Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1
Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
2
Associate Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
3
Professor, Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, University of Art, Isfahan, Iran
Abstract
With the rapid growth of population and the increasing demand for housing, along with rising land prices, vertical construction in large cities has become inevitable. In this process, traditional open and semi-open spaces such as courtyards and verandas—which played a key role in enhancing the quality of life—have gradually diminished, being replaced by small and less functional balconies. Nevertheless, balconies, as transitional spaces between the indoors and outdoors, still hold considerable potential for reducing building energy consumption while providing access to natural daylight. This study aims to optimize balcony design in mid-rise residential apartments in the climate of Tehran, examining the simultaneous impact of five variables: balcony length, projection depth, recess depth, type of parapet, and window-to-wall ratio. Energy simulation and analysis were conducted using the Ladybug Tools plugin in Rhino 8, while a genetic algorithm was applied through the Wallacei add-in. The results indicate that the optimal Model 1, with a projection depth of 1.2 m, a recess depth of 0.4 m, a railing-type parapet, and a high window-to-wall ratio, reduced energy consumption by up to 3.9 kWh/m² compared to the baseline model. Moreover, daylight sufficiency in this model increased by more than 5.1%, while the annual indoor solar exposure decreased by about 4.9%. These findings highlight the significance of selecting optimal balcony design parameters and can serve as practical guidance for designing energy-efficient balconies in mid-rise residential buildings.
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