Utilizing Auxetic Materials in Responsive Facades for Optimal Daylighting in the Office Building

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to explore the integration of auxetic materials into responsive façades for optimizing daylighting and visual comfort in office buildings. By using their negative Poisson's ratio (NPR), auxetic structures passively adapt to solar exposure by expanding perpendicularly to applied forces, enabling dynamic shading without mechanical systems. Through parametric modeling, 36 façade configurations were generated and structurally validated using Karamba3D. Climate-based simulations (Honeybee/Ladybug) evaluated performance using three metrics: Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI): % of time illuminance stays within 300–3000 lux (optimal range), Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA): % of floor area receiving ≥300 lux for ≥50% of occupied hours, and Daylight Glare Probability (DGP): % of time glare remains <0.45 (acceptable comfort). The 4×6 panel configuration at 90° actuation (Scenario 24) achieved the best balance: 79% UDI (daylight availability), 61.36% sDA (spatial coverage), and 93.71% glare comfort (6.6% improvement over the unshaded baseline). These results validate auxetic façades as a passive, energy-efficient solution that simultaneously enhances daylight sufficiency (meeting LEED standards) and visual comfort, advancing sustainable building envelope design.