Research on the Green Construction Technology of Stilt Houses Based on the Climate Adaptation of Transitional Seasons

Abstract

Stilt houses are extremely adaptable to terrain and climate. However, current indoor thermal environment research in transitional seasons is not prominent. Therefore, in this research, a typical stilt house in southwest China was chosen as the research object and analyzed by combining Climate Consultant climate analysis software and field measurement data. The results showed that the indoor thermal stability of a stilt house was excellent during the transition season, and the attic had the most obvious climate regulation, with the maximum temperature difference between indoors and outdoors being 9 °C when the outdoor temperature was the highest. The difference between the mean radiant temperature and the average air temperature was only 0.04 °C, and the radiant effect of the enclosure on the interior was small. The indoor relative humidity ranged from 63.2% to 85.1%, showing high relative humidity, but the fluctuation was relatively stable. Stilt floors did not play a significant role in climate regulation during the transition season, and the semi-open space structure was more prone to moisture accumulation when the outdoor humidity was high. Regarding practical application, the climate adaptation strategies of shading, cooling, and dehumidification were applied in the transition season, but dehumidification was ineffective.

1. Introduction

A stilt house is an important form of dwelling that is based on and developed from a primitive nesting house. Generally, bamboo and wood are used as the main building materials, and they are divided into two or three stories, with the elevated bottom floor used for raising livestock and storing various items, and the upper floor used for human habitation. Comparison of stilt houses in different regions shows that the elevated bottom floor is a key feature (Figure 1). This design adapts to humidity, pests, and terrain, improving residential comfort while ensuring safety. It is one of the main advantages of stilt houses and has influenced modern dwelling construction [1] (Figure 1b). Because of their strong ability to adapt to the environment, stilt houses are widely distributed in Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hunan, Hainan, and other regions in southwestern China [2,3], as well as Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Indonesia, and other regions in Southeast Asia [4]. In addition, available literature suggests that stilt houses are also found in Japan, Africa, and South America [5,6]. According to the China Statistical Yearbook [7] and publicly available data from the World Bank [8], the population residing in the stilt house distribution area in China and Southeast Asia in 2021 alone reached approximately 450 million. Stilt houses are of great research value because of their long history, wide distribution, and large residential population.

Many researchers around the world have studied stilt houses and found that they contain a large amount of ecological wisdom. In quantitative research on stilt houses in Guangxi and Yunnan, China, it has been found that the indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort are significantly better than the local ordinary dwellings. The heat transfer coefficient of the building envelope is large, the indoor thermal environment is good in summer, and the attic space can provide heat retention in winter [9,10,11,12]. In the field study of the thermal environment of stilted houses in Guizhou, China, it was proposed that spatial layout, shading, and natural ventilation were important factors affecting the indoor thermal comfort of residential houses in summer, and the climate regulation roles of the attic, stilt floor, living room, and watchtower were also analyzed [13,14]. Burhany analyzed the function, basic structure, and development process of architectural adaptation in the vernacular architecture of the city of Palu and explored the impact of local conditions on architectural adaptation [15]. Pareti studied a Chiloé stilt house by comparing it with different types of houses in different climatic zones [16,17,18]. It was found that using native wood as a building material allowed adaptation to a humid and rainy climate in a sustainable way. Vernacular technologies play an important role in promoting the development of green and sustainable buildings, which can adapt to different climatic conditions in combination with local characteristics and technological innovation. The combination of special architecture and vernacular architecture can promote the preservation and sustainable development of regional heritage, demonstrating the potential and value of green buildings in the context of unique geographical patterns and cultures. Khalit conducted a study on the indoor thermal environment evaluation of a Malaysian traditional stilt architecture (Mosque) and found that the indoor thermal environment was within an acceptable range, and that the building exhibited good adaptability to the local hot and humid climate. This was attributed to the design of the elevated floor, the wide roof eaves, the allowance for openings in different parts of the roof, as well as the choice of materials [19]. Kirana compared the stilt houses in two different locations on Koh Yao Noi Island, Thailand (a beach and an island center). It was found that the same structure could adapt to both environments and land features, and using local materials enhanced comfort. The construction of the houses and the selection of materials were both outcomes of adapting to the environment [20]. Nyssa conducted a study on stilt houses in Indonesian wetlands and found that durable stilt houses in wetlands exhibit the following characteristics: firstly, they were constructed using local natural wood materials; secondly, the houses were designed for long-term use and featured a building system that was easy to maintain; and finally, they incorporated techniques based on local constructional wisdom [21]. All of the above results demonstrate the superiority of stilt houses in adapting to local climate and terrain and promoting sustainable development. However, with the acceleration of modernized life, these dwellings have also exposed many problems such as poor indoor lighting, poor air quality, and poor ventilation, which have led to a gradual decline in the number of traditional stilt houses. There is a conflict between perpetuating the ecological wisdom of stilt houses and improving the quality of life for residents. The use of scientific means to analyze green construction technology and to guide the improvement of the local residential environment is an important measure to alleviate the current contradiction. The mastery of the indoor environmental conditions of stilt houses in all seasons can be utilized to fully explore green construction technology.

Previous studies on the indoor thermal environment of stilt houses have mainly focused on summer and winter. Transitional seasons are considered more comfortable and are often easily overlooked [22]. The indoor environmental conditions, climate adaptability, and green construction techniques of stilt houses during this period are yet to be explored. This paper selects a typical stilt house in Southwest China to study the above problems. Firstly, based on local meteorological conditions, the Climate Consultant (6.0) climate analysis tool is utilized to analyze and derive architectural design strategies suitable for the local climate characteristics. Secondly, through field research, the actual thermal environmental conditions and climate adaptability of the stilt house are revealed. A comparative analysis is conducted between the climate adaptation strategies actually employed in the stilt house and the results of the software analysis, revealing the climate adaptability strategies and deficiencies of traditional stilt houses. Lastly, we summarize the green construction techniques involved and propose potential improvement measures for the stilt house, aiming to provide scientific guidance for residents in areas where stilt dwellings are distributed and to offer more authentic data references for the sustainable development of stilt houses.

Figure 1. Images of stilt houses in various regions. (a) Images of traditional stilt houses in various regions. (i) Stilt house in Longsheng, China; (ii) Stilt house in Xishuangbanna, China [23]; (iii) Stilt house on Koh Yao Noi Island, Thailand [20]. (b) Images of modern stilt houses in various regions. (i) Stilt house in Longsheng, China; (ii) Stilt house on Koh Yao Noi Island, Thailand [20]; (iii) Stilt houses on Guam, USA [1].

Figure 1. Images of stilt houses in various regions. (a) Images of traditional stilt houses in various regions. (i) Stilt house in Longsheng, China; (ii) Stilt house in Xishuangbanna, China [23]; (iii) Stilt house on Koh Yao Noi Island, Thailand [20]. (b) Images of modern stilt houses in various regions. (i) Stilt house in Longsheng, China; (ii) Stilt house on Koh Yao Noi Island, Thailand [20]; (iii) Stilt houses on Guam, USA [1].

2. Climate Analysis of the Study Area

Climate Consultant (6.0) climate analysis software was utilized to obtain the required climate data and propose climate adaptability strategies for local buildings. The thermal comfort model was selected from the 2005 ASHRAE Handbook of Fundamentals’ comfort model, which combines human clothing and different needs for thermal comfort temperatures in different seasons that are divided into two thermal comfort zones, winter and summer. The model set the upper and lower effective temperature limits for the thermal comfort zone at 50% relative humidity at 20.0 °C and 23.3 °C, respectively, with a maximum wet bulb temperature of 17.8 °C and a minimum dew point temperature of 2.2 °C. The effective temperature of the thermal comfort zone was 2.8 °C higher in summer than in winter [24]. The annual meteorological data for the study area were obtained from a data format (EPW) adopted by EnergyPlus (24.1.0), a specialized weather analysis software developed by the US Department of Energy.

The region is in the subtropical monsoon climate zone with abundant rainfall. Figure 2 shows that the area experiences high humidity throughout the year, with a minimum relative humidity of 51.39%. Approximately 35% of the year, the humidity exceeds 80%, while 56% of the time, it falls within the range of 60% to 80%.

Solar energy resources were average. Except for 52% of nights with zero radiation, radiation exceeds 474 W/m² only 4% of the time. Solar radiation was abundant from July to September, peaking at 594.95 W/m² in September (Figure 3).

The annual temperature range was between 0 °C and 36 °C. The annual temperature range of the area was between 0 °C and 36 °C. During summer, temperatures were higher, with average temperatures above comfortable levels. July was the hottest month of the year, with maximum temperatures reaching around 36 °C. January was the coldest month, with minimum temperatures not falling below 0 °C. Most of the relatively comfortable times were concentrated in the transitional seasons (Figure 4).

The climate software could determine suitable passive design strategy combinations based on local climate data. When selecting and displaying the optimal passive strategy combination, the software automatically eliminated conflicting and redundant passive measures [25], producing the annual thermal comfort time ratio and the effective time ratios of various climate adaptability strategies for the area. Taking into account the local need for natural ventilation, minor adjustments were made to the optimal passive combination, leading to eight architectural strategies best suited to the regional climate. The key climate adaptability strategies for local residences were, in descending order of importance: cooling, adding dehumidification if needed (31.4%); heating, adding humidification if needed (24.2%); internal heat gain (23.3%); sun shading of windows (12.2%); fan-forced ventilation cooling (6.3%); dehumidification only (5.6%); passive solar direct gain high mass (4.7%); and natural ventilation cooling (4.3%) (Figure 5).

Analyzing the seasonal effective time ratios of various climate adaptability strategies revealed: Spring and fall, the two transitional seasons, had comfort times with ratios ranging from 12.5% to 25.2%. Winter’s thermal comfort time accounted for merely 0.8%. During summer, cooling, with dehumidification if needed, had an effective time ratio of 90.5%, indicating its necessity for indoor comfort. Heating was required 71.9% of the time in winter. Internal heat gain had a greater potential for application in spring and fall, with effective time ratios of 40.7% and 31.3%, respectively (Figure 6).

Figure 7 shows that from May to September, the optimal strategy was “cooling, add dehumidification if needed,” reflecting the region’s extended period of high temperatures and humidity. Dehumidification only was utilized from March to November, suggesting it was a continual necessity in this area.

3. Test Building

The research object is located in Longji Village, southwest China, at 25°49′4″ N and 110°9′2″ E. (Guilin, Guangxi, China). The terrain is mostly mountainous, with hot summers and cold winters. The chosen building was a traditional stilt house with a distinctive Yao ethnic style (Figure 8). It was constructed on a mountainside and retained the traditional three-story wooden structure. The first floor was elevated and served as a space for storage and livestock, the second floor was a residential floor that served as the main activity space for the occupants, and the third floor was the attic, which was a storage space. The main material of the building’s exterior walls was cedar boards with sizes of approximately 30 mm, and the roof was a double-sloped roof consisting of approximately 10 mm or so of small green tiles and approximately 5 mm or so of an air layer. The floor slabs were cedar boards with sizes of approximately 30 mm. The external windows consisted of wooden window frames and transparent glass, there were no windows on the north side of the building, and the windows on the south side had a relatively small size. The stilt floor stood on the original ecological soil ground. The living room was the ceremonial center. As a heat source, the fire pit could be used for daily activities such as boiling water and cooking, and this was the main method of heating when the weather was cold.

4. Instrumentation and Research Design

The thermal environment measurement, including measurement of the indoor and outdoor temperature and humidity, black bulb temperature, and wind speed of the building, was carried out on 4 October 2021, and it lasted for 24 h. The weather was sunny during the test period, with cooler morning and evening temperatures and warmer temperatures at midday. The tested stilt house was in a state of natural ventilation, and the placement of the instrument during the test did not affect the residents’ normal lives. Figure 9 shows the specific locations of the measurement points. The indoor temperature and humidity measurement points were located in the stilt floor, living room, fire pit, bedroom, and attic of the residence.

Table 1. Test items and instrument parameters.

Name of Instrument	Instrument Model	Measured Physical Quantity	Instrument Parameters
Temperature and humidity recorder	AZ8829S	Air temperature	Range −40 °C to 85 °C, accuracy ±0.6 °C
Temperature and humidity recorder	AZ8829S	Relative humidity	Range 0–100%RH, accuracy ±3%RH
Black bulb thermometer	JTR04	Black bulb temperature	Range 5–120 °C, accuracy ±0.5 °C
Hot-wire anemometer	ST730S	Wind speed	Range 0–40 m/s, accuracy ±0.03 m/s

shows the test items and the information related to the instrument. The instrument height is set at 1.2 m, with automatic recordings made every hour. The measurement range and accuracy met the requirements of international standard ISO 7726 [26]. The instruments were calibrated before the test. In addition, to ensure the accuracy of the measured data, readings were taken after the instruments were placed in the specified position and the values were stabilized.

5. Results

5.1. Outdoor Climate Parameters

Figure 10a shows that during the measurement period, the highest outdoor temperature was 33 °C at 15:00, while the lowest temperature of 21.2 °C occurred between 5:00 and 6:00. The difference between the highest and lowest temperatures during the day was 11.8 °C, with an average temperature of 26.4 °C. From 5:00 to 6:00, the highest relative humidity was 92%, and at 15:00, the lowest humidity was 48%. The air temperature was negatively correlated with the relative humidity, and the higher the outdoor temperature was, the lower the relative humidity was. During the test period, the weather was clear. The measurement instrument was placed on a horizontal surface to measure the solar radiation intensity received on that surface. As shown in Figure 10b, at 13:00, it reached its maximum with 919 W/m². The average radiation during this period was 407.75 W/m².

5.2. Air Temperature

Figure 11 shows the indoor and outdoor temperature changes. The trend of temperature changes in each indoor space was basically the same as that of the outdoor spaces. When the outdoor temperature reached its maximum (33 °C) at 15:00, the temperature in all indoor spaces was maintained between 24 °C and 26.2 °C. The attic had the highest temperature at this time, 26.2 °C, and was consistently warmer than the rest of the rooms between 10:00 and 19:00. There was no attic above the living room, and the vertical space went straight to the roof. When the outdoor temperature reached its maximum, the temperature in the living room was 25.4 °C, which was 7.6 °C lower compared to outdoors. There was an attic above the fire pit, and the temperature at this time was 24.1 °C, which was 8.9 °C lower than the outside temperature. The temperature difference between the fire pit and the living room was 1.3 °C. Similarly, the bedroom with the attic above had a temperature of 24 °C, which was 9 °C lower than the outside temperature and was minimally affected by the outdoor temperature. The bedroom temperatures were 1.4 °C lower than the living room temperatures, indicating that the attic had a strong insulation capacity. The peak temperature within a day occurred at 13:00 in the attic, and the peak temperature within a day occurred between 15:00 and 16:00 in the bedroom and fire pit, which was delayed compared to the attic. This phenomenon also indicated that the attic acted as a thermal buffer to the bedroom and fire pit in a vertical direction. Research shows that the optimal indoor temperature range is 20–24 °C [27]. With the attic’s influence, bedrooms and fire pit areas generally meet comfort standards. Temperatures were relatively low before 9:00. At 9:00, the fire pit temperature was higher than the rest of the indoor space. The fire pit temperature increased but did not exceed 24 °C. The reason for this might be the temperature rises caused by resident activities nearby. Residents found the indoor temperature tolerable at this time and, therefore, did not use the fire pit for heating.

Figure 12 shows that the attic had the largest temperature fluctuation with a maximum difference of 6.3 °C. Following this was the living room, stilt floor, and fire pit, while the bedroom had the smallest fluctuation. All indoor spaces exhibited smaller fluctuations than outdoors, suggesting relatively good indoor thermal stability of the residence during the transition season.

Over the selected 24-h period, the hourly recorded temperatures were summed and then divided by the number of recordings to calculate the average temperature. The results are shown in

Table 2. Comparison of the temperature in each space from 23:00 3 October 2021, to 22:00 4 October 2021.

	Stilt Floor	Living Room	Bedroom	Fire Pit	Attic	Outdoor
Temperature/°C
Maximum	25.5	25.6	24	24.3	26.5	33
Minimum	20.7	20.3	21	20.6	20.2	21.2
Average	22.6	22.6	22.3	22.3	22.9	26.2

. The average outdoor temperature was 26.2 °C, and the average indoor temperature was lower than that for the outdoor area. The attic had the highest average temperature of 22.9 °C, and the bedroom and the fire pit had the lowest average temperature of 22.3 °C. There was no attic above the living room as a buffer space to insulate part of the heat, and the temperature was high compared to that of the other spaces, indicating that spatial characteristics were the main reason for the differentiation in indoor temperatures. The attic exhibited significant climate regulation during the transition season. The average temperature of the stilt floor was 22.6 °C, the same as the average temperature of the living room. The stilt house selected for this study had a stilt floor that was different from the general completely open form but was a semi-open space, surrounded by wooden planks and stones. Its climate buffering was also different from that of a completely open stilt house. Previous studies have shown that such a semi-open structure is conducive to ventilation and heat dissipation in summer while reducing heat loss in winter [12]. The above measurement data showed that the climate buffering effect of the stilt floor was not obvious in the transition season.

5.3. Mean Radiant Temperature

The mean radiant temperature (MRT) is one of the important indexes that affect the indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort. Wu showed that in summer, except from 18:00 to 21:00, the indoor MRT of the living room was below its average temperature by 1.6 °C, which was mainly due to the excellent shading design of the stilt house [13]. Liu showed that in winter, the MRT of the stilt house was lower than the air temperature, and the inner surface of the building envelope produced cold radiation to the human body, which affected the indoor thermal environment and human thermal comfort [12]. In this research, MRT was calculated by measuring the three-sphere temperature inside the living room during the transition season to study the influence on the indoor thermal environment. The formula is as follows:

$$\begin{array}{c}{t}_r={\left[{\left(t_g+273\right)}^4+{\displaystyle \frac{1.1\times {10}^8{V}^{0.6}}{\epsilon D^{0.4}}}\left(t_g-t_a\right)\right]}^{{\displaystyle \frac{1}{4}}}-273\end{array}$$

(1)

where t_a is the dry bulb temperature, in °C; t_g is the black bulb temperature, in °C; V is the indoor air velocity, in m/s; $\epsilon$ is the black bulb emissivity, in $\epsilon =0.97$; and D is the black bulb diameter, D = 0.15 m.

Figure 13 shows the change in the actual measured air temperature in the living room from the calculated MRT. From the figure, it can be seen that the living room MRT was higher than the air temperature, with a maximum temperature difference of 2.4 °C during the 7:00–10:00 time period. This was due to the gradual increase in the sun’s elevation angle during this time as well as the direct sunlight shining through the windows into the interior of the living room, which increased the temperature of the floor and interior wall surfaces, radiating heat into the room and raising the MRT of the living room.

The indoor MRT was lower than the air temperature from 11:00 to 18:00, with a maximum temperature difference of 1.4 °C. This was due to two reasons: firstly, the shading structures extending around the residence blocked direct sunlight on the exterior walls, reducing the solar radiation received indoors; secondly, the thermal inertia of the envelope structure, which means it slowly absorbs and releases heat when temperatures change. At night, when temperatures dropped, the envelope structure absorbed and stored coolness. During the day, despite solar radiation, the envelope structure did not immediately release the stored coolness but maintained a relatively lower temperature due to its thermal inertia.

From 19:00 to 22:00, the fluctuation of the indoor MRT and air temperature was very small, and their average temperature difference was only 0.1 °C. This was because the indoor heat exchange tended to stabilize after the sun went down. The MRT in the living room during the test period was 23.57 °C, the mean air temperature was 23.61 °C, and the difference between them was only 0.04 °C (

Table 3. Comparison between MRT and air temperature in the living room from 7:00 to 22:00.

	MRT/°C	Air Temperature/°C
Maximum	25.1	25.6
Minimum	20.9	20.3
Average	23.57	23.61

). The above data showed that in the transition season, when the indoor temperature difference was small, the good thermal insulation performance of the envelope structure effectively reduced the transmission of radiant heat, and the radiant influence of the enclosure structure on the interior was abated so that the indoor thermal environment remained relatively stable. Therefore, in the transition seasons, the indoor temperature would be comfortable for residents.

5.4. Relative Humidity

As shown in Figure 14, the trend of relative humidity variation in various indoor spaces over time was basically consistent with that outdoors, ranging between 63.2% and 85.1%. The comfortable relative humidity range for humans is 30–60% [27]. The indoor relative humidity was higher than the comfort standard, which was not conducive to maintaining human comfort. The maximum outdoor humidity reached 92% between 5:00 and 6:00, while the minimum was 48% between 14:00 and 16:00, resulting in a 44% humidity difference. The average outdoor relative humidity was 73.8%. Except for the fire pit, the highest humidity of all indoor spaces occurred during 7:00–8:00, among which the highest humidity in the attic was 85.1%, and the lowest humidity in the hall was 81%. The peak of indoor humidity occurred at a delayed time compared to the outdoors. This was mainly related to the blockage of humidity by the building envelope.

The maximum temperature difference among indoor spaces was 0.6 °C. The maximum relative humidity difference was 5.5%. There was little variation in indoor average temperatures, but significant differences in relative humidity. The average temperature of the bedroom and fire pit was the same, and the average relative humidity difference was 0.7%. This was due to the fire pit. As the daily activity center of residents with frequent resident activities, the residents regulated their indoor comfort by opening or closing their windows, which led to an increase in indoor humidity. The average temperature in the living room and the stilt floor was the same, and the difference in average relative humidity was 2.1%, which was related to the semi-open spatial structure of the stilt floor and the large contact area with the outdoors. The moisture could easily accumulate inside the stilt floor when the humidity outside was high. The average temperature and average relative humidity of the attic were higher than those of the living room, indicating that the attic had a poor ability to remove moisture. This was due to the attic not opening up as much as the living room and not being well-ventilated. In addition, the average indoor relative humidity was maintained at or above 74%. The reason for the high indoor relative humidity was the high moisture content in air, which caused the air to become humid. At this time, the indoor temperature was not high enough to evaporate the moisture in the air. Coupled with the architectural characteristics of the residence with no windows on the north side and small area windows on the south side, air convection could not be formed, which further led to poor indoor ventilation and weakened dehumidification capacity. The above studies showed that temperature was not the only factor affecting relative humidity; rather, the relative humidity was also related to factors such as resident activity, ventilation effects, spatial structure, and envelope performance.

Figure 15 shows that the fluctuation range of relative humidity in all indoor spaces was smaller than that outdoors, indicating more stable indoor relative humidity changes. Among indoor spaces, the attic had the largest fluctuation, while the bedroom had the smallest.

Over the selected 24-h period, the hourly recorded relative humidity values were summed and then divided by the number of recordings to calculate the average relative humidity. The results are shown in

Table 4. Comparison of relative humidity in each space from 23:00 3 October 2021 to 22:00 4 October 2021.

	Stilt Floor	Living Room	Bedroom	Fire Pit	Attic	Outdoor
Relative Humidity/%
Maximum	82.3	81	82.1	85.1	85.1	92
Minimum	64.7	63.2	75.1	71.4	63.3	48
Average	76.1	74.0	78.8	79.5	76.0	73.8

. The outdoor relative humidity fluctuated between 0% and 44%. The attic had the greatest fluctuation among the indoor spaces, fluctuating from 0% to 21.8%. The indoor fluctuations were all lower than the outdoor fluctuations, but the average relative humidity indoors was higher than outdoors. The above data indicated that the indoor area of the stilt house during the transition season exhibited high relative humidity but with relatively stable fluctuations.

5.5. Green Construction Technology Analysis

The architectural form of the stilt house and the choice of building materials reflected the ecological concept of low carbon and environmental protection as well as the adaptability to the climate. After screening with the above climate analysis software, it was found that the climate adaptation strategies of shading, natural ventilation cooling, internal heat gain, passive solar heating, cooling, and dehumidification showed great potential for applications in the transition season. Combined with the measured data, the actual applications of the above strategies in the transition season of the stilt house and the green construction technology embedded in the house were analyzed.

5.5.1. Shading and Natural Ventilation Cooling

The eaves around the stilt house could effectively block the solar radiation of the outer surface of the house wall, windows and doors, and other enclosure structures. This will have a more obvious effect when the temperature is higher in summer. Therefore, more attention should be paid to the design of the shaded structure of local residential buildings. Natural ventilation can reduce indoor temperature and humidity and improve comfort. The measured results discussed above showed that the poor indoor natural ventilation of the dwelling was related to its spatial form and the size of the window openings. Simple spatial layouts and window placements that promote air convection are advised for local dwelling construction.

5.5.2. Internal Heat Gain

Internal heat gain exhibits the greatest potential for application in climate analysis results, but no measures related to internal heat gain were used during the test. The fire pit was the simplest measure for residents to obtain heat internally. Generally, the fire pit was not just used for heating but also combined with the kitchen for cooking to improve energy efficiency. However, the measure needs to fit with the living habits of the residents. The fire pit was not used during the test period, and no specific data were available. Based on traces of fire pit use and resident habits, the utilization of the fire pit was determined to be relatively high. However, a fire pit produces a large amount of water vapor when cooking, which leads to an increase in indoor humidity and affects comfort. Therefore, if a fire pit is to be used, it is necessary to optimize its spatial design or take measures such as opening windows to ventilate the room when the fire pit is in use to assist it.

5.5.3. Passive Solar Heating

Although the application of passive solar energy has certain potential, due to the limitations of the residential houses themselves, the practical application of this strategy is not effective and only some of the residential houses with sun terraces have a certain application of this strategy. New residential buildings in the area may consider increasing the use of passive solar energy.

5.5.4. Cooling and Dehumidification

The use of cooling as a strategy was achieved in the attic, the shading structure, and the choice of building materials, but the dehumidification was relatively minor. The attic had a certain heat buffer effect on the vertical space and a strong insulation ability to effectively regulate the indoor temperature. Coupled with the shading structure, this reduced the impact of high outdoor temperatures on the indoor space. The fir boards used in the building were local natural materials with a certain moisture absorption and air permeability, which reduced energy consumption and environmental pollution while also playing a role in stabilizing the indoor temperature and humidity during the transition season. However, when the humidity was too high, the moisture within the fir board was gradually saturated and could no longer absorb excess moisture. When the indoor humidity is not effectively regulated, it will lead to high indoor humidity, so more dehumidification strategies are needed in the transition season.

6. Conclusions

The construction of stilt houses relies on the accumulated experience of residents who have long lived in the local climate. These houses demonstrate strong climatic adaptability. However, due to a lack of scientific guidance and other constraints, the climatic adaptability of stilt houses currently requires further exploration. This paper compares ideal climate adaptation strategies simulated by Climate Consultant (6.0) software with actual applications, revealing both existing ecological wisdom and deficiencies, and proposes green construction techniques for newly built houses to enhance climatic adaptability and improve residential comfort. The relevant conclusions are as follows:

• During transitional seasons, the indoor thermal environment of this stilt house was relatively stable. The attic plays a significant role in regulating the climate, keeping bedrooms and fire pits at a comfortable temperature. Additionally, the wide eaves provide excellent shading. When building homes, it’s important to consider incorporating attics or similar mezzanine designs, as well as focusing on shading features.
• As a key component of stilt houses, the stilt floor doesn’t show a significant climate regulation effect during the transitional seasons. This may be related to the fact that the stilt floor selected in this study is a semi-open space. Previous research has found that such semi-open spaces can effectively regulate the climate in both summer and winter. Future studies could further explore the regulatory effects of semi-open and fully open overhead structures during the transitional seasons. Besides climate regulation, overhead structures have many other advantages and should still be considered in the construction of local residences.
• The relative humidity in various indoor spaces of this residence exceeds the comfort standard. Despite the application of dehumidification strategies, the effects are not satisfactory. Newly constructed residences in the area should consider more dehumidification measures, such as optimizing window design and enhancing natural indoor ventilation, to increase indoor comfort. Passive solar heating shows great application potential under ideal conditions, but its application in traditional residences is limited. The construction of new residences should fully consider the utilization of passive solar technology, which can help improve indoor thermal comfort while reducing building heating energy consumption.
• Ecology is key to the sustainable development of buildings. The stilt houses utilize locally sourced natural materials, such as cedar boards, which possess certain moisture absorption and breathability properties. This not only reduces environmental pollution but also offers a degree of climate regulation. However, during periods of high humidity, such as the transitional seasons, their climate regulatory effect is less noticeable. Newly constructed residences in the area can consider the comprehensive use of various natural materials, such as stone, wood, and bamboo, or the integration of natural materials with other materials.