This study identifies and proposes A GIS-based exploration of the relationships between aspect ratio of inner courtyards, porosity of the urban fabric and the climatic factors where it is located. To perform that comparison, morphological and measurement methods have been used to delineate spatial boundaries of urban densification. This methodology has been applied to a case study in Spain, where regulation establishes several climatic zones. Examples of cities in these zones have been examined to establish possible correlations. This paper analyses the particularities of these different urban scenarios, considering the effects of climate on the real urban densification. The purpose of this study is to find a relationship between the historical inner courtyards dimensions and the climate of the zone where they are located. In order to frame the real thermal behaviour of the inner courtyard in the context of the vernacular typologies studied, a representative sample of inner courtyards has been selected. The monitoring data presented allow quantifying the courtyard’s ability to temper the maximum temperature values.

In recent times, teaching in higher education has undergone a significant transformation. Current advances and innovative proposals in educational science research are centred around a transdisciplinary approach, the so-called integrated curriculum and the incorporation of the transversal concept of sustainability. In summary, the so-called learning processes through problem-solving. The Solar Decathlon Competition is the most prestigious international university student competition for sustainable habitat. The aim of this article is to show how the Aura Strategy, developed by the University of Seville Solar Decathlon Team to participate in the Solar Decathlon 2019 Latin America and Europe competitions, is aligned with the aforementioned proposals. Among the results, the generation of a transforming teaching network of the departmental structures in the University of Seville is to be highlighted. These transformations in teaching lead students to new, broader and more holistic approaches to study, as well as new capabilities and skills. The question of interdisciplinarity requires new tools and research lines to achieve successful implementation in higher education, and the participation in the Solar Decathlon Competition is one of them.

The so-called urban heat islands (UHI) is a thermal phenomenon characterized by higher air temperatures in the urban area than in rural surroundings. Vernacular passive strategies such as courtyards are proved to be useful to generate specific microclimates, especially in the warmer regions of the Earth. Courtyards increase the porosity of the cities, understanding porosity as building voids. Accordingly, their study will be fundamental in reducing the UHI effect by generating urban cooling microislands. This paper aims to analyze two passive strategies capable of modifying the thermal effect of radiation inside the courtyard of two school buildings: albedo and vegetation. In this regard, two case studies were assessed, both of them located in the city of Seville. Results show that the temperature in these spaces can vary up to 7 °C depending on the albedo, which confirms the importance of detecting an optimal albedo factor. In addition, data showed a significant increase in the thermal delta (TD), courtyard versus outdoor temperature, after the installation of a vegetal facade. Accordingly, both strategies will be fundamental in locations affected by climate change, especially considering that they are not only effective cooling strategies but also relatively easy to implement in the building’s refurbishment process.