Integration of bio-inspired adaptive systems for optimizing daylight performance and glare control

This study explores the integration of bio-inspired adaptive strategies by combining a kinetic façade with electrochromic glazing to optimize daylight performance and glare control. While existing research on kinetic façades typically focuses on the design of individual modules or the overall façade mechanism, the potential of glazing material as an adaptive element is often overlooked. As a result, the potential benefits of combining multiple adaptive strategies, such as dynamic shading and responsive glazing, remain largely underexplored. By implementing bio-AM, this study introduces two bio-inspired concepts, stomata's patchy pattern and the Iris flower's morphology, which complement each other to design a dynamic shading. In addition, the incorporation of electrochromic glazing enhances responsiveness to changing daylight conditions, improving both daylight performance and glare control. The performance of 324 design configurations was evaluated using climate-based daylight metrics, including spatial daylight autonomy, useful daylight illuminance, and exceeded useful daylight illuminance, along with a luminance-based glare metric. The results demonstrate that the multi-layered adaptive shading approach effectively balances daylight distribution under cold desert climate, maintaining useful daylight illuminance between 86.36 % and 93.44 %, and exceeded useful daylight illuminance between 3.43 % and 13.64 %, while minimizing glare by keeping daylight glare probability below 0.38. The flexibility of the design also enables it to address the limitations of individual components, maintaining spatial daylight autonomy above 55 % and improving glare control. By integrating multiple bio-inspired strategies with smart glazing technology, this study highlights the potential for improving daylight performance and visual comfort through adaptive façades. • Integrating multiple bio-inspired ideas for adaptive façade system design. • Evaluating integration of adaptive solutions for daylight control: electrochromic glazing & bio-inspired kinetic façade. • Varying focal radii and folding patterns of the kinetic façade improve visual comfort. • Utilizing electrochromic glass improves daylight performance.