Optimization of thermal and daylight performance of school buildings based on a multi-objective genetic algorithm in the cold climate of China

The results of the optimization study show that the energy demand for heating and lighting can be reduced by 24-28% and summer thermal discomfort by 9-23% while the UDIavg (100-2000 lx) can simultaneously increase by 15-63%. Considering all three aspects, the double-sided enclosed corridor type performs best due to its energy performance while the one-sided enclosed corridor type is the least suitable for the cold climate because of its relatively poor visual comfort quality. In addition, the passive design parameters should be carefully considered as each spatial configuration has its own optimal passive design parameters.