Bibliometric Study of Passive Design for Natural Ventilation of Residential Buildings in the Hot-Humid Tropics (1990-2024)

Abstract

The energy efficiency of residential buildings in the hot-humid tropics critically depends on adequate natural ventilation, driven by passive design elements. This bibliometric study aims to systematically map the intellectual landscape of research focused on this intersection. A comprehensive search query, including terms like “passive design,” “natural ventilation,” “hot-humid tropics,” and “residential building,” was executed on the Scopus database, retrieving N=192 relevant articles published between 1990 and 2024. Analysis, conducted using VOS viewer, revealed a significant growth trend in publications after 2015. Key findings include the emergence of three main research clusters: (1) Flow Dynamics and Simulation (CFD, wind catchers, stack effect), (2) Climatic Context and Cultural Adaptation (courtyards, shading, regional case studies in Southeast Asia and South America), and (3) Material and Envelope Performance (thermal mass, phase change materials). The discussion highlights the disciplinary divide between engineering-focused simulation studies and architectural, context-aware approaches. The study concludes that while research activity is strong, there is a clear gap in post-occupancy evaluation (POE) and large-scale practical implementation studies, indicating a need for more interdisciplinary research focusing on real-world performance validation.