In lack of modern equipment and as a result of limited income in villages, conceiving energy efficient resolutions for rural housing is a top priority. In recent years, the only rural buildings that can  receive state loans are those  with urban design and construction methods. The resulting housing style and construction methods  are the cause of energy deficiency and construction cost increase on one hand and in the loss of vernacular identity and rural landscape on the other.

This article presents the results of research completed in the Housing Foundation of Islamic Revolution under the title of “Energy saving strategies in rural housing of Semnan Province”. Careful analysis of climatic strategies used in vernacular rural houses in Semnan province was done to  uncover the conventional passive energy saving principals in rural setting. The results were accumulated through the information of 18 Semnan meteorology stations to recognize the climatic zones of this province. Field study data was gathered from 24 villages that were studied by The Housing Foundation. 40 villages were selected by the research group to clarify the climatic zones. The results of this research show three main climatic/architectural zones due to topographic diversity between Alborz Mountain and desert plain with special architectural characteristics of each zone. Design strategies, materials and construction methods used in rural housing of each climatic zone provide human thermal comfort in addition to the controlling of the harmful climatic conditions. These strategies cause energy saving and sustainability of natural resources and the ecology of the villages. While introducing these strategies, this article will also present the passive principals of climatic rural housing in these three zones.