Energy performance analysis of double-skin facade systems: The case of Konya

Climate change–driven energy crises, combined with increasing energy demand resulting from population growth, urbanization, and rising living standards, have made energy efficiency a priority issue in the building sector. Consequently, sustainable and energy-efficient building design has become increasingly decisive in contemporary architecture, while research on building envelope systems that aim to minimize energy losses and optimize energy use constitutes an important field of study within the architectural discipline. With the growing emphasis on energy efficiency in buildings, energy-efficient façade designs have come to the forefront. These façade solutions, which can deliver high performance under both summer and winter conditions and establish a balance between indoor and outdoor environmental conditions, transform building façades into environmentally friendly and dynamic building components. In this context, ensuring energy savings and enhancing energy performance from the early design stages of buildings has become a fundamental requirement in modern architecture. In this study, the effects of double-skin façade systems on energy efficiency were evaluated by taking into account the climatic conditions of Konya. Within this scope, an existing office building located within the provincial boundaries of Konya was selected. The selected building was modeled in its current condition using the DesignBuilder simulation program, and its heating and cooling loads were calculated. Subsequently, a double-skin façade system was applied to the appropriate façades of the building, and the energy performance was re-evaluated and compared with the existing condition. In addition, new simulations were conducted by integrating shading devices into the double-skin façade system with a cavity width of 60 cm, and the changes in heating and cooling loads were analyzed. In the final stage, the thermal loads of the existing building were compared with those of the design incorporating a double-skin façade and integrated shading devices. As a result of the study, it was determined that the implementation of the double-skin façade system with integrated shading devices led to a reduction in total thermal loads of 13% on the north façade, 7.64% on the south façade, and 12.97% on the east façade. The findings indicate that this system provides a significant improvement in overall building efficiency by balancing seasonal energy performance. Accordingly, it is recommended that double-skin façade systems be preferred in buildings with high annual energy consumption located in regions with semi-arid and cold climatic characteristics, such as Konya, in order to enhance energy efficiency.