Comparative Study of Smart Building Envelope Strategies in Energy Optimization with a Climate-Based Architectural Approach

Mohammad Hossein Abotalebi¹

1) M.Sc. Student in Architectural Energy, Pars University of Architecture and Art, Tehran, Iran -

IOI Code : AACZ-ABGFBC
Publication : The 5th International Conference on Seismic Retrofitting(5icst.ir)
Abstract :
    The building sector, accounting for approximately 40% of global energy consumption, is one of the primary areas of intervention for sustainable development. The building envelope, as the boundary between interior spaces and the external environment, plays a decisive role in this regard. This study employs a systematic review and comparative analysis approach to investigate smart building envelope strategies for energy optimization, with an emphasis on climate-based architecture. Peer-reviewed sources published between 2019 and 2025 were examined from Scopus, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar databases. Findings indicate that strategies such as dynamic shading systems, electrochromic glazing, phase change materials (PCM), and double-skin facades can reduce energy consumption in residential buildings in cold climates by 14 to 35 percent. Furthermore, results suggest that integrating these technologies with indigenous Iranian architectural principles holds significant potential for achieving sustainable and identity-driven architecture. In the cold climate of Tabriz, the combination of double-skin facades, phase change materials, and dynamic shading systems was identified as the most effective approach.

Keywords : smart building envelope energy consumption optimization climate based architecture cold climate sustainable architecture