Kinetic Facade Design Inspired by Moonflower Movement to Enhance Thermal and Energy Performance in Hot and Arid Climates

Subject Areas : Technology and energy in architecture

Zahra Yarmahmoodi ¹ , Leila Jahedi ²

1 - Department of Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran
2 - Department of Architecture, Shiraz Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shiraz, Iran

Received: 2025-05-28 Accepted : 2025-07-12 Published : 2025-09-28

Keywords: Motion Algorithm, Moonflower, Building Façade, Thermal Behavior, Hot and Dry Climate.,

Abstract :

This research investigates the optimization of the thermal performance of building envelopes inspired by the movement of the Moonflower, specifically for the hot and arid climate of Yazd, Iran. The main challenge in such climates is to control solar radiation entering indoor spaces, reduce energy consumption, and enhance occupants’ thermal comfort. The study proposes a novel approach by utilizing bionic algorithms and biomimicry, particularly the opening and closing mechanism of the Moonflower, to design dynamic building facades. The Moonflower exhibits unique motion in response to sunlight (phototropism) and gravity (geotropism), making it an ideal model for developing intelligent shading systems. The research first models the Moonflower’s movement and then simulates its motion algorithm parametrically as a dynamic building envelope. Digital tools such as Rhino, Grasshopper, Ladybug, and Honeybee are used for modeling and solar energy analysis. Simulation results show that the Moonflower-inspired dynamic facade effectively controls the amount of solar radiation entering the building throughout different times of the day and year. In summer, the closed state of the facade prevents excessive heat gain, while in winter, the open state allows maximum sunlight penetration, thus reducing the need for mechanical cooling and heating and improving indoor thermal comfort. The study concludes that employing bionic approaches and biomimicry specifically, the Moonflower’s adaptive behavior can serve as an efficient and innovative solution for climate-responsive and sustainable architectural design. This method not only optimizes energy consumption and enhances thermal comfort but also provides a visually dynamic and adaptable building envelope that responds in real-time to environmental changes. In summary, the research demonstrates the potential of nature-inspired kinetic facades in addressing the challenges of hot and arid climates, offering practical strategies for energy-efficient and comfortable buildings.

 

Extended Abstract

 

Introduction

Optimization of the thermal behavior of buildings is one of the fundamental challenges in contemporary architecture aimed at reducing the consumption of non-renewable energy and increasing the thermal comfort of occupants. The building facade, as the main interface between interior spaces and external environmental conditions, plays an important role in controlling solar radiation, natural ventilation, and heat. However, traditional and fixed facades are often no longer capable of responding to a wide range of rapid climatic changes, leading to energy waste and thermal discomfort.

Given the role of building envelopes and their significant impact on thermal and cooling loads, visual comfort, and building energy consumption, controlling the amount of lighting, thermal load, and directing it to the required spaces according to temporal and spatial conditions, lighting season, geographical location, geometry, dimensions, and correct positioning of openings is considered a design challenge. In this regard, the application of bionic patterns in controlling and improving thermal behavior is very important because these patterns are inspired by mechanisms and behaviors observed in nature, thus offering the most optimal thermal performance. Since organisms in nature have regained their complexity and adaptability functionally and practically over many years within the natural environment, modern design has shifted towards bionic strategies to optimize energy consumption and significantly reduce thermal loads. Consequently, this effectively lowers temperature, which also impacts adjacent spaces within a certain range.

Nature, with its intelligent and adaptive motion mechanisms, offers successful examples of self-regulating environmental conditions. Plants such as Sunflower, Morning glory, and Moonflower optimally control light exposure and temperature through their regular and purposeful movements. Mimicking the intelligent movements of plants as motion algorithms for building facades can enable the design of dynamic, smart facades that automatically respond to climatic changes in real time. This approach could provide a tangible solution to the core research question: How can the behavioral pattern of the Moonflower inform the design of facade shading to improve thermal behavior, visual comfort, energy efficiency, and occupants' thermal comfort? Addressing this requires developing algorithmic models and parametric simulations to regulate facade movements in response to environmental temperature and radiation changes. Consequently, designers must expand their perspective toward nature to incorporate broader ecological concepts into design. The movement algorithms of plants and their active interaction with external environmental factors represent a novel approach to creating responsive facades. The hot, arid climate of Yazd has been selected as the design context for optical analysis, as field studies and biological research may help align the Moonflower’s movement patterns with facade algorithms.

In the contemporary era, with the increasing consumption of non-renewable energy sources, adequate thermal comfort for users has still not been fully achieved. This has led to the growing acceptance of approaches that offer efficient solutions for optimizing energy consumption in the design of building facades. Since the building facade serves as the boundary between the interior and exterior spaces and plays a significant role in the building’s thermal behavior, innovative improvements in its design quality can substantially contribute to reducing energy consumption.

Among these approaches, biomimicry drawing inspiration from natural structures, which are accessible optimized systems proves effective in enhancing thermal efficiency and optimization. Considering the importance of the issue, the overarching goal of the present research is to design a building facade aimed at improving visual and thermal comfort. In this context, the plant pattern of the Moonflower has been selected as the source of inspiration for the kinetic algorithm of the facade, as plants play a significant active role in reducing thermal loads, especially in facade design.

 

Methodology

To evaluate the effectiveness of the idea in the present research, a digital modeling and simulation process was utilized using the Grasshopper plugin in Rhino 6 software, along with modeling and optical analyses conducted through the Honeybee and Ladybug plugins.

 

Results and discussion

As the name suggests, the Moonflower opens at moonrise and closes in the presence of sunlight. Therefore, its movement pattern involves avoiding exposure to sunlight, with its petals rotating inward toward the center to open and close. Applying this movement pattern in designing the kinetic algorithm for smart building facade panels can be an effective and efficient approach to improving the quality of light control entering the interior space.

 

Conclusion

The results confirm that the shading device reduces the energy absorbed by the transparent surfaces of the building facade by 50% when fully open, 63% when half-open, and 77% when closed. Additionally, the shading device decreases daylight penetration by 48% in the fully open state, 80% when closed, and 62% when half-open, demonstrating effective performance in the hot and dry climate of Yazd.

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