Artificial Intelligence in Performance-Driven Design

7Multi‐Level Optimization of UHP‐FRC Sandwich Panels for Building Façade Systems

Pooya Darghiasi¹, Anil Baral¹, Bahram Abediniangerabi¹, Atefe Makhmalbaf² and Mohsen Shahandashti¹

¹ Department of Civil Engineering, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA

² School of Architecture, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX, USA

Introduction

Commercial and residential buildings consume about 39% of the total U.S. energy consumption in 2021 (U.S. EIA 2022). This energy use is expected to increase by 0.3% every year until 2050 (U.S. EIA 2020). To minimize the negative environmental impacts of these buildings, it is necessary to employ potential energy‐efficient designs and methods in the architectural, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry (Abediniangerabi, Shahandashti, and Makhmalbaf 2020; Shahandashti et al. 2017). The amount of energy consumed in buildings is influenced by various factors, such as, the physical characteristics of the building, climate and weather conditions, building operations, maintenance practice, and building orientation and layout (Abediniangerabi and Shahandashti 2022). In particular, façade systems and buildings envelopes play a crucial role in managing the heating and cooling loads of buildings, thereby significantly influencing the energy performance. In addition, façade systems are supposed to provide support for the exterior walls and ensure their stability against various environmental loads such as wind, rain, and ...