysis of the impact of conservation
of the old city of Nablus confirmed the constructive effect of her-
itage conservation on identity, social life and the sense of self
belonging for residents.
The quantitative analysis conducted through computer simula-
tions generated by IESve indicated that courtyards serve as effec-
tive as passive design solutions and greatly impact indoor
thermal performance of old buildings such as Khan Al-Wakala
hotel. Thus, vernacular architecture with its climate responsive
strategies becomes a core feature in achieving environmentally
sustainable building solutions through heritage conservation. Such
passive design strategies can be reinterpreted in contemporary
buildings preserving local identity along with promoting more
environmentally sustainable and energy efficient climate mitiga-
tion solutions in construction. Further, the comparative analysis
of the old urban fabric versus the new urban fabric of Nablus city
verified the importance of the passive design features of traditional
urban fabrics pertaining to aspects such as, urban structure, streets
layout, skyline and scale, buildings layout and openings.
The results obtained serve as an inspiration for the continued
revival of heritage buildings and the re-use of them for various
contemporary functions or otherwise, according to local needs.
This research can provide architects and designers with a frame-
work for designing sustainable green hotels by borrowing or rein-
terpreting passive design concepts from the past for a more
sustainable future in Palestine, Mediterranean countries and other
places. The research iterates the importance of heritage conserva-
tion in times of crises and the protection of Palestinian identity,
culture, and heritage as evidence of the struggle of existence under
years of constant and unyielding occupation.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
Muna M. Salameh: Conceptualization, Methodology, Software,
Formal analysis, Investigation, Resources, Writing – original draft,
12
Writing - review & editing, Visualization, Supervision, Project
administration. Basim A. Touqan: Methodology, Software, Investi-
gation, Writing – original draft, Visualization, Supervision. Jihad
Awad: Conceptualization, Formal analysis, Investigation, Writing
- review & editing. Mohammed M. Salameh: Conceptualization,
Resources, Funding acquisition.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to express their gratitude to Ajman
University for the generous support to conduct this research and
publish this paper. The authors would like to thank Shafiya Rizwan,
researcher and editor, for her assistance in the preparation of the
paper.
Funding
This research was funded by Ajman University, grant number.
"2019-IRG-ARCH-2".
Informed Consent Statement
‘‘Not applicable”.
Author Contributions
This research was a result of the efforts of all the authors as the
following: Conceptualization, Muna Salameh. Jihad Awad and
Mohammed Salameh; methodology, Muna Salameh and Basim
Touqan; software, Muna Salameh and Basim Touqan; formal anal-
ysis, Muna Salameh and Jihad Awad; investigation, Muna Salameh,
Basim Touqan and Jihad Awad; resources, Muna Salameh and
Mohammed Salameh.; data collection, Muna Salameh and
Mohammed Salameh; writing—original draft preparation, Muna
Salameh and Basim Touqan; writing—review and editing, Muna
Salameh and Jihad Awad; visualization, supervision, Muna Sala-
meh and Basim Touqan; Project administration, Muna Salameh;
funding acquisition, Muna Salameh.
M.M. Salameh, B.A. Touqan, J. Awad et al.
All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the
manuscript.
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Dr. Muna Salameh studied Architecture and Urban
Planning at An Najah National University – Palestine,
and graduated with honor. She achieved her PhD in
Architecture and Sustainable built environment. She
practiced architecture in Palestine for several years. She
had taught architectural courses at several universities
in Palestine and UAE. Participating in the survey and
documentation of old buildings in Bethlehem in West
Bank – Palestine. Since 2004 she is teaching at Ajman
University. She attended many conferences and lately
her paper was selected as the best paper of CSEE’20s.
She is a member of Jordan Engineers Association. She is
interested in sustainable Architecture, Heritage and Urban planning studies. Some
of her Publications are: 1- Courtyard design in schools and its influence on Students’
Satisfaction -ICGRE’20- 2020-Scopus indexed conference, 2- Courtyard as Passive
Design Solution for School Buildings in Hot Area- CSEE’17-2017- Scopus indexed
conference.
14
Ain Shams Engineering Journal 13 (2022) 101553
Dr. Basim Touqan Acquired Bachelor, Master of Science
and Doctor of Philosophy in the areas of Electrical
Engineering and System Dynamics Modeling Simulation
and Control. Studied at British University in Dubai
associated with more than 25 years of insightful expe-
rience across UAE, with significant exposure in technical
service maintenance and service business as well as
extensive experience in installation, commissioning,
programming and maintaining all the electrical and
computerized control systems. Currently teaching
modules of Physics, Electrical Engineering and System
Process Modelling and simulation. He has many
research interests such as sustainable buildings. He attended many conferences and
lately his co - paper was selected as the best paper of CSEE’20s. which was Scopus
indexed: Courtyard design in schools and its influence on Students’ Satisfaction -5th
International Conference on Geotechnical Research and Engineering (ICGRE’20), to
be held in Lisbon, Portugal from October 18-20, 2020.
Dr. Jihad Awad is associate professor of architecture,
currently head of architecture department at Ajman
University (AU), UAE. Before joining AU in 2004, he has
taught at different Palestinian universities, and was
head of architecture department at An Najah National
University in Nablus, Palestine.
He holds Dr.-Ing. from University of Stuttgart, Germany
(1996), M. Arch. from Kansas State University, USA
(1989), and B.Sc. in Architectural Engineering from
Yarmouk University, Jordan (1984). Areas of interest:
Urban Design and Conservation; Traditional Arab-
Islamic Architecture; Modern and Contemporary
Architecture; and Architecture in the GCC. In addition to many research papers and
articles, he published two books: ‘‘Rural Houses of Palestine” (in Arabic), and ‘‘Top
International Architects – Design Concepts in Architecture” (in English), four vol-
umes. During the last few years he was involved in organizing several workshops,
and responsible for inviting many international architects to AU, including: Charles
Jencks, Hans Hollein, Rem Koolhaas, among others.
Lec. Mohammed Salameh completed his bachelor’s in
graphic design in Petra University in Jordan. Moham-
med began his career working with different creative
agencies across the Middle East. In 2006 Mohammed
began teaching at the faculty of fine arts at An Najah
National University. Upon realizing the need to expand
his core competences and explore new fields, Moham-
med sought an MBA degree in change and innovation in
France’s IAE Aix-en-Provence – a field unheard of in the
Middle East at the time. At this point, he used his
experience in visual arts, in addition to his newfound
knowledge with innovation, social media,
entrepreneurship and online marketing to co-found e Solutions. Ever since 2009, e
Solutions has been a pioneer in Palestinian web development and social media.
Since 2009, Mohammed took part in 9 workshops and international seminars which
emphasized on important topics such as branding, effective approaches.