Optimisation of commercial buildings envelope to reduce energy consumption and improve indoor environmental quality (IEQ) using NSGA-II algorithm

Abstract

In this study, a commercial building envelope is optimised to reduce energy consumption while simultaneously increasing thermal and visual comfort. Design parameters include diameter ratio (ratio of the building large diameter to its small diameter), window to wall ratio (WWR), and orientation. The study is performed for two usages, including retail stores and supermarkets, and three different areas. According to the results, the building performance highly depends on its form. Increasing WWR generally reduces the thermal and visual comforts while increasing energy consumption. To reduce energy consumption and maintain indoor environment quality, the orientation angle of less than 30° is preferable. Also, the effect of building area on the cooling energy consumption is more considerable than the other objectives. Besides, the building usage impacts heating energy consumption noticeably more than other parameters. Finally, the best design parameters are suggested for different usages and areas based on the results.