While design optimization of buildings seeks to improve energy efficiency and, thus, leads to greenhouse gas emissions reduction, the thermal performance of buildings can be compromised. Thermal performance is an important aspect as it directly affects the health and well-being of occupants. This study aims to investigate using a simple simulation tool to examine the correlation between a set of building physical design parameters such as orientation, shading and shape, optimization of which helps to make a positive impact on the thermal performance of the building in a cold climate zone. The thermal performance simulation tool Passive Design Assistant (PDA) was used to build a simulation model and test the interdependence between the design parameters and thermal performance. The results indicate that modifications of building’s parameters such as orientation and shape or the addition of shadings lead to improvements of the internal thermal temperature, heat gain and loss, hence the optimal parameters should prevail. A case study for cold climate is analyzed, in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, the optimal orientation for the squared building is 30° from East to South (building rotated 120°) and the optimal building’s shape is rectangular, which attracts up to 2.6 times higher solar gains than the square one. Moreover, the use of shadings can regulate the internal temperature of the building by 2 °C. General recommendations based on the findings are made and could be considered in the earlier stage of building design and construction processes.
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