(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2007-11-15)
Deo, Vishwadeep
The thesis attempts to investigate the issues pertaining to design, fabrication and
application of real-time adaptive systems for building envelopes, and to answer
questions raised by the idea of motion in architecture. The thesis uses the Solar
Decathlon Competition as a platform to base all the research and consequently to verify
their applications.
Photo-voltaic (PV) panels and shading devices are two different components of
Georgia Institute of Technology s the Solar Decathlon House, located above the roof,
that are based on the concept of Homeostasis or self-regulated optimization. For the
PV panels, the objective is to optimize energy production, by controlling their movement
to track the changing position of Sun, whereas, the objective for the shading devices is
to reduce heating or cooling loads by controlling the position of shading devices, thus
controlling direct and diffused heat gains through the roof.
To achieve this adaptive feature, it required three layers of operations. First was
the design of the mechanics of movement, which tried to achieve the required motion for
the PV panels and shading devices by using minimum components and parameters.
Second was the design of the individual parts that are consistent with the overall concept
of the House. And finally, the third layer is the design of controls that automates the
motion of the PV panels and Shading Devices, using a set of sensors that actuate the
attached motors. As a final product, there is an attempt to integrate the precision and
material efficiency of digital fabrication with the self-regulated optimization of the roof
components.