Tao, Simin and Zhang, Qi (2023) Energy Systems Language: An analytical tool for studying the climate adaptation of buildings. In: Proceedings of Relating Systems Thinking and Design Volume: RSD12, 06-20 Oct 2023.

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Abstract

Since the last century, humans have begun using coal, oil, and other stored energy sources to supplement solar energy, while pollutants from fossil fuels pose risks to the local and global environment. As more architects and scholars focus on today’s climate and energy issues, numerous environmental simulation tools and standards have been developed. Some studies prioritise mechanical systems over building design and limit buildings to standardised rating systems. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a comprehensive contextual system, taking climate, architectural aesthetics, technology, and other relevant factors into account.

From a thermodynamic perspective, the building is an open system, constantly exchanging energy with its environment. Building design can play a crucial role in organising the energy flow within the environmental system, and an optimised building climatic design can effectively maximise the amount of energy available from the environment. This paper employs the energy systems language as a tool to analyse the climate adaption of buildings and to evaluate their climate strategies through a unified dimensional energy flow. It enables an objective analysis of climate, energy, building form, and human bodies within an integrated system. Additionally, the paper applies the energy systems language diagram to three case studies, including the study of a vernacular house, the design process of an infrastructure building, and the post-occupancy evaluation (POE) of a student centre building. By doing so, this study provides different scenarios that utilise energy systems language to analyse the relationship between climate, energy and form.

Item Type:	Conference/Workshop Item (Paper)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	energy systems language, climate adaption, climatic design, thermodynamic architecture
Divisions:	Faculty of Design
Date Deposited:	11 Mar 2026 20:42
Last Modified:	11 Mar 2026 20:45
URI:	https://openresearch.ocadu.ca/id/eprint/4897

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