Intervento di miglioramento energetico di un’aula attraverso la metodologia Multidisciplinary Design Optimization

This research aims to adopt the Multidisciplinary Design Optimization (MDO) method, primarily used in automotive and aerospace, for building design. The first part of this research investigates the advantages and limitations of this methodology and the development stages of applying optimization simulations in the design process. The capability of this method to permit Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) professionals to quickly create and analyze several design options from the perspective of multiple disciplines has yet to be fully realized compared to other industries. While the overall performance of buildings has been established to be heavily impacted by design decisions made during the early stages of the design process, design professionals are not typically able to explore design alternatives and their impact in an acceptable manner during this phase. The advantage of optimization is that it opens up the space for a systematic search and thereby extends the number of examined solutions through automation. The last section of this paper presents a test application of MDO to an AEC retrofit project. The case study is a classroom of an existing building in which energy, fluid dynamic and comfort performance are investigated. This experiment is chosen for several reasons: to demonstrate the benefits of the simulation process at an early stage to analyze the overall design properties, to test the possibilities of computation and automation and to evaluate the potential for using the MDO method to support retrofit decisions in the AEC field. In this case, simulations found a configuration that minimizes external thermal insulation thickness and optimizes HVAC system performance for energy savings and environmental comfort. The case study results, represented as evaluation diagrams and tables, enable the designer to reach a trade-off between goals and constraints and provide knowledge about the design space for project decision support.