The effect of underground chambers on the moisture balance of historical buildings in a hot and dry climate

The underground caves and cellars found in Gaziantep historical houses can passively contribute to coping with hot and dry weather conditions. In this paper, we present an initial evaluation of the values, energy efficiency and thermal comforts attributed to these underground elements, which are an important characteristic of the historical houses in the Gaziantep Bey neighborhood. In this regard, semi-structured interviews were conducted with users of ten houses, and spot measurements of temperature and relative humidity were carried out in July 2022. These underground elements could potentially help balance people's thermal comfort levels, especially in the summer due to their humidity and temperature while preserving the buildings’ heritage value.