The role of double-skin facade configurations in optimizing building energy performance in Erbil city

Abstract

Carefully designing a building facade is the most crucial way to save energy, and a double-skin facade is an effective strategy for achieving energy efficiency. The improvement that can be made depends on how the double-skin facade is set up and what the weather conditions are like. This study was designed to investigate the best-case scenario with an appropriate double-skin facade configuration for optimizing building energy performance. A methodology for optimizing the building's initial condition was introduced using EnergyPlus and ClimateStudio according to a 1-year period of the city of Erbil. Analysis of double-skin parameters was performed by utilizing a multi-objective analysis approach. Four naturally ventilated geometric configurations were assessed: building-height, storey-height, shaft-box, and box-window. The results provide annual and seasonal consumption curves for each orientation. The massive airflow between adjacent thermal zones of a shaft-box facade significantly reduces the amount of cooling energy needed. Hence, due to the intricate internal partitioning that allows for airflow within the cavity and shaft, this design indicates multiple advantages over others. The annual cooling demand drops significantly, by 9% to 14%. Energy savings of up to 116,574 kWh per year are possible when using a double-skin facade compared to the building’s initial condition, which is a great asset in the temperate environment of Erbil.