Double or single skin façade in a moderate climate an EnergyPlus assessment

Abstract

The research analyses the double skin façades concept and their impact on the energy efficiency of buildings. This kind of façade system has the ability to increase the energy efficiency and flexibility of buildings, while improving the quality of the indoor environment. The best way to develop and evaluate this complex type of building structure is the use of total building performance simulation in combination with experimental data. The overall research plan is based on experimental work, the process of validation and the numerical simulation of the validated model. Thus, the task of this part of the research is a comparative analysis between the current state of a building with double skin façades and models with traditional envelope type. The main question that arises is whether and how the double skin façades may contribute to the decrease in the energy consumption of the building by increasing the quality of the thermal comfort of the occupants. The simulation software tool, EnergyPlus in combination with airflow network algorithm, is used for modelling and all necessary energy calculations. The validated model in the analysis is used for comparative evaluation with models with traditional façades. The simulation results for all the models analysed assess what their impact is on the energy consumption for heating and air-conditioning of the building. Comparing to models with traditional façade, the energy analysis shows justification in the climatic conditions of Belgrade. Additionally, simulations results highlighted the necessity for an adequate control strategy of the double skin façades application.

Energy and thermal modeling of building façade integrated photovoltaics

“…A recent popular way of embedding the photovoltaic (PV) modules is by integrating them on the building's ventilated façades [1]. In such cases, the PV module beyond being an electricity producer, is also an additional external layer forming a double skin façade [2].…”