Effects of Climate on the Form and Elevation of Buildings in Iran
Nazanin Salimi


Introduction
When human being chose “Iran” as his dwelling place since many generations before, he began constructing it. Then he encountered with various climates, therefore he tried to struggle with environmental conditions, and create suitable internal spaces, and initiated different constructing methods to adapt to the environment.

Because of different climates in Iran, there are different building systems. There are also valuable experiences in the field of designing, building and choosing of materials for traditional buildings, aimed at struggling with environment conditions.

Using local material, with respect to their stability and resistance toward heavy load and pressures, heat, cold and also rain and snowfalls are the factors that affect the appearances of traditional architecture in Iran.

In Iranian traditional architecture, the buildings are constructed according to the geographical location. And according to the position of the ceiling, there are some needs for decreasing the space, which is under the direct radiation of sunlight, choosing appropriate materials, constructing shades in each areas, walls, ventilation-shaft, basements, central yards, shelters with expanded shadows, windows facing sun, constructing reservoir etc. These factors make buildings struggle with such external matters in such a way that the best internal space will be created without using the complex set of energy and pollutant systems.
In another word, the past generations have known about the rules and using sun systems and have applied it all.

Division of climate in Iran
Iran has been located in geographical latitude of 40º, 25' North degree, this country is one of the hot countries in the world. This area is a height plateau; and there are few percent of the areas with the height lower than 475 m and lower than the sea level.