Passive Design Research Articles

Application of net zero energy concepts in mid-rise apartments-numerical and analytical study

Abstract The rapid increase in population has raised the need for housing, resulting in increasing overall energy consumption by its inhabitants. The idea of green cities and Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) has evolved to address this problem. NZEBs are buildings that produce as much energy as they need, primarily from renewable resources, reducing carbon emissions in the process. This paper focuses on the design of a Chennai mid-rise multifamily apartment that aims to attain energy self-sufficiency while providing indoor comfort for its residents. The methodology involves a pilot study to gather necessary data and validate the simulation results, followed by the design and evaluation of the NZEB model. The design approach incorporates passive design strategies such as natural ventilation and daylighting, as well as active strategies such as energy-efficient equipment and renewable energy sources. For the NZEB model, a load match index of 100.41% was attained. In addition, the paper covers the idea of NZEBs, previous research, case studies, and the use of net metering in the projects.

Multi-objective optimization of buildings in urban scale for early stage planning and parametric design

Passive design of buildings in early design stage is essential for energy efficiency and sustainability. In this study, a streamlined tool for parametric study and passive design of buildings in urban scale considering thermal loads and natural lighting performance is presented, which markedly enhances the efficiency of early-stage urban planning. The tool is comprised of three sub-models, including (1) degree-month based annual building thermal load prediction model, (2) simplified climate modification model that takes into account the effects of building layout on solar heat gain and urban heat island, (3) multi-objective optimization algorithm NSGA-II, which optimizes both energy-saving and natural lighting performance. Model validation results show that this tool has an average error of 11.44% and 15.82% in simulating building thermal load compared with Dragonfly and CitySim, and has an average error of 9.9% in predicting average daylight factor compared with Radiance. Multiple optimization scenarios and sensitivity analysis in 10 typical climatic cities were conducted. It is found that in cold and hot climatic cities, it is more beneficial to set energy target as the optimization objective, meanwhile, establishing natural lighting as a constraint, rather than solely minimizing thermal loads. In contrast, the inherently lower thermal loads of buildings in milder climatic cities help to achieve both energy-saving and natural lighting goals, and it is also found that the increased thermal loss due to a higher window-to-wall ratio can be offset by employing thicker wall and roof insulation or by improving building layouts.

Evaluating the effect of passive cooling strategies in school buildings on children's well-being in Barcelona: A quasi-experimental, mixed methods study

Passive cooling strategies were implemented in 11 school buildings in Barcelona within a pilot project to improve thermal conditions. The present study aimed to evaluate the intervention's impact on students' comfort and well-being at school. A quasi-experimental pre-post study based on mixed methods was conducted. Quantitative data were collected through self-reported questionnaires administrated to sixth-grade students in 21 schools (11 in an intervention group, IG, and 10 in a comparison group, CG). The authors measured changes in satisfaction with indoor temperature and indoor air quality (IAQ), the presence of bothering factors (temperature too high, temperature too low, unpleasant odours, and lighting problems), and students' well-being and performance. Difference-in-difference analysis was conducted to evaluate differences between the IG and CG in pre-post changes. Qualitative data were collected through photovoice-based sessions (59 sixth grade students) and interviews (7 teachers) in the IG. A thematic content analysis identified three main categories: changes in perceptions of indoor environmental conditions, indoor environment-related health and well-being, and indoor environment and their reported impact on learning. Quantitative findings show positive changes among the IG in perceived indoor temperature, air quality, and well-being at school, while suggest no significant changes in perceptions of temperature too low, lighting problems, and students' performance, in relation to the CG. Compared to the CG, students in the IG perceiving temperature too high significantly decreased among girls, while unpleasant odours decreased only among boys. In the qualitative assessment, participants reported that school transformations improved their indoor thermal and visual comfort, IAQ, and unpleasant odours. Participants also reported a reduction of fatigue, stress, irritability, and stifling sensation, as well as enhanced concentration. This study highlights the benefits of school passive design for student's comfort and well-being in Mediterranean climates and suggests the need to extend these interventions to other school buildings in similar contexts.

Evaluating ground vibration attenuation through leca‐filled trenches: A support vector machine approach

AbstractThis paper investigates the effect of Leca‐filled barriers, both single and double‐walled trenches, on mitigating ground vibrations due to harmonic loads. A three‐dimensional finite element program, validated in comparison by aforementioned studies, was used alongside automated models created via Plaxis and Python integration. This approach facilitated the evaluation of trench effectiveness in both active and passive design scenarios. Our findings suggest that optimal trench dimensions for effective vibration reduction in active designs are a depth and width of approximately 1λr and 0.2λr, respectively. In passive designs, while trench depth becomes less significant, width plays a crucial role in both single and double‐wall systems. Additionally, a support vector machine algorithm was developed to forecast the performance of single‐wall trenches, showing a high correlation with numerical model outcomes. This underscores the algorithm's utility in predicting trench efficiency, highlighting the practical application of machine learning in geotechnical engineering.

Development of a blockchain-based embodied carbon estimator

PurposeCarbon management in the construction industry plays a vital role as carbon emissions have a significant impact on the environment. Current emphasis on reducing operational carbon through passive designs, zero carbon buildings and so forth has resulted in losing focus on embodied carbon (EC) reduction. Though there are various databases and tools to estimate EC in construction, these estimates are lacking in accuracy and consistency. A Blockchain-based Embodied Carbon (BEC) Estimator was developed as a solution to accurately estimate EC using a supply chain value addition concept as a methodology.Design/methodology/approachThis study focused on developing, testing and validating the blockchain-based prototype system identified as BEC Estimator. The system was developed using Hyperledger Fabric following a waterfall model. Case studies and an expert forum were used to test and validate BEC Estimator.FindingsThe system architecture, development process and the user interface of BEC Estimator are presented in this paper. The comparative evaluation with existing EC databases/tools and the expert forum validated the functioning of BEC Estimator and proved it to be an accurate, secure and trustworthy EC estimating system. SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis identified the strengths and opportunities that will benefit the industry as well as the weaknesses and threats in the system that could be mitigated in future.Originality/valueBEC Estimator accurately accounts for EC additions happening at each supply chain node for any product that gets incorporated in a building, thereby facilitating EC-related decision-making for all relevant stakeholders.

Development of a fully packaged passive thermal regulator

Thermal regulators are devices that can adopt either the role of a thermal insulator or a thermal conductor, depending on the thermal input conditions, and play an increasingly important role in thermal management systems. In this study, we developed and tested a new passive thermal regulator design that operates around room temperature and achieves high switching ratios. Our regulator is structurally integer, scalable, orientation-independent, resistant to vibration, and can be easily integrated into existing thermal management solutions. The working principle of the passive regulator is simple yet effective, whereby an aluminum plug attached to a bimetallic strip enters and exists a wedge-shaped gap between two conductors. We demonstrate a switching ratio of ≈ 50 (-8+34)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$(_{ - 8}^{ + 34} )$$\\end{document}:1 for a fully packaged prototype (≈ 320 (± 200):1 for a non-packaged regulator) operated in the open laboratory environment. Through geometric optimization using numerical simulations, we show that a switching ratio of ≈ 100 (-15+18)\\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \\usepackage{amsmath} \\usepackage{wasysym} \\usepackage{amsfonts} \\usepackage{amssymb} \\usepackage{amsbsy} \\usepackage{mathrsfs} \\usepackage{upgreek} \\setlength{\\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \\begin{document}$$(_{ - 15}^{ + 18} ){ }$$\\end{document}:1 can be easily obtained, which can be further increased by increasing the cross-sectional area of the input conductor, hence increasing the ON-state heat transfer rate. The OFF-state thermal performance is much less sensitive to the size of the conductor, making the device highly scalable.

Techno-Economic Analysis of a High-Rise Residential Building Adapted to Nearly Zero-Energy Building Standards

Zero-energy buildings have attracted great attention in China. Limited research about typical high-rise, zero-energy residential buildings in China was found. To figure out the potential of zero-energy buildings in northern China, a techno-economic analysis of a typical residential building adapted to the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) standards in the cold region of China was carried out in detail in this paper. Firstly, the feasibility of different building energy efficiency technologies was figured out in the passive design level. Secondly, the annual energy balance of the nearly zero-energy building model was investigated. Finally, detailed economic and environmental analyses were performed. The results show that the energy consumption of space heating and cooling of a typical high-rise, nearly zero-energy building could decrease to 11.1 kWh/(m2·a) in Beijing. The conclusions could provide a reference and design basis for the development of zero-energy residential buildings in northern China in the near future.

Passive Design Strategy in Vernacular House of Samin, Indonesia

Vernacular architecture embodies passive design principles and strategies to create comfortable dwellings. This study investigates the impact of passive design strategies on temperature comfort in Samin vernacular houses. Visual observation is employed to assess the suitability of house elements based on passive design criteria. At the same time, field measurements are conducted to evaluate comfortable temperature conditions using data loggers over one month. The research focuses on the Original Samin house and the New Samin house situated in Klopoduwur Village, Blora Regency, Central Java, Indonesia. The visual observation reveals that the roof volume, slope, and thin walls with low conductivity in both Samin houses align with passive design principles. The New Samin house also incorporates other passive design strategies, including an east-west building orientation with the long side perpendicular to the wind direction, an open-plan room layout, and varying floor heights. The temperature comfort performance in both houses falls within the neutral temperature range during 16 hours. The New Samin house exhibits the largest daytime air temperature decrease at 5.5°C, while the Original Samin house experiences the largest nighttime decrease at 0.7°C. The evolution of passive designs in Samin vernacular houses encompasses considerations such as building proportion and width, terrace width, positioning and size of window openings, vegetation, and shading elements.

Building Mass Optimization to Reduce Solar Radiation in High Rise Building by Using Parametric Approach

Buildings use 40% of global primary energy, therefore their design and use affect climate change. Building performance analysis can assist architects predict performance before construction with parametric design tools. Radiance can be reduced via a parametric mass, lowering cooling load and energy use. The study uses theoretical and computational research to explain, forecast, and analyze events, whereas parametric design optimizes complicated geometries using mathematical parameters and algorithms. Environmental analysis in Grasshopper with the Ladybug plugin uses Rhinoceros. This plugin provides solar radiation, and climate analysis capabilities. To determine the most energy-efficient building design, the research links independent and dependent variables such solar radiation intensity and building mass. The study uses Surabaya weather data and high rise buildings. The land is formed like a square, with a 15-degree slope to the north and is flanked by low-rise buildings. As a result, the location receives the most direct sunlight during the day. Then, solar radiation analysis. It helps optimize passive solar design solutions. According to the modelling results, solar radiation on the top and west sides are particularly large and dominant in 65.37 and 32.69 kWh/m2. Meanwhile, the north, east and south sides receive very little solar radiation. The following simulation considers the optimal direction, which is to extend west-east and face to the south. A multi-towered megastructure is a high-rise building that responds best to solar radiation. The total solar radiation value is 3,718,100 kWh. It can accommodate large spaces with large mass composition but relatively low total solar radiation values. The building towers provide shade to each other, thereby reducing direct radiation from the sun to the building. The sides of the building's podium are also shaded, so the top of the building is partially red.

Occupancy Comfort Evaluation in Green Building Rating Tools in Malaysia: A Comparative Review

Passive design strategy is the approach that maximizing utilization of natural resources to achieve occupancy comfort which covers the thermal comfort, visual comfort and acoustic comfort while minimizing secondary energy usage. Adapting passive design strategy during building design-stage is beneficial in reducing energy load of the building for long term, furthermore to reduce the energy consumption in day to day building operation. Applying Green Building Rating Tools, GBRT promotes passive design strategy for non-residential building and will assist the building designer to comply with the local and international standard. The minimum requirement of occupancy comfort is captured in GBRT rating system with different approach and intension of the system. This review summarize the coverage of passive design strategy sectors for non-residential building in Malaysia by comparing three GBRT system namely Green Building Index, GBI NCNR, MyCREST ICSAS and GreenRE NRB system. GreenRE NRB seems more aggressive in occupancy comfort evaluation compared to GBI NCNR and MyCREST ICSAS. GreenRE allocates 48.7% of total marks focus on occupancy comfort aspect while GBI and MyCREST allocates 14% and 13.2% respectively from the total score. MyCrest had enforce the mandatory compliance of OTTV, RTTV and Uroof to meet baseline requirement as per MS1525:2019 with zero marks allocation. Based on marks percentage allocation, GBI and MyCrest prioritizing visual comfort while GreenRE give more focus on thermal comfort with higher marks allocation. All rating system give less focus on acoustic comfort. On average, 16.3% of marks covers the thermal comfort, 9% covers visual comfort and 1% cover acoustic comfort. GBI and MyCrest focus more on green building materials which covers the building lifecycle includes water management and waste disposal. All system contributes to Malaysia-UNFCCC ratification of Paris Agreement on 45% GHG reduction in longer runs.

Optimal passive LCL filter design for grid-connected converters in weak grids

In an era characterized by the increasing integration of renewable energy sources into the power grid, the stability and resilience of the grid have become paramount, especially in areas with weak grid infrastructure. One effective approach to mitigate the adverse effects of grid disturbances and harmonics is passive LCL (inductor-capacitor-inductor) filters. However, designing these filters for optimal performance under varying conditions remains challenging. This research paper presents an effective approach to addressing this challenge by utilizing the power of evolutionary algorithms, specifically Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO) and Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm (MOGA), to design optimal passive LCL filters for weak grid environments. The proposed method aims to enhance grid resilience by optimizing the filter parameters to consider a weak grid's unique characteristics and uncertainties. Minimizing the resonance frequency has succeeded in achieving power quality and stability improvements related to changes in grid impedance. The proposed approach achieves power quality and stability improvements related to changes in grid impedance and dealing with fragile conditions, which is the main scope of this paper.© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Residents' Perceptions of Passive Design Responding to Climate Change in Simple Houses in Depok, West Java, Indonesia

Since the last few years, environmental issues related to global warming and increasing earth surface temperatures have had an influence on various fields. This environmental issue also affects the micro and macro climate. Architecturally, design can respond to changes in microclimate with passive design and active design. Passive design has long been applied to vernacular architecture, namely responding to local conditions in buildings. Meanwhile, active design is related to the latest technology and developments, such as energy-saving technology, as well as the use of natural elements as energy sources. This research uses quantitative methods. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire to determine the tendency of residents' perceptions of passive design. The analysis of this research is descriptive statistics, based on the answers of 35 respondents who live in simple houses in Depok, West Java, Indonesia. The research results showed that respondents' tendency towards passive design was shown in several things, namely: additional elements of the building at the front (canopy) can reduce heat and create shadow areas, the location and size of openings can support natural lighting and ventilation. Openings can be doors, windows, grilles, rosters and other elements. The existence of open space at the front and back of the house can reduce heat and cool the microclimate.

Tunable Near-Field Radiative Heat Transfer between Graphene-Coated Magneto-Optical Metasurfaces.

The highly structured design of metasurfaces greatly facilitates the manipulation of near-field radiative heat transfer (NFRHT). In this study, we incorporate magneto-optical materials into metasurfaces to theoretically explore the mechanism for controlling NFRHT between anisotropic magneto-optical metasurfaces. Our findings indicate that the interaction between the magnetization-induced modes, arising from interband transitions of graphene, and the surface modes of InSb under a magnetic field leads to a transition in the heat transfer spectrum from a dual band to a triple band. The modification of the distribution and magnitude of transmission wave vectors in surface electromagnetic modes by magnetic fields serves to modulate the radiative heat flux. By combining active control by a magnetic field with passive structural design of metasurfaces, the regulation of heat flux can be increased by more than 8-fold compared with the planar configuration. Additionally, the magnetic field amplifies the anisotropy of the photon energy distribution induced by the symmetry breaking of the metasurface structure. This study is anticipated to provide a pathway for achieving flexible tuning of NFRHT by combining active and passive regulation. It also opens up possibilities for multiband information transmission and for improving the performance of energy conversion devices.

Evaluating current and future pedestrian mid-block crossing safety treatments using virtual reality simulation

Virtual reality (VR) simulation offers a proactive, cost effective, immersive, and low risk platform for studying pedestrian safety. Within immersive virtual environments (IVEs), existing and alternative design conditions and intelligent transportation systems (ITS) technologies can be directly compared, prior to real-world implementation, to assess the impacts alternatives may have on pedestrian safety, perception, and behavior. Environmental factors can be controlled within IVEs so that test trials are replicable and directly comparable. Coupled with stated preference feedback, participants’ observed preferences and behavior provide a comprehensive understanding of the impacts of proposed design alternatives. This research presents a case study of pedestrian behavior with three different mid-block crossing safety treatments modeled within a one-to-one scale IVE replication of a real-world location in Charlottesville, Virginia. The three safety treatments consider both passive and active collision avoidance designs and technologies, including (1) the existing painted crosswalk, (2) the addition of rectangular rapid flashing beacons (RRFBs), and (3) a pedestrian to everything (P2X) ITS phone application. Additionally, this paper demonstrates a VR simulation experimental design and framework for testing pedestrian safety treatments within naturalistic and replicable IVEs to assess both stated and observed preferences and behaviors of pedestrians. Repeated measures ANOVA indicated changes in both accepted gap size (p = 0.001) and crossing speed (p < 0.001) with alternative safety treatments. Generalized mixed models showed that pedestrians waited for statistically larger gap sizes (p = 0.02) without the assistance of alternative safety technologies (RRFBs and P2X application) and pedestrians crossed the street significantly faster (p = 0.001) without the alternative safety technologies, leading to unsafe dashing behavior. Through post-experiment surveys, it was found that participants perceived the As Built environment to be the least safe of the three treatments and that their sense of risk within the IVE was realistic. Considering both the observed crossing behavior and stated feedback, pedestrians exhibited intentionally unsafe darting behavior without assistive safety technology. This study demonstrates how VR simulation may be leveraged to study both stated preferences and observed behavior for understanding the safety implications of alternative roadway designs, providing a proactive approach for assessing and designing for pedestrian safety.

Free-form and multi-physical metamaterials with forward conformality-assisted tracing.

Transformation theory, active control and inverse design have been mainstream in creating free-form metamaterials. However, existing frameworks cannot simultaneously satisfy the requirements of isotropic, passive and forward design. Here we propose a forward conformality-assisted tracing method to address the geometric and single-physical-field constraints of conformal transformation. Using a conformal mesh composed of orthogonal streamlines and isotherms (or isothermal surfaces), this method quasi-analytically produces free-form metamaterials using only isotropic media. The geometric nature of this approach allows for universal regulation of both dissipative thermal fields and non-dissipative electromagnetic fields. We experimentally demonstrate free-form thermal cloaking in both two and three dimensions. Additionally, the multi-physical functionalities of our method, including optical cloaking, bending and thermo-electric transparency, confirm its broad applicability. Our method features improvements in efficiency, accuracy and adaptability over previous approaches. This study provides an effective method for designing complex metamaterials with arbitrary shapes across various physical domains.

Enhancing Thermal and Daylight Performance of Historic Buildings with Passive Modifications; A Tropical Case Study

Historical buildings worldwide hold immense potential for adaptive reuse within the framework of the circular economy, a concept gaining traction in the building construction industry for its role in reducing carbon emissions. Many of these structures boast passive building design strategies, which inherently lower energy demands. Among these, thermal mass and daylight harvesting emerge as pivotal strategies for achieving indoor thermal and visual comfort, respectively. However, with the advent of significant climate change and evolving built environments, the efficacy of these historical passive strategies is subject to debate. This study focuses on a residential building constructed in the 17th century by Dutch settlers in Galle, Sri Lanka, serving as a case study. The research targets improvements in both thermal and visual comfort. Thermal performance analysis was conducted through air temperature measurements, revealing a notable 3-hour time lag and a 2.5°C reduction in peak air temperature during the day. Conversely, nighttime measurements indicated a rise in indoor temperature compared to ambient conditions. Using Design Builder software, the building was modelled to assess its daylighting conditions. Drawing upon thermodynamic principles and daylight harvesting techniques, the study proposes building envelope interventions and ventilation strategies to address nighttime overheating and enhance daylight utilization. The results demonstrate that these modifications can potentially reduce nighttime heat by 2-3°C, while also decreasing the energy requirement for lighting comfort from 51.10 kWh/m² per annum to 44.84 kWh/m² per annum. This research showcases the effectiveness of judiciously implemented interventions in historical buildings, illustrating tangible improvements in both thermal/visual performance and energy efficiency. Leveraging inherent qualities of historical structures and integrating modern design strategies to these buildings can play a vital role in sustainable urban development and energy conservation efforts.

Energy efficiency evaluation of green roofs as a passive strategy in the mediterranean climate

Green roofs are comprised of living vegetation that is installed on rooftops, serving as a sustainable architectural tool that offers numerous environmental, economic, and social advantages to the community. Green roofs have emerged as a prominent sustainable development strategy and architectural element in numerous urban centres worldwide. As for the effectiveness of green roofs in terms of boosting energy conservation in the Mediterranean climate of Amman, this research focuses on a standard medium-sized office building in Jordan. The main evaluation is carried out on the feasibility of enhancing the passive sustainability and energy performance of the building by applying extensive green roof technology. To determine the energy-saving potential, an annual energy demand in the absence of a green roof is estimated by a simulation program. In this paper, the analyses were performed in the form of parametric studies for assessing the impact of variation in soil depths on energy use, indoor temperature and carbon reduction. The study also indicates that green roofs can store heat and provide insulation enough to lessen the demand for comfortable temperature regulation indoors. The findings on energy savings indicate that energy consumption had reduced annually by up to 12 %. This means that large-scale green roofs have the real opportunity to become an efficient sustainable passive design strategy for increasing the energy performance of office building in Amman climatic conditions.

BIM Integration with XAI Using LIME and MOO for Automated Green Building Energy Performance Analysis

Achieving sustainable green building design is essential to reducing our environmental impact and enhancing energy efficiency. Traditional methods often depend heavily on expert knowledge and subjective decisions, posing significant challenges. This research addresses these issues by introducing an innovative framework that integrates building information modeling (BIM), explainable artificial intelligence (AI), and multi-objective optimization. The framework includes three main components: data generation through DesignBuilder simulation, a BO-LGBM (Bayesian optimization–LightGBM) predictive model with LIME (Local Interpretable Model-agnostic Explanations) for energy prediction and interpretation, and the multi-objective optimization technique AGE-MOEA to address uncertainties. A case study demonstrates the framework’s effectiveness, with the BO-LGBM model achieving high prediction accuracy (R-squared &gt; 93.4%, MAPE &lt; 2.13%) and LIME identifying significant HVAC system features. The AGE-MOEA optimization resulted in a 13.43% improvement in energy consumption, CO2 emissions, and thermal comfort, with an additional 4.0% optimization gain when incorporating uncertainties. This study enhances the transparency of machine learning predictions and efficiently identifies optimal passive and active design solutions, contributing significantly to sustainable construction practices. Future research should focus on validating its real-world applicability, assessing its generalizability across various building types, and integrating generative design capabilities for automated optimization.

Experimental study of an underground pipe gallery pre-cooled chimney ventilation system for a computer room

Natural ventilation is crucial for reducing the energy consumption and carbon emissions of buildings. However, it is often impossible to meet indoor thermal requirements in hot climates. In this study, an integrated natural ventilation system with an underground pipe gallery for pre-cooling and a built-in chimney to enhance the thermal pressure was proposed to cool a computer room. A full-scale experimental platform was constructed to confirm the feasibility of the system. The system performance was investigated by comparing two experimental scenarios, thermal pressure-driven natural ventilation and fan-assisted ventilation, during the transition season in a hot outdoor environment. The underground pipe gallery pre-cooled chimney ventilation system effectively provided a suitable indoor environment for the occupied area, with a mean temperature of 29.1 °C and relative humidity of 57.6 %. The proportion of hours in which the hourly average temperature around the server rack meets the Class C level for computer rooms specified in the national standard is 66.7 %. The maximum pre-cooling capacity of the underground pipe gallery was 3.5 kW. When the assisted fan was operated, the environmental stability of the equipment area further improved, and the system had the potential to operate continuously for 24h to provide a suitable indoor environment.This study provides a strategic solution to passive building design by demonstrating the viability of using an underground pipe gallery for pre-cooling in natural ventilation systems.

Optimizing Building Form for Daylight Access in Dense Urban Areas in the Early Stages of Design

The urgency to address climate change, the energy crisis, and indoor air quality underscores the importance of utilizing daylight as a renewable energy source in urban environments. This study delves into passive design strategies to facilitate access to sunlight and daylight within urban contexts and architectural designs, aggregating essential parameters identified in the existing literature to improve building forms for daylight accessibility. The study then develops a multi-scale, multi-objective framework integrating these passive strategies to optimize building performance in densely populated areas. Suitable approaches for incorporating daylighting at both building and urban scales are identified by examining existing passive form-finding strategies and rules of thumb. Given the implications for dense urban areas, floor area is used as an evaluation criterion, with energy use intensity (EUI) and carbon footprint serving as additional criteria in the optimization process through manual analyses and computer-based tools. By adopting a workflow that considers multiple objectives and parameters, this study aims to guide designers in integrating optimal daylighting strategies during the initial design phases.