THE IMPACT OF HIGH-RISE RESIDENTIAL BUILDING MORPHOLOGY WITH CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT AGRICULTURE (CEA) OF VERTICAL FARMING ON ENERGY PERFORMANCE

Abstract

The incorporation of CEA systems into building design has emerged as a rapidly rising trend as a result of the growing urgency to address global food security and urbanization challenges. Given the significant energy demands associated with these systems, the impact of incorporating them into building design is a critical area of investigation that is yet under-researched. To fill this knowledge gap, this study will provide significant contributions to the field by presenting numerous key findings: Firstly, the primary focus of the research seeks to evaluate the energy efficiency of high-rise residential buildings equipped with controlled environment agriculture (CEA). Secondly, it aims to identify optimal morphological alternatives associated also with food production, which could potentially reduce consumption required for heating, cooling, ventilation, and air conditioning. Finally, the study intends to highlight critical design factors, such as building shape, transparency, and envelope design that have the potential to improve energy performance in three climate contexts. Furthermore, the study endeavors to develop energy simulation and analysis by incorporating meteorological data input parameters and considering different climate settings while providing assumption scenarios about future greenhouse gas emissions. By encouraging creative solutions that meet numerous UN SDGs, the project aligns with its mission to accomplish goals such as affordable and clean energy, sustainable cities and communities, responsible consumption and production, and climate action. This study employs simulation tools, such as Design Builder, Energy Plus and Meteonorm, to analyze the energy efficiency of such structures and v to demonstrate the potential of computational approaches in furthering sustainability practices. The findings indicated a statistically significant correlation between morphology and energy performance. The results underscore the efficiency of implementing geometric design strategies, which could potentially lead to a substantial reduction of up to 42.5% in annual energy consumption. Additionally, shading optimization techniques were found to have a significant impact capable of reducing the demand by a maximum of 25%. By identifying the most suitable building morphologies and design components that maximize energy performance for the right conditions, this study provides valuable insights for building designers, architects, and engineers pursuing to improve the circularity of high-rise residential structures through CEA integration. As a result, this research has significant practical implications given the potential to address global food security, urbanization, and environmental sustainability concerns.