Abstract:
With awareness growing in energy conservation, this has lead to energy-saving building design. To open some space at the side of a building and design enveloped materials and shading devices are considered major building designs for energy conservation. However, an architect needs to have basic knowledge to interpret values and decide on the relevant formulas to design such enveloped materials and shading devices. The whole process is quite time-consuming. Hence, computer programs have been developed to help an architect design such devices. Most computer programs for building design basically require users to input related numbers. After processing, the output will be shown in either numerical or graphic manners. Accordingly, such computer devices simply enable an architect to calculate and analyze heat protection rapidly and accurately. They are definitely inappropriate for the purpose of architectural design since the design should not be limited to rapid and accurate calculation and analysis of heat protection, but also include style in the buildings. Therefore, if the researcher develops a new computer program that can fulfill all requirements, including the accurate and rapid calculation and analysis of the heat protection and stylish designed, it will enable an architect to design the perfect enveloped materials and shading devices. It can be concluded that a computer program can be developed in line with the process of architectural design for energy conservation by developing a real designing program, not just calculating program. Details include the creation of the learning process while using the computer program, the selection and adjustment of the related information instead of input, quick response and analysis after changing input, and a demonstration of design guidance. Besides, it can be applied to developing other computer programs in other architectural fields to produce effective computer programs in conjunction with architectural designs.