Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science

Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science

Design, Modeling, and Optimization of a Dual-Season Solar Chimney for Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Reduction: A Case Study in Tehran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
N. Sanatidoust 1
M. R. Hafezi 2
P. Hashemi Tari 3
A. Akbari Garakani 4
1 M.Sc. in Building Science Engineering, Faculty of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
2 Associate Professor, Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
3 Assistant Professor, Department of Mech. and Energy Systems Engineering, Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
4 Assistant Professor, Niroo Research Institute (NRI), Ministry of Energy of Iran
10.22034/tdas.2026.245645
Abstract
Passive solar systems can reduce the energy use of buildings. This study evaluates a segmented vertical solar chimney integrated into an eight-storey residential building (2,176 m²) in Tehran, a cold semi-arid climate, for both seasons: in winter it preheats incoming air, and in summer it exhausts warm indoor air by thermal buoyancy. A DesignBuilder (EnergyPlus) model calibrated against utility bills was used to compare three chimney geometries and five vent arrangements. Five design parameters (chimney depth, height, glazing type, insulation thickness and absorber thickness) were then evaluated at three levels each with a Taguchi L18 array, using signal-to-noise ratios and ANOVA. Across the 18 configurations, the chimney reduced annual heating energy by 2.4–4.0% (4.28–7.14 MWh), cooling energy by 1.5–2.6% (0.40–0.69 MWh) and CO₂ emissions by 1.17–1.59 t. Chimney depth was the dominant parameter for every objective (65–80% contribution; p < 0.001), but heating and cooling favoured opposite levels: 0.3 m for heating and 0.5 m for cooling. Because heating dominates the annual balance, the configuration selected was a 0.3 m depth, H+1.2 m height, 0.5 cm absorber, 8 cm insulation and double glazing. For this configuration the Taguchi model predicts a heating reduction of 4.2% (7.55 ± 0.23 MWh) and a CO₂ reduction of 1.60 t per year. These savings are modest relative to the uncertainty of the building model and should be weighed against the chimney’s embodied carbon.
Keywords
Segmented solar chimney
Dual-season operation
Building energy simulation
Taguchi method
Analysis of variance (ANOVA)
CO₂ emission reduction
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Transactions on Data Analysis in Social Science
Volume 8, Issue 1
Winter 2026
Pages 18-36

  • Receive Date 05 October 2025
  • Revise Date 26 December 2025
  • Accept Date 20 January 2026