Abstract
The modern urban built environment is considered as the most energy consuming sector as new forms of construction and services have been applied without realising their side effects. Therefore, buildings are now dependant mostly on the mechanical equipment to provide a comfort. As a consequence, this has led to, firstly, many ecological problems such as: the over and misuse of the energy resources, pollution and diseases. Secondly, design without consideration of the local climatic conditions, which also contributed to loss of identity related specifically to every climatic region. Resulting in buildings having the same features all around the world regardless of the cultural, social and physical differences. In Libya, issues related to this subject are neglected or rarely studied. This paper, therefore, aims to highlight some architectural solutions that contribute to reducing building's energy consumption as well as creating an architecture related to the local environment and place. In this paper, an overview of the general architecture principles and a study of the components of the environmental design and the architectural treatments for this climatic zone will be given. A model of a house for Libyan family life will be shown in order to give an idea of the application of some architectural treatments for sustainable buildings taking into consideration the physical, cultural and social differences.