Energy-efficient façade design of residential buildings: a critical review

Appropriate design of residential façades can save the buildings' energy consumption on indoor comforts significantly. Research on energy-efficient façade design of residential buildings (EFDRB) has attracted increasing academic interest during the past decade. Although a variety of studies have been conducted diversely, no review has organised the relevant knowledge structurally, leaving the domain research dispersed. This research conducts a literature review of the current EFDRB study based on 62 highly relevant publications from 2011 to -2021 in the field. A descriptive analysis, thematic analysis, and thematic discussion are conducted to reveal the research status quo, outline, contents, and features of the field comprehensively. Correspondingly, an ontological discussion with an explicative domain knowledge map is proposed, followed by insights into future directions. The findings will assist researchers in understanding the field, determining appropriate methods and design strategies, and positioning their work effectively.