Evaluating the thermal and energy performance of parametric double-skin block façades in cold climate buildings

Building façades play an important role in regulating heat transfer, solar radiation, and indoor environmental conditions, especially in cold climate regions. In cities such as Toronto, buildings experience significant seasonal temperature variations, requiring façade systems that can minimize heat loss during winter while controlling solar heat gain during warmer periods. Double-skin façade (DSF) systems have emerged as an effective building envelope strategy that improves thermal performance through thermal buffering, solar control, and natural ventilation. This research examines the environmental and energy performance of a parametric double-skin façade designed for a four- storey office building in Toronto, Canada. The proposed façade consists of an inner glazed layer and an outer parametric skin made of modular polycarbonate panels, separated by a 40 cm cavity. The outer layer functions as a solar shading device, while the cavity between the two layers acts as a thermal buffer zone that can also support natural ventilation through mechanisms such as the stack effect. The study combines climate analysis, architectural modelling, and energy simulation. A digital building model was developed in Autodesk Revit and analyzed using Design Builder with the Energy Plus simulation engine. Two scenarios were evaluated: a reference model with a conventional single-skin façade and a proposed model with a double-skin façade system. Results show that the proposed façade improves thermal performance by reducing heat loss and moderating solar heat gain, contributing to enhanced energy efficiency in cold climates.