Adaptive Building Skins: Towards the Application of ML and Advanced Materials (e.g., Kirigamis, Origamies, etc.)

A special issue of Buildings (ISSN 2075-5309). This special issue belongs to the section "Building Energy, Physics, Environment, and Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 May 2023) | Viewed by 4113

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
Interests: metamaterials; kirigami; dynamics; vibration; heat transfer

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Guest Editor
Department of Computing Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
Interests: machine learning; deep learning; computer vision

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Guest Editor
College of Civil Engineering and Mechanics, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Interests: fracture mechanics; heat transfer; mathematical modeling
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The building skin is not inert, but instead transforms dynamically to regulate the internal environment, reducing its power demands. There is a wide range of research exploring concepts for adaptive building façades which contribute to a diverse set of non-structural functions, including occupant thermal comfort, energy performance, interior acoustic performance, visual performance, and others. The emerging concept of smart buildings, which requires the incorporation of sensors and Big Data and utilizes machine learning (ML), promises to usher in a new age of urban energy efficiency. By using ML technologies in smart buildings, energy consumption can be reduced through better control, improved reliability, and automation. Here, the goal is to demonsterate the use of ML and structural mechanisms (metamaterials based on origami and/or kirigami-inspired structures) to create systems, for which the adaptability is a more intrinsic property of the façade component. Structural mechanisms can create the controllable deformation of components with intrinsic structural behaviors, but with more standard materials. This Special Issue aims to investigate and identify dynamic kirigami/origami-inspired façade typologies, technologies, and techniques made using ML. The consideration of renewable energy in the design is desirable as the new façades should be able to generate and even store renewable energy.

Dr. Aminallah Pourasghar
Dr. Ameneh Sheikhjafari
Dr. Wenzhi Yang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • kirigami
  • facade
  • renewable energy
  • dynamic behaviour
  • machine learning

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

22 pages, 5808 KiB  
Article
Optimizing Energy Efficiency in High-Rise Residential Buildings in Abu Dhabi’s Hot Climate: Exploring the Potential of Double Skin Façades
by Narmeen Abu Hilal, Mahmoud Haggag and Abeer Dar Saleh
Buildings 2023, 13(9), 2148; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13092148 - 24 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2061
Abstract
This study investigates energy efficiency in high-rise residential buildings in Abu Dhabi, where the increased use of glass building façades has led to increased air-conditioning costs due to heat gain. The research focuses on evaluating the type of glass and the appropriate cavity [...] Read more.
This study investigates energy efficiency in high-rise residential buildings in Abu Dhabi, where the increased use of glass building façades has led to increased air-conditioning costs due to heat gain. The research focuses on evaluating the type of glass and the appropriate cavity between glass façades to minimize energy consumption while incorporating sustainability and innovative design principles. To achieve these objectives, this study employs a Double Skin Façade (DSF), a high-performance façade that adapts to the external climate conditions to fulfill internal cooling load requirements and meet occupants’ needs. Data were collected through an online survey distributed among residents of a selected residential tower, and a combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches was utilized to analyze the gathered information. The selected case study was analyzed using Energy Plus simulation software using the existing data and available details. The analysis aimed to identify the optimal DSF design that significantly enhances energy efficiency. The findings of this study emphasize the substantial impact of the optimum DSF design on energy efficiency in high-rise residential buildings. Through modeling existing data and comparing them with new model results for each variable, this study demonstrates that a DSF with a 35 cm cavity, comprising a double-glazed single skin layer in the interior and a Low-E double-glazed single skin layer as an outer layer, can reduce overall air-conditioning energy consumption by over 25%. These outcomes provide valuable insights into implementing DSF as a solution to address the unique energy challenges presented by high-rise residential buildings in hot climates. Full article
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13 pages, 3622 KiB  
Article
Integrated Kinetic Fins for Western Facades in Territories with Low Solar Altitudes
by Marwa Kamal Fahmy, Ahmad Eltaweel, Rana Abdollahi Rizi and Negin Imani
Buildings 2023, 13(3), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13030782 - 16 Mar 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1677
Abstract
Insufficient daylighting can negatively affect working quality and productivity and increase lighting energy consumption in buildings. Particularly, the western orientation has a non-uniform daylighting distribution, especially at the zone next to the window resulting from the unequal radiation distribution of sunlight. Therefore, this [...] Read more.
Insufficient daylighting can negatively affect working quality and productivity and increase lighting energy consumption in buildings. Particularly, the western orientation has a non-uniform daylighting distribution, especially at the zone next to the window resulting from the unequal radiation distribution of sunlight. Therefore, this study presents an innovative system known as Integrated Kinetic Fins (IKF), which can respond parametrically to the sun’s movement; to enhance the daylighting distribution during the late working hours for the western façades and decrease the high illuminance daylighting spots near the windows. The study optimizes the fin parameters based on a selected territory; then, the fi angles are automatically controlled. The IKF is applicable in regions with clear skies and low solar altitudes. Finally, a comparison between a traditional kinetic system and the IKF is made, and the results are reported. The system shows an enhancement of daylight distribution during these late hours, where the contrast has been improved by 22% and uniformity has been enhanced by 10%, which consequently contributes to reducing potential glare. Full article
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