Thermal Performance Assessment of Brick Lattice Surfaces in the Traditional Architecture of Dezful and Their Impact on Building Energy Consumption

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the thermal performance of brick lattice surfaces derived from the traditional architecture of Dezful and to evaluate the effects of porosity and the distance of these lattice skins from the main façade on reducing thermal load and building energy consumption in a hot semi-arid climate. This study was conducted using a descriptive–analytical approach based on energy simulation. Twelve selected brick lattice patterns extracted from traditional Dezful architecture were categorized according to their porosity and geometric characteristics. The patterns were parametrically modeled using Rhino and Grasshopper software. Climatic and thermal analyses were then performed using the Ladybug plugin and the EPW climatic data file of Dezful city. The lattice surfaces were evaluated at four distances of 10, 20, 30, and 40 cm from the glazed window surface to assess the effect of depth on building energy performance. The primary analytical indicator was total energy consumption expressed in kWh/m². The results demonstrated that increasing the distance between the lattice skin and the main façade improved thermal performance and reduced building energy consumption. The best overall performance was observed at the 40 cm distance, with an average energy consumption of 1164.81 kWh/m², whereas the weakest performance occurred at the 10 cm distance, with an average of 1173.92 kWh/m². Among the analyzed patterns, Pattern No. 5 at the 40 cm distance exhibited the most efficient performance with an energy consumption of 1160.94 kWh/m², while Pattern No. 2 at the 10 cm distance showed the highest energy consumption at 1181.59 kWh/m². The findings further indicated that increasing lattice depth and optimizing porosity significantly contributed to reducing thermal loads, controlling direct solar radiation, and enhancing overall building energy efficiency. The findings indicate that the application of brick lattice surfaces as a secondary façade skin is an effective strategy for reducing heat gain, improving thermal performance, and decreasing energy consumption in buildings located in hot and semi-arid climates. Furthermore, increasing the distance between the lattice skin and the main façade, particularly to approximately 40 cm, can substantially enhance building energy performance and provide a practical model for sustainable contemporary architectural design.