Korean architecture
Emissions – environmental sustainability
A standout quality that determines the level of architecture’s environmental sustainability is its emissions. The carbon and pollution emissions of the building caused from heating, cooling, and other living facilities should be considered when investigating how environmentally efficient a piece of architecture is. Presumably, the emission levels of traditional Korean architecture are significantly lower than that of modern vernacular architecture. The average household in the UK emits an approximate amount of 2.7 tonnes of CO2 every year from heating their home. 6 If we include other factors of CO2 production such as gas for cooking and waste production, UK homes produce several tonnes of carbon dioxide on average per year. By contrast, the only source of carbon footprint that the Hanok produces is from natural waste and burning of fuel. The Hanok uses its Agungi to heat the home and cook food at the same time. On top of this, the fuel that they burnt at the time was wood; this natural material has the ability to burn for a long time and is, most importantly, carbon neutral. This term states that the material gives off the same amount of carbon regardless of whether it is burnt or left to naturally decay. 7
Conclusion
There are several features of traditional Korean architecture that are usable even in the modern era. Firstly, the system of ‘Chae and Kan’ must be appreciated. In western culture, it is almost never that one sees a family home separated into multiple buildings for each component member of the family. Many may not be familiar with this format of housing, but it has numerous benefits that will be appreciated by society if introduced. The co-existence of privacy and unity is a quality that is difficult to find in the average western home, but thrives in the system of Chae and Kan. Furthermore, the innovative scheme of Ondol creates warm, pleasant indoor conditions over cold days and nights. One of the main advantages of this under- floor heating system is its ability to distribute heat evenly in the room for a long time. The thermal energy is underneath the house, and the stones below the flooring rise in temperature. When the core temperatures of the stones match the surface temperatures, the system can hold and consistently radiate heat into the room through a whole night. Not only does the Ondol contribute to the social sustainability of the house, but the system also improves the environmental sustainability of the building. The origin of the heat used in the Ondol is from the fire that is used to cook. By sharing one fire for the kitchen and the heating, it remarkably enhances the energy efficiency of the house. In addition to the Ondol, the environmental sustainability of the Hanok can be shown in comparing the CO2 emissions of traditional Korean architecture against modern vernacular architecture.
6 CITU (2022) What is the carbon footprint of a house? Available at: https://citu.co.uk/citu-live/what-is-the-carbon- footprint-of-a-house (Accessed: 11/03/2022). 7 Sweepy Stories (2022) Wood Burning and the Carbon Footprint. Available at: https://www.ctsweep.com/blog/top- sweep-stories/wood-burning-and-the-carbon-footprint/ (Accessed: 11/03/2022).
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