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Solar irradiation is the main potential energy source used in various processes. An accurate estimation of solar irradiation becomes a challenge due to the unavailability of weather data in Algeria. Therefore, an operated model can offer an important alternative for calculating the solar irradiation including the minimum of the input data. The present study derives a simple model from a review of our previously published work. It aims to develop a new approach for the estimation of the global irradiation on the horizontal plane only based on the measured sunshine duration. Maps of solar energy are required by many system designs; for this reason, it is mandatory to draw the global solar irradiation maps for Algeria for all types of sky. Algebraic relative errors were used as indicators of the agreement between the experimental and the calculated global irradiation. It has been proved that the highest intensity of the solar irradiation is located around the area of Djanet and Tamanrasset, whereas the less intense area extends from Skikda zone to Annaba, and more exactly in around 7° longitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In desert regions, the orientation of buildings, thermal insulation and eaves have an important influence in the inside air temperature. The main objective of the current work is to minimize interior temperatures by these three techniques. This study aims at assessing also the geographic parameter enhancing or damping the role of thermal inertia, providing a variety of results. As result, this work proves that stones play a contradictory role on thermal comfort; it has been found that changing orientations of building is not beneficial in terms of thermal comfort particularly in the hot season in case of a building without insulation. Consequently, the insertion of the eaves is recommended to achieve a better thermal comfort in arid and semi arid regions and the habitation will have to be situated in south flan of a hill to satisfy the two strategies (hot and cold). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] The global solar irradiation maps for Algeria are drawn. [•] We performed an independence test using year 1992–2002 data. [•] The highest intensity of the solar radiation is located around the area of Djanet. [•] The less intense area is located around the area of Ksar Chellala. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]