Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings

Building penetrations are the most-potent elements providing daylight and moderating the lighting energy consumption and affecting indoor comfort and consequent energy usage. In a semi-tropical climate with a green environment such as Sydney, there is a radical demand to extend windows providing vie...

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Main Authors: Ehsan Sorooshnia, Maria Rashidi, Payam Rahnamayiezekavat, Bijan Samali
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-10-01
Series:Buildings
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/11/1823
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author Ehsan Sorooshnia
Maria Rashidi
Payam Rahnamayiezekavat
Bijan Samali
author_facet Ehsan Sorooshnia
Maria Rashidi
Payam Rahnamayiezekavat
Bijan Samali
author_sort Ehsan Sorooshnia
collection DOAJ
description Building penetrations are the most-potent elements providing daylight and moderating the lighting energy consumption and affecting indoor comfort and consequent energy usage. In a semi-tropical climate with a green environment such as Sydney, there is a radical demand to extend windows providing views. This research aims to optimize sunlight admission and maintain indoor comfort while minimizing energy consumption. The method for investigation is to simulate a multiobjective optimization using NSGA-II considering visual and thermal comfort along with energy usage and view of the outside. A combination of human and machine assessments responding to manual and microcontroller-operated indoor validating simulation improves the generalizability. The solutions were assessed for local codes compliance and double-checked against statistical sky conditions. Regarding north, a window-to-wall ratio of 10.7–20% delivers an optimum daylight metric, yielding a 12.16% decrease in energy use intensity. For an east-facing window, altering 26.4% of WWR decreases 2% in lighting energy and a provides a drastic change in visual comfort. Regarding west, changing WWR by about 51% brings about a 50% saving in lighting but no change in other energy loads. Regarding south, when window length is limited to 39% envelope width, it delivers the optimum energy consumption. This study covers visual and thermal comfort together with energy usage and view of the outside, which has not been investigated for southern hemisphere dwellings. A combined simulation and field measurement of human and machine assessment justifies the solutions.
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spelling doaj.art-9acb33b0d84c4a3fbaf2d7b7f7796b772023-11-24T03:58:14ZengMDPI AGBuildings2075-53092022-10-011211182310.3390/buildings12111823Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney DwellingsEhsan Sorooshnia0Maria Rashidi1Payam Rahnamayiezekavat2Bijan Samali3Centre for Infrastructure Engineering, School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Kingswood, NSW 2747, AustraliaCentre for Infrastructure Engineering, School of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Kingswood, NSW 2747, AustraliaParramatta South Campus, Western Sydney University, Sydney, NSW 2116, AustraliaSchool of Engineering, Design and Built Environment, Western Sydney University, Office: XB.3.43, Kingswood (Penrith Campus), Locked Bag 1797, Penrith South DC, NSW 1797, AustraliaBuilding penetrations are the most-potent elements providing daylight and moderating the lighting energy consumption and affecting indoor comfort and consequent energy usage. In a semi-tropical climate with a green environment such as Sydney, there is a radical demand to extend windows providing views. This research aims to optimize sunlight admission and maintain indoor comfort while minimizing energy consumption. The method for investigation is to simulate a multiobjective optimization using NSGA-II considering visual and thermal comfort along with energy usage and view of the outside. A combination of human and machine assessments responding to manual and microcontroller-operated indoor validating simulation improves the generalizability. The solutions were assessed for local codes compliance and double-checked against statistical sky conditions. Regarding north, a window-to-wall ratio of 10.7–20% delivers an optimum daylight metric, yielding a 12.16% decrease in energy use intensity. For an east-facing window, altering 26.4% of WWR decreases 2% in lighting energy and a provides a drastic change in visual comfort. Regarding west, changing WWR by about 51% brings about a 50% saving in lighting but no change in other energy loads. Regarding south, when window length is limited to 39% envelope width, it delivers the optimum energy consumption. This study covers visual and thermal comfort together with energy usage and view of the outside, which has not been investigated for southern hemisphere dwellings. A combined simulation and field measurement of human and machine assessment justifies the solutions.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/11/1823window configurationenergy savingvisual comfortthermal comfortmultiobjective optimizationNSGA-II
spellingShingle Ehsan Sorooshnia
Maria Rashidi
Payam Rahnamayiezekavat
Bijan Samali
Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings
Buildings
window configuration
energy saving
visual comfort
thermal comfort
multiobjective optimization
NSGA-II
title Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings
title_full Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings
title_fullStr Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings
title_short Optimizing Window Configuration Counterbalancing Energy Saving and Indoor Visual Comfort for Sydney Dwellings
title_sort optimizing window configuration counterbalancing energy saving and indoor visual comfort for sydney dwellings
topic window configuration
energy saving
visual comfort
thermal comfort
multiobjective optimization
NSGA-II
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-5309/12/11/1823
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AT mariarashidi optimizingwindowconfigurationcounterbalancingenergysavingandindoorvisualcomfortforsydneydwellings
AT payamrahnamayiezekavat optimizingwindowconfigurationcounterbalancingenergysavingandindoorvisualcomfortforsydneydwellings
AT bijansamali optimizingwindowconfigurationcounterbalancingenergysavingandindoorvisualcomfortforsydneydwellings