Energy-Efficient Passive Cooling Design for Residential Buildings in Hot and Arid Climates: A Parametric Study

Abstract

This study addresses the pressing issue of rising energy consumption for cooling residential buildings, with a specific focus on hot and arid desert regions. The main objective of this research is to explore the energy demand associated with cooling by employing passive strategies, namely the window-to-wall ratio (WWR), window glazing properties, and roof surface albedo. To achieve this goal, the building model underwent validation by comparing actual energy consumption data with simulation results obtained using Design Builder software. Subsequently, twelve distinct parametric options were simulated and analyzed to assess their effectiveness in reducing cooling energy requirements. These options were grouped into four categories, each encompassing different combinations of WWR, glazing types, and roof surface albedo. The study findings reveal that the most energy-efficient configuration among the investigated options entails buildings with a WWR of 10%, 6mm triple glazing panes with a 6mm air cavity, and a roof surface albedo of 0.9. This configuration demonstrates a significant improvement of 36-37% in cooling energy demands compared to the base-case building option. Furthermore, this option achieved a remarkable improvement rate of 40–41% in terms of energy cost. The research outcomes make notable contributions to enhancing internal thermal performance, decreasing energy consumption, and achieving cost savings in cooling applications.