Long Lasting, Low Energy, High Comfort Architecture​

Department: Architecture
Active Dates: January 2014 - ongoing

Principal Investigator: Beisi JIA (Co-PI), Jaehoon LEE (Co-PI), Yiwei LIU (Co-I)
Funding body: Government Matching Grant Scheme (6th Phase)

Abstract

Optimization of energy efficiency in buildings becomes most effective only when it is achieved from an early design stage with integrated design strategies. Energy efficiency optimization can be achieved by integrating design methodologies for optimum indoor air quality and thermal and daylight environment with the bigger aim of the greatest utilization of solar energy, maximum natural ventilation, optimum insulation performance, and interior environment comfort. As a result, only design methodologies that consider environmental performance in terms of architectural mass and layout, building envelope and elevation, and plans and sections, can realize architecture with the greatest energy efficiency with the lowest investment. In this research, we suggest that, instead of relying on prevalent mechanical approach, such as enhancing existing insulation and airtightness, adopting renewable energy, or improving mechanical ventilation system efficiency, we optimize building performance, at each design stage, in terms of daylighting and insolation, natural ventilation, insulation and energy, and interior environment, ultimately to develop an energy efficiency optimization integrated design strategy based on architectural typology and building uses.

Objectives

This study aims to develop design tools that can produce a 20% energy-saving effect with no increase in construction cost. This can be done by adding a performance-verification process to a conventional process in the early stage of design, which used to be done based on designers’ intuition, and turning it into an integrated design.

Results

In the bigger picture, the energy-performance optimization of design technology using green parametric BIM software heralds a paradigm transition that changes the existing hardware-based energy-saving technologies to software-based ones. As IT-based integrated design solutions are developed, higher value-added business design technologies will be owned independently, which will play a bridgehead role to pioneer in the global sustainable architectural design market.

Outputs

• Beisi Jia, Yingying Jiang, (2014). Industrialization and Customization in the Housing Industry of Japan — A Study on Sekisui and Toyota. (in Chinese with English abstract) ISSN 0529-1399.
• Beisi Jia, (2014). Master Class – Building Permanency: Architectural Education on Open Building 3 (Chinese with English abstract) ISSN 1000-8373.
• Yiwei Liu, Beisi Jia, (2014). “Defining Forms of Collaborative Living in Modern China”, UIA 2014 proceeding, Architecture Otherwhere, Durban, South Africa, ISBN 978-0-86970-783-8.
• Yiwei Liu, Beisi Jia, (2013). Hierarchical Organizations and Shared Responsibilities in the Low-Income Community of Dapeng in Shenzhen, China. International Journal of Property Sciences, 3(1).
• Beisi Jia, (2013) High Comfort Low Energy, ISSN 1672-9080.
• Beisi Jia, (2013) From Kinetic Arts, Open Building to Design Projects in Architectural School, ISBN 978-7-112-15331-2.
• Beisi Jia, (2013) From Artistic Perspective observe Architecture, ISBN 978-7-112-15331-2.
• Beisi Jia, (2013) Comparative research on early collective housing typology in colonial cities in Chian, ISSN 1674-4144.

Anticipated Impact

An integrated design strategy does not simply suggest a methodology, but is a parametric green BIM software program that can work as a design tool using genetic algorithms to conduct environmental performance analyses and create design alternatives that adopt designers’ integrated designs in early design stage.