Parametric Workflow for the Evaluation of Innovative Transparent Building Envelope Systems

The building physics sector interconnects the domains of energy and architecture in an effort to address environmental issues across the latter amid rising sustainability concerns and global calls to address them. It plays an important role in designing High-performance buildings that optimize energy efficiency while maintaining occupant comfort. In this context, it is important to note the pivotal role building envelopes plays in combatting these issues. A transformative shift towards eco-friendly technologies, especially in building envelopes, is crucial for reducing carbon footprints. Transparent Building Envelope technologies offer innovative solutions. However, evaluating their impact requires sophisticated simulation, introducing complexities in control algorithms and data exchange. The research addresses the challenge of simulating Transparent Building Envelope technologies within a Building Information Modeling (BIM) framework. While existing Building Performance Simulation (BPS) tools like EnergyPlus offer powerful capabilities, their complexity hinders widespread adoption. Visual Programming Languages (VPLs) like Grasshopper facilitate integration but lack flexibility for dynamic technologies. Data exchange between BIM and BPS tools poses further challenges. This study aims to investigate the applicability of a proposed workflow from BIM to BPS to simulate and assess Transparent Building Envelope Technologies at different building scales and archetypes smoothly without any data loss, with the ultimate aim of evaluating the overall Building Performance from energy efficiency to occupant comfort and indoor environmental quality. The research questions explore the applicability, efficiency, and scalability of this workflow, addressing limitations in simulation tools and data transfer.