Enhancing the Dynamic Thermal Performance of Wall Components Through Shape Optimization (2026-01)¶

Building components with integrated air cavities, such as thermal-insulating clay blocks or 3D-printed earthen walls, leverage the low thermal conductivity of still air to increase their thermal resistance (R-value) while removing an often high-carbon material. Yet, the design of these components (referred to in this work as multi-hollowed wall components) usually neglects their ability to store heat, hindering the development of blocks and walls with enhanced thermal mass performance. Moreover, blocks and walls are seldom designed for an optimal balance between their embodied and operational performance, a critical aspect when considering the whole-cycle impact of buildings. This research fills these gaps through a novel shape-optimization method that combines state-of-the-art computational design tools with fundamental heat transfer theory to facilitate the discovery of wall designs with optimal passive cooling performance (measured as the heat capacity [kJ/m²K]) and minimum weight [kg/m²]. The benefits of applying this method are illustrated through the multi-objective optimization of two distinct wall systems: (1) extruded ceramic blocks with multiple air cavities and (2) 3D-printed earthen wall systems. The results provide quantifiable evidence in favor of designing building components specifically for heat resilience, achieving shape-optimized blocks that increase their heat capacity by 60% without additional material and 3D-printed walls with an 84% improved time constant and only 5% more weight. Finally, the construction and monitoring of three full-scale prototypes in a temperate climate provide additional validation by experimentally measuring their dynamic thermal performance.