Enhancing Sustainability: Concept Design Optimization Workflow for Human-Centered Low Carbon Solutions

Daylight, glare, and overheating are crucial factors in achieving optimal user comfort in buildings. However, the lack of balance in these aspects often leads to visual and thermal discomfort. To address this challenge, a new workflow is proposed to support designers in developing solutions that provide ample natural light while mitigating glare and overheating through iterative parametric modelling. This approach enables efficient comparison of a large number of daylight and irradiance simulations using simplified shoebox models with varying geometries, opaque and transparent components, solar control strategies, and glass properties. The workflow automatically eliminates configurations with excessive shading based on the minimum depth of well-lit areas in the room, allowing designers to determine a range of optimal facade configurations that align with the architectural vision and assist mechanical engineers in their computations. A practical example demonstrates how the workflow was applied to achieve high daylight comfort and reduced solar gains in a subtropical climate for a 220 m high office building. Additionally, the study suggests steps for quantitatively assessing operational embodied carbon reduction before and after implementing this approach.