Optimizing Ventilation and Temperature Reduction in Administrative Buildings Using Kinetic Facade Systems: A Response Surface Methodology Approach

Abstract

Using kinetic facade systems in administrative buildings enhances indoor environmental conditions inside the functional spaces of the building and simultaneously reduces energy consumption for ventilation; however, the optimal configuration parameters of the kinetic system for administrative buildings remain underexplored. Despite the increasing adoption of kinetic facade systems in administrative buildings to enhance thermal performance and reduce energy consumption, optimal configuration parameters remain underexplored, particularly regarding dynamic adjustment strategies during operational periods. This study addresses this critical gap by investigating how kinetic facade system parameters, specifically during peak working times (12–15 h), slope angles (15°–90°), and system–facade distances (0.25–1.0 m), collectively influence ventilation rates and temperature reductions in hot climate regions. This study aimed to develop predictive mathematical models using response surface methodology to quantify these relationships and establish optimization guidelines for implementing adaptive building envelopes in administrative buildings. A practical study was conducted at the central administration building of Suez University using a 1:10 scale model with a rhombic-pattern kinetic shading system. Design-Expert software generated cubic models across 96 experimental runs, demonstrating a high predictive accuracy for ventilation (R2 = 0.9924) and temperature reduction (R2 = 0.9603). Peak time had the strongest influence on both responses (F = 293.96, P < 0.0001 for ventilation; F = 406.66, P < 0.0001 for temperature reduction), followed by slope angle (F = 58.67, P < 0.0001 for ventilation; F = 11.75, P = 0.0010 for temperature reduction), whereas system–facade distance showed minimal impact. Optimization showed early peak periods (12–13 h) benefit from smaller angles of 15° and closer distances of 0.25 m, while later periods (14 and 15 H) require larger angles of 90° and distances of 1.0 m, achieving up to 35% higher ventilation rates of 17.7 cm/s and temperature reductions of 8.5°C. Kinetic facade systems require dynamic reconfiguration throughout the day, suggesting that automated time-dependent adjustment systems can enhance performance while reducing cooling energy consumption inside buildings.