Optimizing the configuration of a façade module for office buildings by means of integrated thermal and lighting simulations in a total energy perspective

TLDR: In this article, the authors presented a methodology and the results of the search for the optimal transparent percentage in a facade module for low energy office buildings, in a temperate oceanic climate, on the four main orientations, on three versions of the office building and with different HVAC system's efficiency.

About: This article is published in Applied Energy.The article was published on 2013-08-01 and is currently open access. It has received 142 citations till now. The article focuses on the topics: Facade & HVAC.

Figures

Table 4. SCOP of the reference HVAC and of the more/less efficient systems

Table 3. Dimensions of the three office buildings B1, B2 and B31

Table 6. Optimal set-point values for the activation of the solar shading device

Table 1. HVAC system specifications

Table 6. Optimal set-point values for the activation of the solar shading device

Table 2. Internal loads and artificial light (office rooms only)

Frequently asked questions

Q1. What are the contributions in this paper?

18 The paper presents a methodology and the results of the search for the optimal transparent percentage of a 19 façade module for low energy office buildings. 

Q2. What is the surface of the façade module that is not transparent?

The surface of the 143 façade module that is not transparent is made of both the aluminum frame (around 10% of the total façade 144 module area) and the opaque sandwich panel. 

Q3. What is the reason for 168 modeling an entire building instead of a single cell office?

The reason for 168 modeling an entire building instead of a single cell office, as some other research activities do (e.g. [17-20]), is 169 to correctly take into account the energy demand of the entire building which is not made only by cell offices. 

Q4. What is the thermal factor used to reduce the heat gain from lights?

the zone lighting electric reduction factor is passed to the thermal 215 calculation, which uses this factor to reduce the heat gain from lights [30]. 

Q5. What is the effect of the south-exposed façade on the performance of the north façade?

310 In particular, when the WWR of the south-exposed façade is 20%, the performance of the north façade worsens 311 considerably. 

Q6. What is the way to evaluate the optimal configuration of a façade?

Of course, the actual optimal configuration depends on 53 the exact features of the building, but this study can provide a method, as well as a rule-of-thumb, that can be 54 used during the preliminary design stage. 

Q7. What is the effect of shading on the cooling energy demand?

Comparing with the reference case without shading, an appropriate shading control (exterior roller 96 shade) can halve the cooling energy demand. 

Q8. How many parameters are used to determine the effect of automated shades?

The complex interactions of the several 100 parameters were analyzed and discussed in details, demonstrating that automated shades may lead to reduction 101 (or increase) of the total energy demand, depending on the combination of the other parameters. 

Q9. Why is a façade module a particularly relevant case study?

The choice of modeling a façade in terms of façade 125 modules is due to the fact that a façade module is a particularly relevant case study as far as the WWR is 126 concerned.