Suitable passive design strategies for residential high-rise buildings in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Despite the potential to reduce Energy Use Intensity (EUI), passive design strategies (PDS) have been sparsely integrated into residential high-rise buildings in Sri Lanka partly due to the lack of scientific knowledge available for the construction industry professionals. To bridge this knowledge gap, this study presents a set of guidelines for choosing suitable PDSs for residential high-rise buildings in Sri Lanka. The guidelines are based on the findings of local (LSA) and global (GSA) sensitivity analyses, which evaluated seven popular PDSs in the Sri Lankan construction industry. LSA revealed how EUI varied with PDSs and the most and least reductions for low e-coating on glasses (WS) and multiple glazing (GU). GSA ranked WS and GU as the most and least influential PDSs and categorized the seven PDSs into three groups based on the effect of PDS on EUI in the presence of other PDSs. An evaluation of six PDSs: five combinations and one individual PDS (WS) suggested the combinations should be established between the most influential parameters in the same group to maximize EUI saving. A significant difference in popularity and efficiency was found for the seven PDSs, as the most popular PDSs are the least effective in saving EUI.