Architecture Engineers Award

Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) façades play a critical role in advancing net-zero and energy-positive building strategies by simultaneously serving as envelope elements and renewable energy generators. However, optimizing BIPV façades is challenging due to competing performance objectives, particularly photovoltaic energy generation and indoor daylighting quality. This study proposes a parametric optimization framework to systematically address these trade-offs during early-stage design. Challenges in Balancing Energy Generation and Daylighting Façade design decisions, such as window-to-wall ratio (WWR), directly influence solar exposure on opaque surfaces for photovoltaic efficiency while also affecting indoor daylight availability and visual comfort. Increasing PV-active areas often reduces daylight penetration, whereas excessive glazing can compromise energy generation potential. These conflicting requirements necessitate a multi-objective optimization approach. Paramet...

High-rise buildings, characterized by extensive glazed façades and substantial energy demands, present both challenges and opportunities for photovoltaic (PV) integration. The concept of multifunctional PV-windows combines power generation with shading functionalities, enabling efficient utilization of façade surfaces while enhancing energy efficiency. This research explores novel PV-window prototypes, aiming to bridge the performance gap between architectural adaptability and conventional photovoltaic modules. Design and Development of PV-Window Prototypes Two PV-window prototypes were engineered to address both architectural and electrical performance. The prototypes incorporated adjustable louvers to balance daylighting, shading, and solar harvesting. Material selection was varied between aluminium alloy and carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) to evaluate their influence on energy efficiency, structural integrity, and adaptability in building envelope systems. Electrical Circ...

 Building-integrated greening has emerged as an important sustainable strategy in urban design, combining environmental benefits with improved building performance. Despite extensive research on thermal comfort, energy efficiency, and urban heat mitigation, the aerodynamic effects of façade and rooftop greening remain less understood. Since wind behavior directly influences natural ventilation, pressure distribution, and air exchange in buildings, it is critical to investigate how vegetation layers interact with wind flow. This research highlights the need to evaluate the aerodynamic implications of green facades and roofs in order to ensure their effective and safe integration into architectural design. Wind Tunnel Experiments in Architectural Greening Wind tunnel testing provides a reliable method to analyze the aerodynamic effects of building-integrated greening. By simulating wind flow patterns across model structures with varying greening thicknesses and permeabilities, res...