Architecture Engineers Award

Accurate forecasting of building energy consumption is essential for achieving carbon neutrality, enhancing operational efficiency, and maintaining long-term building performance. While significant attention has been given to short-term prediction models, the progressive effects of building performance aging particularly on HVAC energy consumption—remain insufficiently quantified. This study addresses this gap by developing a robust data-driven methodology to diagnose aging-related performance degradation using long-term operational datasets. Long-Term Dataset and Integrated Analytical Framework The research is based on ten years (2015–2024) of continuous operational data from a university educational building in Chongqing, China. The dataset integrates sub-metered HVAC energy records, detailed meteorological observations, and occupancy-related proxy variables. This comprehensive data fusion enables the isolation of performance aging effects from climatic and behavioral variability,...

  The continuous growth in the use of electrical equipment within buildings has intensified global concerns about rising energy consumption. In response, architectural design has increasingly focused on passive strategies that reduce cooling demand while maintaining indoor comfort. Among these strategies, shading devices play a critical role in mitigating overheating and managing solar gains when they are thoughtfully integrated into building façades at the early design stage. Role of Shading Devices in Climate-Responsive Design Shading devices are especially vital in regions with hot summers, where excessive solar radiation significantly increases cooling loads. Properly designed shading systems allow beneficial solar gains during winter while blocking unwanted radiation in summer. This seasonal adaptability positions shading devices as key architectural elements for balancing thermal comfort and energy efficiency across varying climatic conditions. Typologies of Architectural Sh...