Optimizing Building Envelope Features: Towards Climate Responsive Energy Efficient Buildings in Hot Climates

Abstract

The building envelope plays a crucial role in a building's energy performance through its interaction with external and internal environment.This study examines the impact of various building envelope features on the energy efficiency of residential buildings in hot climates.Utilizing an empirically validated simulation model and a multiobjective optimization algorithm, the study assesses the effect of variations in envelope features, such as geometry and thermal properties, on its thermal performance.The multi-objective optimization aims to minimize cooling loads and discomfort hours.The study employs three different weather files representing various locations within the same hot climate context.The results underscore the significant influence of envelope parameters, demonstrating that optimization can reduce cooling loads by up to 22% compared to base case scenario.Among, 5900 tested cases, this study provides valuable insights into optimum solutions to improve energy efficiency in residential buildings through targeted enhancements in envelope design, ultimately contributing to more sustainable and comfortable living environments.