Determining the optimal Window-to-Wall Ratio (WWR) in Mashhad hospitals with the aim of increasing building energy efficiency

Extensive studies show that increasing access to natural light through windows will improve the quality of the internal environment of hospitals; While from the point of view of increasing the energy efficiency of the building, with the increase in the size of the windows, the heat transfer through the glass and the need for Summer cooling load are increased and the energy performance of the building decreases. By reducing the size of the windows, besides increasing energy consumption in another way, the environmental quality of the hospital also decreases. In climatic conditions like Mashhad, where the temperature difference between outside and inside the building is large, the design of windows is more sensitive to increase the energy efficiency of the building. This research seeks to answer the question, what physical characteristics should the windows of hospitals in Mashhad have in order to increase energy efficiency in the building through the optimal absorption of solar energy in addition to creating thermal comfort? For this purpose, conventional construction methods in the design of hospitals; The methods resulting from the guidelines of the 19th topic of the National Construction Regulations of Iran, and the proposed methods of this study based on increasing insulation were compared with each other. The research was carried out by means of algorithmic simulation of building conditions, in energy and light analysis plugins (Honeybee and Ladybug), in the Grasshopper software platform, and the data were compared, described and It was analyzed. As a result; In addition to the fact that the spaces formed based on the guidelines of topic 19 are more economical than the existing buildings, the application of the proposed methods of this study has a greater impact on reducing energy consumption. The role of considerations such as insulation in reducing energy loss is decisive but limited.