Window-to-Wall-Ratio for Energy Reduction in Early Design Stage of Residential Building

In Korea, it is necessary to improve the performance of buildings with respect to the energy efficiency while improving the quality of occupants' lives through a sustainable built environment. During the design and development process, building projects must have a comprehensive, integrated perspective that seeks to reduce heating, cooling and lighting loads through climate-responsive designs. The aim of this study is to assess the optimal window-to-wall ratio of multi-rise residential units in the early design phase in Korea. The study analyzed the variation of annual heating and cooling energy load in two apartment prototype units located in Seoul city using different WWRs. The analysis was conducted using Autodesk Ecotect Analysis 2011 tool. The study found for total annual building load reductions WWR on the south and north face should be studied independently based on the room function. It also found reducing the WWR for bedrooms and windows on the northern façade resulted in reduced total annual building load.