Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Architecture, Art University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran
2
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
3
Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Isfahan, Iran.
10.22059/ses.2025.396333.1159
Abstract
With the rapid population growth, increasing demand for housing, and rising land prices, vertical construction in major cities has become inevitable. In this process, traditional open and semi-open spaces such as courtyards and verandas, which once played a key role in improving the quality of life, have faded away and been replaced by small and underutilized balconies. Meanwhile, balconies—serving as a transitional space between indoor and outdoor environments—still hold significant potential for reducing building energy consumption while enhancing natural daylight access. This study aims to optimize balcony design in mid-rise residential apartments in Tehran’s climate. It simultaneously investigates the impact of five variables: balcony length, protrusion depth, recess depth, parapet type, and window-to-wall ratio. Energy simulations were performed using the Ladybug Tools plugin in Rhino software (version 8), and a genetic algorithm was applied through the Wallacei plugin. To analyze the results, the Pearson correlation test was used. The findings indicate that the optimal model 1—with a 1.2-meter protrusion, 0.4-meter recess, vertical railing parapet, and 80% window-to-wall ratio—reduced energy consumption by up to 3.9 kWh/m² compared to the base model. Moreover, this model achieved an increase of over 5.1% in daylight sufficiency and a reduction of approximately 4.9% in annual direct solar radiation received indoors. These results highlight the importance of selecting optimal balcony design parameters and provide practical guidance for improving balcony performance in mid-rise residential buildings.
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