A Novel Multi-Criteria Method for Building Massing Based on Energy Performance and Solar Access: The Mixed Solar Envelope (MSE) method

Abstract

This paper proposes a novel multi-criteria method for building massing based on energy performance and solar access allowed to the surrounding buildings (Mixed Solar Envelope (MSE) method). We used a single thermal zone simulation-based methodology to validate the method. We applied the MSE method in a generic urban zone located in Tallinn, Estonia. Determining the building form, the designer can prioritize energy performance and/or solar access for each studied neighbor’s room, as well as the importance between studied rooms. The method allowed to generate building masses (MSEs) capable of saving up to 73% and 67% of the total annual energy consumption in office and residential rooms with window-to-wall-ratio of 80%. As a tool to negotiate between different rooms, the total annual energy savings was between 56-80% when considering a pure energy-based criterion. The annual energy savings was between 26- 30% while maximizing the annual number of sun hours when considering solar accessbased criteria.