Buildings account for a significant portion of global energy use and emissions, particularly in hot, arid climates where cooling demands are high. This study investigates the effectiveness of integrating passive cooling strategies and active solar system particularly, thermoelectric cooling system (TECS) powered by photovoltaic cells, with double-skin façades (DSFs) in terms of reducing energy consumption during hot periods of year. To achieve the main goal of this study, semi-experimental and simulation methods have been used. In this regard, DesignBuilder and Engineering Equation Solver have been used for passive strategy simulations and TECS modeling, respectively. Findings indicate that thermal insulation was the most effective passive strategy, achieving up to 24% reduction in cooling demand, while glazing type, cavity width, and window-to-wall ratio contributed to smaller savings (1%–2%). In contrast, the Earth-Air Heat Exchanger showed negligible impact in this DSF configuration. When combined, the selected passive strategies reduced cooling energy consumption by 18.2%. In addition, TECS outperformed a conventional split cooling system, lowering electricity use by approximately 12% under peak summer conditions. The integrated approach offers a viable solution for energy-efficient building design in challenging climates, aligning with sustainable development goals.
Rasoulbaghal et al. (Fri,) studied this question.