Investigate Building Morphology to Self-shade Facades for Energy Reduction in Hot Climates Using Thermal Imaging Techniques

Creating sustainable buildings in hot climates requires specific consideration to the several stages of realizing the building (design, construction, usage, and demolition) to minimize the reliance on electricity for the provision of cooling and lighting. The design phase is more critical than other phases, during which most decisions that determine the building morphology are made. The priority in creating energy-efficient sustainable buildings should be given to the building form and facades' design. The impact of the building form and the building façade on energy consumption was studied separately while they are closely related, the morphology of the building shape, regardless of its compactness and geometry, can have a self-shading impact on the building façade and hence an impact on the overall energy performance. This research investigates the impact of pockets on the thermal behavior of the building using thermal imaging techniques for building diagnosis. Results of thermal imaging demonstrate that all pockets have a significant reduction in surface temperature regardless of the time, aspect ratio, and orientation of the pocket. Generally, the average reduction varies between 3%-30%. Pockets serve as vertical shading devices. Hence the most massive temperature reduction was recorded in East orientation during morning time and West orientation during the afternoon.