Design Of Office Buildings Research Articles

A STUDY OF DESIGN CHARACTER IN GREEN OFFICE INTERIORS

Green design as one of the important constituents of the sustainability concept, has recently become a preferred approach in the design of office buildings. Previous studies on the economic, ecological aspects and employee comfort/efficiency of green office designs with a rapid increase in number across the world, suggested the positive effects of the foregoing approach on both employees and the environment. Nevertheless, there are only a limited number of studies on the design character of green office interiors in the relevant literature. Accordingly, the present study aimed to examine the manifestations of design in green office interiors and discuss a less frequently addressed aspect of the green design, i.e., the design character. Therefore, the office buildings selected for the purposes of the present study were scrutinized on the basis of visuals and plans of the projects that were accessible to public. The results were suggestive of the fact that spatial organizations were designed upon a modular approach and with organizations that allowed flexible arrangements, that natural fabric and materials were in frequent use, that natural daylight played an important role in every design and that the human scale was attached importance in terms of dimensions.

Quantitative analysis of performance-oriented design efficiency in early divergent parametric design of office building façade

Optimizing early-stage building design significantly impacts energy efficiency, carbon reduction, and indoor air quality. While parametric design coupled with Multi-Objective Optimization is a prevalent approach in energy-focused preliminary design, it's important to note that the emphasis has been on parameter adjustments rather than algorithm modifications. However, altering the design algorithm can have a more fundamental influence on early-stage design, yet this area remains relatively under-researched. To aid designers in producing better performance-oriented designs at an early stage, this study proposes a set of quantitative index and methods to swiftly evaluate and compare the performance potential of design algorithms. Office passive design case studies are utilized to assess the performance of two common divergent design algorithms. Through solution space sampling, we analyze their respective performance boundaries and distributions by conducting sampling analysis and performance optimization for each algorithm. Notably, energy consumption differences can reach up to 5.07 kWh/ (m2·a), while sUDI variations may amount to 25.2%, and these variances are contingent upon climate zones. Furthermore, the efficiency and convergence speed of these design algorithms during optimization processes were quantitatively compared. Results indicate that optimal energy consumption can vary by up to 2.13 kWh/ (m2·a), with a time cost ranging from three to four times for approximating an optimal solution. The key contribution lies in providing designers with a rapid evaluation methods for performance-oriented comparison for different early design algorithms.

A many-objective optimization approach to design office building façade considering energy-daylight balance concept within prevalent climate types of Iran

The concept of energy-daylight balance in architectural design aims to maximize daylighting while reducing energy consumption. Many parameters influence this concept, although they are not necessarily of equal importance in different climates. This study aims to identify the appropriate weight distribution sets (WDSs) for the most influential parameters of the energy-daylight balance concept, namely energy efficiency, daylighting, visual comfort, and thermal comfort, under the prevalent climate types of Iran. To this end, a many-objective optimization algorithm (NSGA-III) is applied to a parametric design procedure involving design variables related to the window system and a proposed shading system, leading to the identification of the most optimal façade designs for office buildings in each climate. Next, a weighted sum method (WSM) evaluates the Pareto-optimal solutions of each climate type based on nine different WDSs. Analyzing the absolute Pareto-optimal solutions, which are the solutions with the highest WSM scores within each WDS in each climate, reveals that, depending on the climate, prioritizing daylighting, thermal comfort, or energy efficiency objectives leads to the highest overall performances within these solutions. Furthermore, the Friedman test results show that in the design of office buildings in Bandar Abbas, Isfahan, Rasht, or Tehran, the most optimal trade-off between the objectives generally occurs by prioritizing energy efficiency, whereas in Dezful, it is generally achieved by prioritizing daylighting. However, pairwise comparisons of the WDSs reveal that in each climate, there are a number of pairs of sets that are not significantly different.

Exploring impacts of thermal and lighting conditions on office workers’ subjective evaluations, cognitive performance and EEG features in multi-person offices

Modern office workers spend lots of time in multi-person offices. For human-centered building design and operation, it is essential to investigate the influence of coupled physical environments on occupants' well-being and task performance. In this study, to assess impacts of thermal and lighting environments on brainworkers, experiments were conducted under 64 conditions of different temperature, correlated color temperature, and illumination in a multi-person office. Electroencephalogram (EEG) signals were collected to measure the mental state of brainworkers and neurobehavioral tests were utilized to replicate cognitive tasks. The results indicated that only the interaction between the temperature and illumination regarding the sensation of CCT was significant. Primarily, lower illumination in colder environments made subjects perceive the lighting was warmer. Furthermore, cross-domain effects influenced office workers' sensation via synesthetic effects. And the validity of the hue-heat hypothesis on thermal sensation depended on whether subjects received enough stimulation. Besides, for brainworkers, visual comfort peaked at 5000 K and 750 lux but the optimal temperature varied based on specific requirements, with 24 °C promoting overall comfort and 26 °C enhancing executive cognitive performance. The study preliminarily explored the effects among acceptable levels of T, CCT, and I on EEG features, revealing that temperature could adjust occupants’ mental load. However, the further investigation requests equipment with finer temporal granularity, cost-effective techniques and advanced analytical methods to guide office building design and operation.

Does architectural design require single-objective or multi-objective optimisation? A critical choice with a comparative study between model-based algorithms and genetic algorithms

Efficiency and accuracy have been challenging in the design optimisation process driven by building simulation. The literature review identified the limitations of previous studies, prompting this study to explore the performance of single-objective versus multi-objective efficiency and accuracy on equivalent problems based on control variables and to consider more algorithmic options for a broader range of designs. This study constructed a comparative energy-related experiment whose results are in the same unit, either as a single-objective optimisation or split into two objectives. The project aims to reduce annual energy consumption and increase solar utilisation potential. Our approach focuses on the use of a surrogate modelling algorithm, Radial Basis Function Optimisation Algorithm (RBFOpt), with its multi-objective version RBFMOpt, to optimise the energy performance while quickly identifying new energy requirements for an iterative office building design logic, contrast to traditional genetic-algorithm-driven. In addition, the research also conducted a comparative study between RBFOpt and Covariance Matrix Adaptation Evolutionary Strategies (CMAES) in a single-objective comparison and between RBFMOpt and Nondominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) in a multi-objective optimisation process. The comparison of these sets of Opt algorithms with evolutionary algorithms helps to provide data-driven evidence to support early design decisions.

Research needs for enhancing pre-occupancy evaluation of buildings

PurposeMany buildings fail to meet user expectations, causing a performance gap. Pre-occupancy evaluation (PrOE) is believed to have the potential to close the gap. It enables designers to obtain end-user feedback in the design phase and improve the design for better performance. However, PrOE implementation faces challenges due to still maturing knowledgebase. This study aims to understand the state-of-the-art knowledge of PrOE, thereby identifying future research needs to advance the domain.Design/methodology/approachA systematic literature review following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) framework was conducted. A thorough search in five databases and Google Scholar retrieved 90 articles, with 30 selected for systematic review after eliminating duplicates and irrelevant articles. Bibliometric analyses were performed using VOSviewer and Biblioshiny on the article metadata, and thematic analyses were conducted on their contents.FindingsPrOE is a vehicle for engaging building end-users in the design phase to address the credibility gap caused by the discrepancies between the expected and actual performance of buildings. PrOE has gained limited applications in healthcare, residential, office and educational building design for two broad purposes: design management and marketing. Using virtual reality technologies for PrOE has demonstrated significant benefits. Yet, the PrOE domain needs to mature in multiple perspectives to serve its intended purpose effectively.Originality/valueThis study identifies four knowledge gaps for future research to advance the PrOE domain: (1) developing a holistic PrOE framework, integrating comprehensive performance evaluation criteria, useable at different stages of the design phase and multi-criteria decision algorithms, (2) developing a mixed reality tool, embodying the holistic PrOE framework, (3) formulating a PrOE framework for adaptive reuse of buildings and (4) managing uncertainties in user requirements during the lifecycle in PrOE decisions.

Digital workflow for nearly zero-energy high-rise office building design optimization at the district scale in Mediterranean context

While the implementation of sustainable urban planning has proven to be one of the primary goals to reduce the climate change impact, the rapid adoption of nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEB) concept in the building sector is inevitable to reach that objective. Following this trend, this article focuses on the implementation of a parametric digital workflow to evaluate the energy performance of a nearly zero energy high-rise 23-storey office building in the climatic and urban contexts of Casablanca at the early design stage.In the scope of this study, Grasshopper-based digital workflow permits to investigate the impact of 147 parametric building designs, which are generated by varying the building's shape factor and orientation on thermal cooling and heating demand and global solar energy production. The outcomes of this holistic methodology highlight the design trade-offs between energy efficiency strategies and energy performance of building-integrated photovoltaic (bipv) and photovoltaic (pv) systems, aiming to reach optimized nZEB. Moreover, the results of the study suggest that it is possible to reach an annual load match equivalent to 29.68 %. The findings also underscore the significant role of the BIPV systems in shifting towards the goal of net zero energy, accounting for up to 64.43 % of the total solar energy output and contributing in total up to 17.62 % to the yearly self-sufficiency. In addition, the energy balance evaluation, when assessed on an hourly basis, reveals that the BIPV system significantly improves the daily load cover factor, achieving a value of 12.45 %, and increases up to 20.62 % when considering also the rooftop PV, particularly during spring season. Finally, the capacity credit factor is improved by up to 31.27 %, which is a significant share of grid connection reduction compared to the same building relying totally on the grid for its energy needs.

Priority Needs for Facilities of Office Buildings in Thailand: A Copula-Based Ordinal Regression Model with Machine Learning Approach

In the rapidly evolving business landscape of Thailand, the design and facilities of office buildings play a crucial role in enhancing employee satisfaction and productivity. This study seeks to answer the question: “How can office building facilities be optimized to meet the diverse preferences of occupants in Thailand, thereby improving their satisfaction and productivity”? This study employs a copula-based ordinal regression model combined with machine learning techniques to investigate the determinants of facility preferences in office buildings in Thailand. By analyzing data from 372 office workers in Bangkok, we identify the factors influencing facility needs and preferences, and measure the correlation between these preferences. Our findings reveal that safety and security are the highest-rated amenities, indicating their importance in the workplace. The findings reveal distinct preferences across demographic groups: age negatively influences the demand for certain amenities like lounges, while higher education levels increase the preference for cafeteria services. Employees in smaller firms show a higher preference for lounges and fitness centers but lower for restaurants and cafeterias. Interestingly, the size of the enterprise does not significantly affect preferences for fundamental facilities like security and cleaning. The study also uncovers the significant role of gender and income in shaping preferences for certain facilities. These results suggest that while basic amenities are universally valued, luxury or leisure-oriented facilities are more appreciated in smaller, possibly more community-focused work environments. This study highlights the need for tailored facility management in office buildings, considering the diverse needs of different employee groups, which has significant implications for enhancing workplace satisfaction and productivity.

Comparative analysis of space layouts and facade systems for office retrofit design in hot climate

ABSTRACT Worldwide, office buildings account for almost one-third of global energy consumption. Therefore, the energy retrofit design of office buildings could reduce total energy consumption. Considering the benefits of advanced facade systems, retrofit facade design is an effective strategy for energy conservation while improving daylight performance, occupant well-being, and productivity. This paper compares the daylight and energy performance of single and double-skin facade systems used in a typical office building in a hot climate with different space layouts. The main objective is to optimize the daylight and energy performance of various facade systems in combination with a wide range of design variables. Simulations were conducted in DesignBuilder software using a multi-objective optimization approach. Eleven design variables and 103 simulations were considered with the objective of enhancing daylight performance while reducing cooling and lighting loads. Based on the results, single-skin facade configurations could enhance daylight performance significantly compared to double-skin facades, while double-skin facades performed better by reducing the risk of glare and annual energy consumption. Using single and double-skin facade systems could reduce annual total energy consumption by 50% and 60% compared to the existing building.

Identifikasi Konsep Arsitektur Tradisional Aceh Pada Bangunan Pemerintahan di Banda Aceh (Studi Kasus: Kantor Gubernur Aceh)

Abstract. Nowadays, there are many new office buildings built in Aceh, thus are for supporting the public service functions carried out by the Government of Aceh. The design of a government office building is a representation of the Government or a region. According to Saiful Anwar (2016), the Aceh Governor's office is one of the buildings that applies local Acehnese wisdom, namely elements from traditional Aceh houses (Rumoh Aceh). The Aceh Governor's office was built in 1990 and initially consisted of six building blocks, two of the building of this office complex were damaged by the tsunami in 2004 and then renovated afterward. Since the beginning, the Governor's office has undergone several changes and renovations due to the disaster, and during the renovation process adjustments were also made to the needs and functions of the building. The researcher aims to examine how traditional architectural values are applied to the Aceh Governor's Office Building in the current situation. The research was conducted by using the observation and interview methodologies. The variables being studied from the design of the Aceh Governor's Office are the physical elements of the building such as plans, orientation, appearance, carvings, and other finishing elements. The results of the study provide an illustration that the Aceh Governor's Office Building is a reflection of the combination of the values of Traditional Acehnese Architecture and Modern Architecture that developed in Aceh in the early days of this building being built. However, this study also found that there were two masses of buildings that had undergone renovation after the Tsunami disaster in 2004 that did not apply Acehnese architecture at all in their designs.

Architectural design of office buildings in vietnam’s coastal cities for reduced energy consumption

Office buildings are considered one among largest energy consumers compared with other categories due to day-time operation of lighting and office supplies. The used energy is critically higher in the air-conditioned buildings where HVAC system is enabled over course of the day and even the year. In major Vietnamese coastal cities blessed with Nature’s mild climate, the majority of local office buildings are of gathered-block typology that fails to consider the favourable aspects of climate condition. At first, this study aims to investigate the influences on indoor comfort and energy consumption of two key factors, i.e. outdoor climate and solar radiation, in major Vietnamese coastal cities based on bio-climatic analysis of 20-year historical meteorological data from 1981 to 2000. Then, the study suggests the optimal architectural design (Strategies of Climate Control) of office buildings in the considered towns to maximize climatic favours for reduction of energy use, particularly ones for HVAC. In this research, case study is the Danang Administrative Center building.

Thermal comfort and adaptive behaviors in office buildings: A pilot study in Turpan (China) during summer

Nowadays, evaporatively cooled office buildings commonly observed in dry hot areas in summer of China. However, few dedicated studies to record the local residents' thermal comfort and adaptability in these buildings. The contribution of adaptive comfort theory on thermal perception still remains unclear for optimizing office building design parameters. Hence, to deeper probe the adaptive thermal comfort of the related indoor environment, a field study of office buildings during summer considering evaporative cooling air conditioned (ECA) and naturally ventilated (NV) mode was conducted in Turpan, China. Based on 931 valid datasets collected from questionnaires, we found that the neutral temperature (Tn) of 28.4 °C in ECA group, 0.6 °C lower than NV group (29.0 °C). A lower air temperature (Ta) and higher humidity (RH)/air-velocity (Va) were expected in two modes, and Va has a stronger influence than RH on mean thermal sensation votes (MTSV). Meanwhile, occupants can adapt to current indoor environment through physiological, psychological and behavioral adjustments, while the clothing regulation had limited effect on MTSV unless the outdoor temperature exceeds 38 °C. Whether in ECA or NV mode, the predicted mean votes (PMV) model overestimated actual thermal sensation when operative temperature (Top) beyond 28 °C. Adaptive models were also proved varied from that in current standards, which indicated that they were not suitable for evaluating the studied buildings in Turpan. Above findings could suggest us a better understanding of the occupants' thermal adaptability, thereby providing the reference of design parameters revision and passive strategies for local newly/renovated buildings.

Simulation and analysis of wind and thermal environments in an office with window shutters

By designing an office with window shutters and setting different window sizes, the indoor wind and thermal environments were investigated at different heights. Opening windows improved the thermal conditions in the office, especially in high temperature rooms. Despite generation of high ventilation rates at many locations, the ventilation rates were good within the main areas. It appeared critical to supply air through opening of the windows. A novel simulation method was explored. Meanwhile, an appropriate numerical simulation scheme was chosen to evaluate the effects of various office structures on thermal comfort, which can thus provide an important reference for the office building design.

Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm Supported Construction of Architectural Window Design Model Based on Visual Comfort - A Case Study of Office Buildings in Cold Regions

Abstract With the accelerated advancement of big data Internet development, people gradually realize the urgency and importance of energy saving, so the multi-objective optimization research for the performance of office buildings in cold regions is significant, and this paper focuses on the construction of a building window design model based on visual comfort supported by multi-objective evolutionary algorithm- taking office buildings in cold regions as an example, firstly, by reviewing the literature to understand the principle, algorithm, and concept of multi-objective evolution, construct the building window design model based on visual comfort according to the objective function and extract the standard model of inner corridor slab space building in office buildings in cold regions of Harbin and Shenyang. The optimized design of building window parameters was carried out using the established joint simulation and optimization work platform. The results show that for Harbin, as the window heat transfer coefficient increases, the heating energy consumption increases, the cooling energy consumption increases more slowly, and the total energy consumption increases linearly. An increase in window heat transfer coefficient by 0.1W/ (m 2 ∙K) Increases are cooling energy consumption by 0.18%, heating energy consumption by 0.78%, and total energy consumption by 0.46%. For Shenyang, as the window heat transfer coefficient increases, the heating energy consumption increases, the cooling energy consumption increases more slowly, and the total energy consumption increases linearly. If the heat transfer coefficient of the window increases by 0.1W/ (m 2 ∙K), cooling energy consumption increases by 0.18%, heating energy consumption increases by 0.78%, and total energy consumption increases by 0.46%. This study provides a theoretical basis for extracting standard models for other building types while making the results more generalizable and improving the efficiency of sustainable office building design.

Comprehensive Research on the Near-Zero Energy Consumption of an Office Building in Hefei Based on a Photovoltaic Curtain Wall

The near-zero energy design of a building is linked to the regional climate in which the building is located. On the basis of studying the cavity size and ground height of a photovoltaic curtain wall, the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic curtain wall under different ground heights is compared in this paper. According to the “Technical Standard for Near-Zero Energy Buildings”, the personnel and lighting of a 12-metre office building in Hefei were parametrically arranged and three design schemes for near-zero energy buildings were proposed. The energy consumption of the benchmark building and the design energy consumption of each scheme were calculated by using the energy consumption simulation software Design Builder V 7.0.0.096; the feasibility of realizing the near-zero energy consumption building by using each scheme was checked. The results show that when the cavity width of the photovoltaic curtain wall of the office building is 70 mm, the cavity heat transfer coefficient is the lowest and the heat insulation of the building is the best. When the height from the ground is 0.7 m, the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic curtain wall reaches a maximum of 18.39% and the south façade of the building is more suitable for the layout and installation of the photovoltaic curtain wall. The single-façade photovoltaic curtain wall should be combined with a high-efficiency air conditioning system and lighting system; the installation of a photovoltaic rooftop at the same time can meet the design requirements of near-zero energy buildings in hot-summer and cold-winter areas. This paper provides some guidance for exploring the design of near-zero energy office buildings, which is of practical significance.

A Literature Review of Indoor Air Quality and Sick Building Syndrome in Office Building Design Environment

Building indoor spaces requires constant access to fresh air for occupants’ health, well-being, and performance. Clean breathing air can be achieved through the removal of pollutants from within the building’s interior by ensuring a sufficient outdoor air exchange rate. This review set out to create a clear understanding of recent developments in indoor air quality (IAQ) studies and their relationship to sick building syndrome (SBS) impacts on occupants’ health and well-being, as well as the role architectural design plays in promoting a healthy indoor environment. It also provides support information as well as existing state-of-the-art practices in IAQ and SBS in office buildings, with a particular focus on monitoring, assessment, and space configuration. The information available here would provide building professionals, particularly architects, with the potential for incorporating design and the development of guidelines for the control of SBS-related environmental parameters in order to create a healthy and comfortable office indoor environment.

An interactive multi-criteria decision-making method for building performance design

Building performance design is essential to support sustainable urban development. It involves multiple conflicting performance, such as energy consumption and daylighting. These potential conflicts present a challenging issue for architects to get trade-off solutions. This study proposed a multi-criteria decision-making method based on sensitivity analysis and analytic hierarchy process for building performance optimization, which provided architects with a real-time interactive way to handle the building’s sustainable design. After inputting the initial scheme and the expected performance goals, architects can modify the scheme according to the variable modification strategy recommended by the method and combine it with their preferences to improve the scheme’s performance. Application of the proposed method to a case study of office building design in the China context was achieved. The results showed that the optimal solutions obtained with the help of the proposed method had better performance than those obtained without the method. Architects have also increased their design efficiency by 211.5%. The proposed method promotes the applicability of decision-making methods in building sustainable design and also provides a satisfactory method to support the improvement of building performance and also sustainability for modern cities.

Design and Construction of Office Building with the Main Frame of Curved RC Slab

Design and Construction of Office Building with the Main Frame of Curved RC Slab

Adaptive thermal comfort for energy saving office building design- A literature review

Office building thermal environment quality is essential since thermal comfort and worker productivity are closely related. As thermally comfortable condition is determined by the climate, geography, and surroundings, it is vital to have thermal comfort standards to guide the building designers to create a comfortable indoor thermal environment. The current paper reviews studies on adaptive approach of thermal comfort carried out in offices across the world. It has analyzed many research papers through Scopus. This study reveals that indoor thermal condition is impacted by outdoor climates and the impact is higher in naturally ventilated building. Building with natural ventilation has 17.6°C to 31.2°C rage of comfortable temperature. Adaptive comfort models have also been proposed to predict the comfortable indoor temperature in different modes. According to several studies, lowering the set point and using natural ventilation may result in considerable energy savings. The importance of developing climate specific thermal comfort guidelines in order to create energy efficient designs is also emphasized in this study, as present comfort standards may not be suitable for all climates.

Biomimetic Approach for Thermal Performance Optimization in Sustainable Architecture. Case study: Office Buildings in Hot Climate Countries

Biomimicry is an applied science that mainly depends on deriving inspiration from various natural solutions to human problems for making practical applications through the study and examination of natural phenomena, designs, systems, and processes. Historically, designers have dealt with nature as an essential source of innovation and inspiration. In future architecture, biomimicry will be applied to achieve sustainable design. Thus, the paper assumes that biomimicry is an environmental solution for optimizing the thermal performance of office buildings through the building’s skin. The purpose of this paper specifically is to determine and clarify the effective indicators of applying biomimicry to the skins of office buildings in hot climate countries. This will be accomplished by discussing the general concept of biomimicry and its definitions, approaches, and levels. Then, selected examples of biomimetic skin of office buildings in hot climate countries will be shown, analyzed, and compared to determine the most effective biomimetic indicators that will be suggested to be applied to the office building skin. As a result, the effective use of biomimicry as a tool for sustainable design leads to optimizing building thermal performance, optimum thermal comfort for users, and increased productivity for employers in office buildings. Based on indicators, biomimicry as a creative approach to achieving sustainable design will support architects, students, and scholars in achieving sustainable office building design.