Optimizing Perforated Building Envelopes to Improve Thermal Performance: A Parametric-Based Practical Framework

Perforated patterns embedded in building envelopes have recently received much attention as a solution to improve indoor thermal performance. This study presents a practical framework based on a parametric approach to optimize perforated building envelope (PBE) design. The framework employs four stages: design intentions, input parameters, a three-step parametric approach, and output results. To this end, Grasshopper software for Rhino 7.0, ClimateStudio plug-in, and Galapagos components were used to assess thermal performance influenced by various pattern shapes, perforation ratios, and pattern matrices. Additionally, optimal design scenarios for the proposed south-oriented PBE of office space in a hot, arid climate are determined concerning thermal performance with energy consumption. The results indicate that pattern shape and perforation ratio are the variables that should guide the design of PBEs. However, the pattern matrix has little effect on improving thermal performance. The results then indicate that the optimized PBEs can contribute to an improvement in thermal performance of more than 28.2% and an enhancement in energy consumption of 27% compared to the base case without PBE.