Buildings consume tremendous energy, and many are used for air conditioning, especially in office buildings. New alternatives to conventional air conditioning have become a global priority. Several studies have shown that applying solar cooling systems to façade systems is very promising in hot regions because it is recognized as a sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional compression refrigeration systems.

The intention of this research is to explore the design and development potential of solar desiccant cooling technology integration in façade systems. This study takes Shenzhen, a city in southern China, as the case with hot and humid subtropical climate contexts, and the target building typology is the new-built high rise office building. The biggest challenge is to study how to integrate multiple systems into one façade module and how they work. Additionally, it is also significant to evaluate to what extent the design solution contributes to minimizing cooling energy consumption. This thesis aims to identify the technical constraints to overcome for façade application and establish some instrumental design guides that can potentially feed future work.