Dynamic Concentrated Solar Building Skin Design Based on Multiobjective Optimization

Abstract

Building skin can provide comprehensive functions of energy production, daylighting, and shading with an integrated transmissive solar-concentrating panel. In this study, Rhino Grasshopper parametric modeling, Ladybug tool performance simulation, and Octopus multiobjective optimization platforms are used to carry out experimental research. This study establishes the optimal relationship between the conflicting objectives of light environment creation and energy production efficiency of solar-concentrating skin by controlling three variables, namely the size of the solar-concentrating module, the rotation angle, and the number of modules, aiming to design the optimal solution and build a multiobjective optimization technology framework for the solar-concentrating skin of an office space. A comparison and analysis of the scenarios indicate a dynamic concentrating skin that can effectively reduce the daylight glare probability (DGP) by 70% and increase the useful daylight illuminance (UDI) by 10%, while achieving energy production. The correlation between the variables and the performance indices of the solar-concentrating skin was obtained as angle > width > length > amount, and the optimal design interval for each parameter variable. This study reveals the laws of how parameter changes affect individual indicators, which can provide ideas for the design of dynamic concentrating skins and building integration, methods for improving the balanced design of indoor light environments and building capacity, and a technical framework for multiobjective optimization processes.

The Effect of European Climate Change on Indoor Thermal Comfort and Overheating in a Public Building Designed with a Passive Approach

“…Choosing this approach made it possible to couple the simulation engine with other Grasshopper plugins, such as Colibri (part of the TT Toolbox set of custom nodes [30]), to capture all the information as a result of automated parametric runs and showcase them via an open source web-based viewer called Design Explorer, providing interactive ways to filter and assess the results. This framework is common and used to parameterize and assess a well defined design space; for example, Shao et al employed a similar approach to designing a building skin according to multiple criteria [31]. The interactive viewer can be accessed via the link in [32].…”

“…Atmosphere 2022, 13, x FOR PEER REVIEW 5 of 28 criteria [31]. The interactive viewer can be accessed via the link in [32].…”