Intelligent Façade Design to Optimize Visual Comfort in Higher Education Learning Spaces

Higher education students and faculty members spend long hours in naturally lit learning spaces without the required optimum visual comfort for doing their activities, unless turning on the artificial lighting. However, the artificial lighting negatively impacts productivity, health, and overall well-being, consumes electricity, and increases operational costs. Therefore, upgrading conventional façade designs is crucial today to optimize visual comfort without depending on artificial lighting during the day hours. Intelligent “Smart” façades can provide the optimum visual comfort since they adapt to climate changes. These façades integrate innovative materials and autonomous systems to optimize real-time performance. The current study aims to design an intelligent and sustainable façade that optimizes the visual comfort in Egypt's higher education learning spaces with low cost and energy saving. A comprehensive analysis of state-of-the-art intelligent façade designs was conducted to select a sustainable, innovative design solution incorporating dynamic shading devices, Ethylene Tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) transparent material, and a decentralized control system that optimizes the façade's adaptability. The simulation results show that the proposed design optimized visual comfort by eliminating glare and achieving 100% Spatial Daylight Autonomy, which means the occupants can rely entirely on daylight alone without artificial lighting. The illuminance level is within daylight international standards for the indoor visual comfort and ranges between 300 and 750 lux during the year.