Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses

With the global emphasis on sustainable development and energy conservation, zero energy houses are gradually becoming a research hotspot in the field of architecture. This study explores the potential impact of atrium design on energy-saving performance, using T&A House, a zero energy house (ZE...

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Main Authors: Yanxia Li, Xing Guo, Yuqian Hong, Gang Yao
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010895
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author Yanxia Li
Xing Guo
Yuqian Hong
Gang Yao
author_facet Yanxia Li
Xing Guo
Yuqian Hong
Gang Yao
author_sort Yanxia Li
collection DOAJ
description With the global emphasis on sustainable development and energy conservation, zero energy houses are gradually becoming a research hotspot in the field of architecture. This study explores the potential impact of atrium design on energy-saving performance, using T&A House, a zero energy house (ZEB) in a severe cold plateau region of China, as a case study. Through simulation analysis, we found that transforming the atrium into a central courtyard leads to an increase in annual cooling demand (ACC) by 431.31 kW h (a 44.64 % increase) and annual heating demand (AHC) by 1480.1 kW h (a 21.91 % increase). Further optimization of the section aspect ratio (SAR), shading design, and window-to-wall ratio of the atrium resulted in a reduction of heating demand by 1565.4 kW h (a 19.01 % decrease) and cooling demand by 749.91 kW h (a 53.66 % decrease) compared to the courtyard. The results show that the energy efficiency of zero energy houses can be significantly improved by well-designed atriums, offering a new energy-saving strategy for the design of houses in severe cold plateau regions.
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institution Kabale University
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publishDate 2025-10-01
publisher Elsevier
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series Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
spelling doaj-art-9e2c996e19324973bece9c7d997ae3a72025-08-20T03:36:53ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-10-017410682910.1016/j.csite.2025.106829Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy housesYanxia Li0Xing Guo1Yuqian Hong2Gang Yao3School of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, ChinaSchool of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, ChinaCorresponding author.; School of Architecture and Design, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, ChinaWith the global emphasis on sustainable development and energy conservation, zero energy houses are gradually becoming a research hotspot in the field of architecture. This study explores the potential impact of atrium design on energy-saving performance, using T&A House, a zero energy house (ZEB) in a severe cold plateau region of China, as a case study. Through simulation analysis, we found that transforming the atrium into a central courtyard leads to an increase in annual cooling demand (ACC) by 431.31 kW h (a 44.64 % increase) and annual heating demand (AHC) by 1480.1 kW h (a 21.91 % increase). Further optimization of the section aspect ratio (SAR), shading design, and window-to-wall ratio of the atrium resulted in a reduction of heating demand by 1565.4 kW h (a 19.01 % decrease) and cooling demand by 749.91 kW h (a 53.66 % decrease) compared to the courtyard. The results show that the energy efficiency of zero energy houses can be significantly improved by well-designed atriums, offering a new energy-saving strategy for the design of houses in severe cold plateau regions.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010895Atriums: zero energy houseSection aspect ratioWindow-wall ratioShield from the sun
spellingShingle Yanxia Li
Xing Guo
Yuqian Hong
Gang Yao
Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Atriums: zero energy house
Section aspect ratio
Window-wall ratio
Shield from the sun
title Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
title_full Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
title_fullStr Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
title_short Enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions: Atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
title_sort enhancing energy efficiency in severe cold plateau regions atrium design strategies for zero energy houses
topic Atriums: zero energy house
Section aspect ratio
Window-wall ratio
Shield from the sun
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010895
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AT xingguo enhancingenergyefficiencyinseverecoldplateauregionsatriumdesignstrategiesforzeroenergyhouses
AT yuqianhong enhancingenergyefficiencyinseverecoldplateauregionsatriumdesignstrategiesforzeroenergyhouses
AT gangyao enhancingenergyefficiencyinseverecoldplateauregionsatriumdesignstrategiesforzeroenergyhouses