Optimum Building Shape in View of Energy Saving

Abstract

In most highly developed countries there are standards applied to define the requirements for the insulation coefficient of outer partitions, as well as adequate computer programs to both measure the heat loss in the buildings designed and calculate the amount of electrical and thermal energy needed for heating and ventilating the building. Although these programs are able to calculate the heat loss in the designed buildings, they cannot define their optimum shape. Apart from other numerous factors which influence the ecological and ergonomic value of the architectural project the building shape itself may significantly reduce the construction and maintenance costs of the object. An optimum shape of the building is very important for energy effectiveness, as well as keeping ecological and ergonomic standards applied to solve the space of the building. These factors should be analyzed by the architect as early as in the initial design stage, i.e. while the visual concept of the object is being developed. For different shapes of the object, with the same area of the plan and the same insulation quality of outer partitions, the area of these partitions can be very different, so the amount of the building materials necessary for the constructing, as well as the heat loss resulting from its maintenance can also differ significantly.