Adaptive Building Envelope System Using Parametric Camshaft Mechanism for Sustainable Building

Abstract

Adaptation is essential to manage the problem of climate change. In order to meet this growing challenge, this paper propose an adaptive building envelope system that can optimize its configuration by responding to environmental changes that could achieve new levels of sustainable performance and energy efficiency. Most of the current adaptive building envelope uses kinetic techniques in order to make its formation transformable. However, with the use of kinetic components such as a large amount of interactive motorized system that require electrical power may also cause further decrease the building energy efficiency. This paper proposes a camshaft mechanism system for adaptive building envelope that uses less motors, controllers, and sensors. This system uses pre-programmed analysis data of daily solar radiation changes to parametrically drive the number of rotation phase and length of nose (Lobe Lift) that generates the shape of camshaft. This camshaft then controls the changing opening and closing values of the building envelope components. The advantages of this system are less energy consumption, less maintenance and lower cost since it uses less motors, controllers and wiring. In conclusion, this paper has developed a prototypical tool that facilitates the new approach to energy efficient kinetic buildings.