Daylight and Energy Performance Optimization in Hot - Arid Regions: Application and adaptation guide for designers in the UAE

In addition to the thermal comfort, the quality of daylight in the buildings are of exceptional importance in the early stages of the project. The building envelope therefore plays an important mediator, whether as climate change perceived or as cultural patrimony intangible, between the building and its surrounding conditions. Nowadays, the countries of the hot desert are introducing policy based on completely glazed constructions with neglecting their climate change as applied for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). This results in poor building efficiency and identity crises. Therefore, any attempt seeks to decrease excess sun exposure and make efficient sunlight availability. This leads to climate change adaptation and the happiness of the inhabitants as a sustainable development technique, decreasing buildings ' energy consumption, which is an effective way to eliminate emissions of carbon dioxide (CO₂). In this context, this paper presents the assessment principles for daylight performance in the case-study. This lays out approaches for optimizing daylight and energy efficiency in hot-arid climates by comparing different scenarios for building with international style at Ajman University - UAE, in order to reach to the best solution, that through the best use of performance simulation analysis and parametric generic algorithm software (Revit - Insight 360 plugin). Three phases of the methodology are taken: (1) the daylight and energy efficiency are analyzed for the case-study, (2) the results are assessed and compared to the hot-arid climate, (3) the optimum solutions and recommendations are determined. The study provides a new building performance optimization method, which can enable architects to predict the optimal energy performance and daylight strategies by creating suitable climatic design options and to recognize the connection between design demands and daylight efficiency metrics, which are estimated to improve the entire environment.