Evaluation of smart materials in architecture with physical and economical performance indicators

From the past to the present day mankind has been using materials to enhance their life quality. Technological improvements experienced in the field of material science have been effecting architecture as it has in any other field. While the features of materials were limited formerly, today, materials for diverse needs are possible to be manifactured. Smart materials are one of those materials that emerge out in our daily life by technological developments experienced so far. Smart materials have a great potential for use in architecture thanks to their dynamic features and behaviours changing in respect to their surrounding environment. For this reason, this study is aimed to contribute similar future researches by evaluating smart materials' integration to conventional building systems and their effects on building performance. In the scope of this study, conventional building materials and systems are explained. Then physical and economical performance parameters are developed in respect to the approaches on building performance that take place in the literature. These parameters developed are used in the evaluation of the specimens that derived from the literature and consisting of implementations, experiments and numerical studies. Data taken through the specimens' analysis is evaluated separately for each group of smart materials and then some deductions are made on the use of smart materials in buildings.