The role of building orientation in decreasing energy consumption for cooling purposes was examined in this study. A radiation analysis was performed during the early stage of the architectural design process on a proposed four-story apartment building located in Cebu. The building's performance was evaluated using the Grasshopper Ladybug plugin on a 3D model developed in Rhinoceros. Results indicated that the optimal building orientation that produced the lowest total radiation was situated at 290° from the center of the building, with a recorded value of 731,356 kWh m⁻². Conversely, the building orientation that resulted in the highest total radiation was recorded at 210°, with a value of 755,596 kWh m⁻². The analysis results were utilized to make informed decisions about building orientation based on environmental factors and surrounding areas. The use of computational design tools in the early stages of architecture design improves the process by enabling designers to optimize building performance and identify potential design issues early, thereby avoiding costly problems.

This study examines the impact of various external shading devices on key lighting metrics, such as spatial daylight autonomy, annual sunlight exposure, and mean illuminance in classrooms. By comparing the performance of different shading options, the study offers insights into optimizing natural lighting, enhancing visual comfort, and improving sustainability in educational buildings in warm, humid climates. The findings provide valuable guidance for architects, designers, and school facility managers aiming to improve energy efficiency and occupant comfort in educational environments.