RAC Facades

Retrofit Active Cooling Facade System for Tropical High-rise Residential Buildings

Master thesis (2019)

Authors

B.Z.H. Yong Architecture and the Built Environment

Contributors

A.I. Prieto Hoces Design of Constrution - Architecture and the Built Environment (supervisor 1)
C.J. Janssen Building Physics - Architecture and the Built Environment (supervisor 1)
Faculty
Architecture and the Built Environment
Copyright: © 2019 Benjamin Yong
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Published Date

04-07-2019

Language

English

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Faculty

Architecture and the Built Environment

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to design a retrofit façade-integrated cooling system for built high-rise residential public housing buildings in the tropical climate and evaluate its feasibility. Literature research into the climate, building design, cooling technologies and case studies of façade-integrated systems were important factors that led to the conceptual designs. Energy calculations and parametric optimization through Rhinoceros + Grasshopper were conducted to develop the façade concepts to suit the cooling load of the chosen building. Material and component costs were calculated to evaluate which façade concept proposal was more suitable and what design constraints were introduced by the limited available physical space. With a chosen façade concept, minor tweaks were made to account for additional issues such as conduction heat loss and the oversizing of components. Façade details with respect to structural elements, moving parts, system operation and maintenance procedures were developed. The overall implications and limitations of the design were discussed with the aid of daylighting simulations and extrapolative calculations to paint a broader picture of its overall feasibility and what it takes to be realized.