Development of optimal layout and façade design alternatives based on sunlight through genetic algorithms

The environmental issues caused by climate change affect the amount of energy consumed by buildings and the thermal comfort of their users. In areas with high daylight visibility, the possibility of benefiting from natural lighting increases along with heat gain. The positive and negative effects of daylight should be carefully considered in building design. Building placement and orientation should align with daylight, and building facades should be designed to optimize the use of daylight. Improvements to the facade designs of existing buildings can help achieve optimal energy performance and user comfort. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of design changes in the facade systems and building orientation angles of existing housing blocks on daylight utilization through simulation software and to find the optimal solution with the help of a genetic algorithm. In this context, daylight analyses of the selected housing project in its existing condition were carried out using Rhinoceros 3D software. Using a genetic algorithm, the optimal building orientation angles were determined based on direct daylight hours. The volumes of the existing situation were examined, and daylight, energy, and thermal comfort analyses were performed in the interior spaces. By selecting example room volumes and using the genetic algorithm, the optimal balcony protrusion and window sizes were determined according to direct daylight hours. As a result, it was observed that optimal designs for efficient daylight use could be achieved with the help of simulation software.