Reducing cooling energy demand while achieving effective natural ventilation remains a key challenge in the design of buildings for hot-arid climates. Solar chimneys represent a viable passive strategy; however, their effectiveness is governed by complex interactions between geometric and operational parameters. To investigate this potential, scaled-down experimental model was constructed and tested under controlled conditions, and its results were used to validate the simulation model. Subsequently, a comprehensive parametric analysis involving 19,008 design alternatives was conducted, employing multi-objective optimization to explore trade-offs between airflow enhancement and cooling energy reduction. Sensitivity and correlation analyses identified chimney height, width (North-South), and window operability as the most influential factors, with regression models confirming strong predictive relationships with both objectives. Regression analysis showed high predictive accuracy for cooling energy (R2 = 90.87%, test R2 = 90.45%). The optimal designs featured chimney heights of 10.5-13.0 m, widths of 3.1-4.5 m (North-South axis), lengths of 1.1-2.2 m (East-West axis), window-to-wall ratio values between 0.45 and 0.80, and operable openings exceeding 76% on South and West facades. These configurations increased airflow rates from 1.15 m3/s to 2.67 m3/s and achieved cooling energy savings of 30-32% compared to the base case.