Assessment of building design strategies to enhance energy efficiency and thermal comfort: Case study in Morocco's climate zones.

This article analyzes how combinations of building design variables—specifically orientation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), envelope construction, and shading—affect energy efficiency and thermal comfort across Morocco’s six climate zones. Using EnergyPlus simulations for 768 design scenarios under three operational modes (air-conditioned, naturally ventilated, and free-running), the study finds that optimal design strategies differ between air-conditioned and naturally ventilated houses. For air-conditioned buildings, a south–north orientation with a 20–60% WWR, insulated roofs and walls, and double-glazed windows generally minimize energy use, while naturally ventilated houses benefit from larger WWRs and orientations such as southeast–northwest to maximize comfort. The research provides flexible, climate-specific guidelines to assist architects in improving building performance early in the design process, noting that urban planning constraints may affect implementation. The study emphasizes the need for further research incorporating broader sustainability metrics beyond energy and comfort.