Targeting modular adaptive facade personalization in a shared office space using fuzzy logic and genetic optimization

In shared office spaces, occupants' comfort criteria are limited to locally controlled zones while ambient features of the environment and the potential negative impacts of others' behavior require a well-designed control system, especially over adaptive facade elements. This means setting up control strategies for a wider spectrum of varying comfort perceptions from person to person dictates an approach towards personalizing adaptive facades. Thereby, this research coupled a simulation-based methodology with fuzzy logic and a genetic algorithm to personalize facade modules based on the visual discomfort conditions of the occupants. Results confirmed that increasing the control freedom by personalization accounting for multi-objective criteria including glare, daylight, and view could satisfy occupants from 83% to 100%. Moreover, the proposed facade personalization framework could enhance visual comfort compared with two typical automated Venetian blind controls, significantly. This study provides novel insights for designers and operators to decentralize facades' elements by accepting occupants' feedback as part of their control loops.

Automated summary

In shared office spaces, a well-designed control system is needed to address the ambient features and potential negative impacts of others' behavior. This research utilized simulation-based methodology, fuzzy logic, and a genetic algorithm to personalize facade modules based on occupants' visual discomfort conditions. The results showed that personalization strategies considering multi-objective criteria could significantly improve occupants' satisfaction and visual comfort compared to typical automated Venetian blind controls. This study provides valuable insights for designers and operators to decentralize facades' control and incorporate occupants' feedback.