This study analyzes the impact of the facade design on the energy performance, daylight and thermal comfort of residential high-rise buildings in temperate climates, with the help of energy simulations. The advantages of different facade design strategies are assessed based on the Cooltoren building in Rotterdam by V8 Architects. The aim is to find the most optimal facade parameter combinations in terms of performance and indoor comfort and to provide facade design guidelines for Architects and Engineers to consider similar passive design solutions in the design of nZEB residential high-rises in temperate climates.
The following facade parameters are considered as variables for the optimization process: window to wall ratio, glazing type, shading system, natural ventilation strategy, thermal insulation and energy generating systems. These variables lead to 480 possible facade design combinations which are assessed using Grasshopper components and compared with Design Explorer. Based on the results, a facade redesign is proposed for the analyzed case study and general design guidelines are provided for similar residential high-rises.
This study proves that the facade design plays an important role to reduce the energy demand, produce energy and improve the indoor comfort conditions. Based on the results of the optimization process, the primary energy demand of a high-rise building located in a temperate climate can be reduced with up to 30 kWh/m2 with an optimized facade design alone.