Energy Performance Optimization for A School Building in Syria According to Building Shape and Orientation

Abstract

Building shape and orientation significantly affect how buildings use energy. The objective of this study was to establish a precise process for improving building shape and orientation early in the design process. A parametric optimization workflow approach was proposed for that objective. As a case study, a primary school building in an area with a warm and dry climate was chosen. Various building shapes (simple rectangle, L shape, U shape, court shape, and square shape) were simulated using parametric energy modeling and simulation tools to determine the EUI for each shape. Utilizing the Octopus plugin, optimization was carried out on the same canvas as the parametric tool (Grasshopper). The genetic diversity of the EUI value and the orientation and glazing ratio WWR were used as the optimization process' input variables. The findings showed that the square building form with a 17° orientation angle was the best approach for achieving the most significant development in the EUI value, reaching energy efficiency improvements of up to 40%.