Energy, aesthetic, and thermal performance optimisation for building envelopes in China's hot summer and cold winter climate zones

Abstract

Windows, apertures, shading, and materials are all part of the building envelope design elements that interact to greatly aff ect a structure's performance.
Unfortunately, there is a lack of research on optimising all three of these characteristics at once to find the optimal balance between thermal comfort,
interior daylighting, and energy usage. To explore the interplay between various building design and performance parameters, this study introduces a
multi-objective optimisation (MOO) framework that assesses Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI), Energy Use Intensity (EUI), and Therm al Discomfort
Time Percentage (TDP) with a broad variety of parameters. This optimisation process takes into account the openable-window-area-ratio (OWR),
window-wall-ratio (WWR), solar-heat-gain-coefficient (SHGC), louvre depth, and wall thickness. Using a building in the Hot Summer and Cold Winter
Zone as an example, the results demonstrate that the optimal energy performance, taking thermal and visual comfort into accou nt, is achieved by having
a large south-openable-window-area-ratio (OWRs), south-window-to-wall-ratio (WWRs), SHGC, wall-thickness, a small north-window-wall-ratio
(WWRn), and louvre depth. There is a clear improvement of 18% in EUI, 48.4% in TDP during the transition seasons, and 2.5% in UDI when compared
to the first solution, thanks to the trade-off method. To construct sustainable cities, the results aid architects in finding the best solution for HSCW zone
building envelope design, refurbishment, and renovation.