A study on different dynamic solar shading control strategies using multi criteria design optimization

The correct design of shading devices that control the amount of daylighting entering a building is an integral part of performative building design. Solar control devices have the potential to reduce building cooling load, improve the daylighting performance and reduce the negative effect of glare in building spaces. Solar shading design strategies, therefore, need to consider multiple criteria together and find an optimal tradeoff between them. This paper presents our experiments on different solar shading control strategies that respond to various external conditions such as cooling rate, solar radiation incident and glare. We use a design tool that optimizes building energy use and daylighting. The tool implements a multi-criteria genetic algorithm coupled with an energy simulation tool in the design of the sizes of building openings. We investigate various shadings and their control types that are activated with various solar orthermal conditions in the environment. We implement Pareto-based comparative analyses and report their effect on building energy and daylighting performance. The results suggest that correct shading devices drastically contribute to building performance, but the control strategies should be carefully selected to be able to satisfy all design criteria