Standards of architectural design for the ecological certification of the rural settlements

Before the industrial revolution architecture has been shaped by the natural and cultural inputs. Local constraints become more effective determinants of architecture in the rural contexts because by being disengaged from the webs of transportation and communication, rural settlements have achieved sustainability in difficult conditions. The examples of rural settlement and architecture have provided sustainability through integration with natural inputs within the geographical context because they have reached the goals of ecological design within the local constraints. Although this feature of the rural cultural landscapes has been emphasized frequently, tangible standards could not be developed in order to interpret their ecological design principles from the perspectives of the contemporary building sector and planning. However, the historical experience indicates that the sustenance of ecological performance can be possible as a result of integrated planning at the overall scale of the settlement. Therefore, the existing standards are not qualified for interpreting the rural contexts. This study develops a method for analysing, interpreting and evaluating traditional rural settlements and certifying new implementations in the rural environments in the light of the given literature review, discussion and methodological proposal.