With a focus on reducing building energy consumption, approaches that simultaneously optimize multiple passive design parameters in industrial buildings have received limited attention. Most existing studies tend to examine building geometry or individual design parameters under limited scenarios, underscoring the potential benefits of adopting a comprehensive, multiparameter approach that integrates climate-responsive and sustainable design strategies. This study bridges that gap by systematically optimizing key passive design parameters—building geometry, orientation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), and glazing type—to minimize energy loads and enhance sustainability across five distinct climate zones. Fifteen different building geometries with equal floor areas and volumes were analyzed, considering fifteen glazing types and multiple orientations varying by 30° increments. DesignBuilder simulations yielded 16,900 results, and due to the inherent challenges in directly optimizing building geometry within simulation environments, the data were restructured to reveal underlying relationships. An Energy Performance Optimization Model, based on a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm integrated with an Artificial Neural Network (ANN), was developed to identify optimal design solutions tailored to specific climatic conditions. The optimization results successfully determined the optimal combinations of building geometry, orientation, WWR, and glazing type to reduce heating and cooling loads, thereby promoting energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions in industrial buildings. This study offers a practical design solution set and provides architects with actionable recommendations during the early design phase, establishing a machine learning-based framework for achieving sustainable, energy-efficient, and climate-responsive industrial building designs.

Thermal comfort in spaces can be defined as the creation of conditions that will provide the users’ living standards. Therefore, it is important to investigate the thermal comfort conditions in different types of dwellings and the design parameters that affect these conditions. In this study, thermal comfort conditions in different dwellings were investigated. In this context, thermal comfort conditions were measured between December 2020 and January 2022 in four selected dwellings in Bingöl, located in a cold climate. Measurements were made in the daylight living areas, night living areas and service areas of these dwellings. Temperature and humidity, air velocity, and radiation temperatures in the spaces were measured by TESTO 480 multi-purpose air conditioner, Hot Wire Anemometer DT8880, and infrared non-contact thermometer, respectively. Tables and graphics created using the data obtained from these measurements were evaluated according to the ASHRAE 55 standard. In the analyses made, the thermal comfort conditions of the dwellings with different typologies were compared. As a result of the study, the design parameters that are effective in the differences between the dwellings were evaluated and it was aimed to reveal a methodology that could guide the new designs to be made.

Improving energy efficiency, reducing consumption, and enhancing indoor thermal comfort are key concerns in sustainable architecture. While much research has addressed minimizing heating demands during winter, fewer studies have explored strategies to improve thermal comfort and reduce cooling loads during summer. This study aims to bridge that gap by analyzing the combined effects of window opening ratios, solar shading devices, and HVAC systems on summer energy performance and indoor comfort in faculty offices at Bingöl University. The hypothesis suggests that optimizing window openings, implementing suitable shading strategies, and selecting effective HVAC systems can significantly enhance thermal comfort and lower cooling energy use. The study explores four main questions: (1) How effective is natural ventilation through varying window openings? (2) How much can solar shading reduce overheating and cooling loads? (3) How do mechanical systems interact with passive design strategies? (4) What is the combined effect of all three parameters on performance? A parametric simulation approach was applied using DesignBuilder software. Scenarios included window openings from 5% to 50%, ten solar shading configurations, and five HVAC types. A total of 498 simulations generated a robust dataset for performance analysis. Results show that integrated optimization can reduce cooling energy use by up to 62% and improve thermal comfort by up to 54% compared to the base case. These findings confirm the initial hypothesis and underscore the value of holistic design strategies. In conclusion, this research offers a structured framework for improving summer thermal performance in educational office spaces. It provides actionable insights for architects, engineers, and policymakers seeking to enhance indoor environmental quality and energy efficiency in warm climate zones.

In terms of ensuring the sustainability of vernacular building culture, the evaluation of buildings should consider not only visual and cultural values but also energy efficiency, environmental impact, and indoor thermal comfort. This study comparatively examines the performance of stone and adobe wall materials, widely used in Anatolia, under different climatic conditions. In the simulations conducted using DesignBuilder software, building geometry and indoor use scenarios were kept constant, while only exterior wall material and climate data were treated as variables. Annual data for the year 2023 were analyzed. The findings indicate that adobe-walled structures stand out in hot and transitional climates with lower heating and cooling energy demands, reduced electricity consumption, lower carbon emissions, and better thermal comfort conditions. In Kars, representing a cold continental climate, both materials remained outside comfort thresholds; however, adobe structures performed better in terms of energy use, environmental impact, and thermal comfort. This comprehensive evaluation highlights the potential of climate-responsive use of local materials and offers valuable contributions to design strategies focused on sustainability and cultural heritage. The results present not only context-specific insights for Anatolia but also universally applicable, generalizable recommendations for other regions with similar climatic conditions and vernacular building cultures.

Binalarda enerjinin büyük bir bölümü ısınma ihtiyacını karşılamak için kullanılmaktadır. Isıtma enerjisi ihtiyacını etkileyen faktörler arasında binaları çevreleyen kabuk özellikleri ve binaların yönlenme özellikleri gösterilebilir. Bina kabuğu opak ve saydam (pencere ve duvar) yüzeylerden oluşmaktadır. Bu yüzeylere gelen güneş ışınlarından faydalanılarak binaların ısıtma enerjisi ihtiyacında azalmalar sağlanabilmektedir. Aynı zamanda binaların bulunduğu bölgenin çevre koşullarına göre yönlenme özellikleri de güneş enerjisi kazancında etkili olmaktadır. Bundan dolayı bu çalışma ile binaların pencere/ duvar oranları ve yönlenme özellikleri ile güneş enerjisi kazancı arasındaki ilişki araştırılmıştır. Çalışma kapsamında, farklı yönlenme ve pencere/duvar oranlarına sahip alternatifler için güneş enerjisi kazançları hesaplanmıştır. Hesaplamalar yapılırken TSE 825 de yer alan hesaplama yöntemi kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen sonuçlar tablo ve grafiklerle karşılaştırmalar yapılarak ortaya konmuştur. Bu çalışma ile tasarım aşamasında binaların yönlenme ve pencere/duvar oranlarına göre güneş enerjisi kazançları dikkate alınarak çözümler üretmeye yardımcı olabilecek bir çerçeve ortaya konması amaçlanmaktadır.