A Study of the Effect of the West Facades on Energy Efficiency of Office Buildings at the University of Arizona Campus in Tucson, Arizona

Abstract

Each façade of a building envelope has a different solution that should respond to the specific environmental condition. In particular, west façades in the Sonoran Desert present opportunities for design solutions. For example, the volume of the building shades the western side during hot summer mornings creating a useful and cooler space. Also, the low solar altitude allows thermal gains on a cold winter afternoon. The west façade also can provide exterior views to the dramatic Sonoran sunsets. The goal of this research is to select one case study building chosen from eight pre-studied buildings and analyze the energy efficiency of its west facade. After a set up of a framework of analyzing daylight and shadow analysis with a study model into the heliodon, the baseline energy budget of the selected building was simulated through computer energy analysis programs such as Ecotect, eQuest and Energy-10. The results of this study showed that through efficient design solution suitable for west façade treatment in the Sonoran Desert, buildings can achieve about 27.08 % savings in energy consumption and $131,016 annual from the operating cost. This thesis research provides opportunities for west façades to be effectively employed to mitigate the negative environmental aspect of hot-arid climates.