Energy and thermal analysis of DSF in the retrofit design of office buildings in hot climates

ABSTRACT In recent decades, the energy retrofit design of buildings has been one of the most effective methods to achieve high-performance buildings. The government office buildings in Iran account for 15% of the non-residential building sector; hence, energy retrofitting of existing office buildings could effectively reduce total energy consumption and Carbon dioxide emissions. This study aims to evaluate the effect of various facade systems with cool materials on the thermal behavior and energy performance of a typical existing office building in a hot climate. The proposed hybrid retrofit method combines design and energy retrofit strategies while evaluating the effects of different workspace layouts and facade systems on external surface temperatures and total energy consumption. Applying such a method, the most optimal design and energy retrofit strategies were selected using a combination of optimization and scenario-based approaches. The results showed that using double-skin facades could reduce annual energy consumption and Carbon dioxide emissions by 63%. Moreover, the results indicated the most efficient types of cool coatings materials for reducing cooling loads.