Confidential Client · Jeddah, Saudi Arabia · Environmental Performance Analysis
Adaptive Facade Study: 70% Radiation Reduction. 37% Less Cooling Energy. 2,307 kWh Generated Annually.
A parametric study of an adaptive photovoltaic louvre facade on a high-rise tower in Jeddah, evaluated against eight simultaneous performance criteria in one of the world's most extreme desert climates.
Type
Environmental Performance Analysis · High-Rise Tower
Location
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Climate
Hot desert · 2,237,769 Wh/m² annual solar radiation · 47°C peak
System
Adaptive photovoltaic louvre facade · 2 configurations tested
Iterations
400 parametric louvre iterations · 8 performance indicators
Tools
Grasshopper · Ladybug · Honeybee · Wallacei · Rhino
The Brief
What if a tower's facade could block the desert sun, eliminate glare, and generate electricity, all from the same surface?
The study evaluated the environmental performance of an adaptive photovoltaic louvre system on a high-rise tower facade in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, one of the world's most extreme hot desert climates, where annual solar radiation reaches 2,237,769 Wh/m² and the dry-bulb temperature peaks at 47°C. Two facade configurations were tested against a no-louvre baseline across eight performance indicators: solar radiation, equivalent solar area, daylight factor, thermal comfort, predicted mean vote, glare potential, cooling energy demand, and on-site PV electricity generation.
The Approach
400 Iterations. Eight Indicators. One Optimal System.
Using Ladybug and Honeybee within Grasshopper, 400 parametric louvre iterations were evaluated through a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm powered by Wallacei. Each iteration was assessed simultaneously against all eight performance indicators, with the evolutionary algorithm navigating the trade-offs between competing objectives: maximising solar shading while preserving daylight, minimising cooling load while generating on-site electricity, and eliminating glare without darkening interior spaces.
Two louvre configurations, horizontal and vertical, were tested against a no-louvre baseline. The Pareto front analysis identified the vertical louvre system as the optimal configuration, delivering the best combined performance across all eight indicators at once, not just the best result on any single criterion.
Outcome
The Result
The vertical louvre system proved optimal across all eight performance indicators. It reduced facade radiation by 70%, cut cooling energy demand by 37%, increased thermal comfort hours by 72%, and generates 2,307 kWh of AC electricity annually from the louvre surface, the same surface that shields the building from solar gain. A single facade element solves four problems at once: shading, glare control, thermal performance, and on-site energy generation.