Energy Performance of Rotating Residential Buildings in Qatar

Abstract The potential energy benefits of rotating buildings are quantified for the specific case of modular housing units in Qatar. These units can be integrated with rooftop photovoltaic (PV) arrays that can be independently rotated to maximize on-site electricity generation. Several design specifications and operation strategies are considered in the analysis, including building shapes, window sizes, orientation settings, and rotation frequencies. The article provides the first quantitative analysis of the energy performance of rotating housing units in Qatar. It is found that decoupling the rotations of both the housing units and rooftop PV arrays provides the highest reductions in annual energy needs for Qatari residential buildings, especially when the full rotations are carried out hourly to cover at least eight-orientation settings. Indeed, it is found that decoupled rotation of housing units integrated with fixed-mounted PV arrays, covering 80% of available roof area, reduces the annual energy demand by 43% compared to static dwellings with PV panels. When covering the entire roof area, the decoupled rotation can achieve net-zero energy operation for rotating housing units in Qatar.