Electrochromic window integration in adaptive building envelopes in different climates: a genetic optimization of switchable glazing parameters to reduce energy consumptions in office buildings

Abstract During last decades, many efforts have been made to address challenges regarding building energy consumption. A particularly interesting and effective field of development in the building domain is represented by responsive technologies applied to transparent envelopes. Among these technologies, the electrochromic (EC) glazing is one of the most developed solutions thanks to its capability to dynamically modulate daylight and thermal radiation, simply applying a controlled external voltage. The aim of this study is to provide a methodology to analyse smart responsive technologies and optimize the properties of an ideal switchable glazing to find the best configuration for a medium office in different climatic zones. The genetic optimization considers a 5-elements genome, constituted of the following genes: i) solar heat gain coefficient in bleached (SHGCB) and ii) coloured state (SHGCC), iii) visible light transmittance in bleached (VLTB) and iv) coloured state (VLTC) and v) thermal transmittance (U). Moreover, different European cities were selected as representative of different climatic zones and results obtained give a set of ideal EC glazing configurations in the case of EC window controlled by daylighting sensors.

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Improvement in Energy Performance of Building Envelope Incorporating Electrochromic Windows (ECWs)

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12061181 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1181 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Bo Rang Park ◽

Jongin Hong ◽

Eun Ji Choi ◽

Young Jae Choi ◽

Choonyeob Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Consumption ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Building Energy ◽

Gain Coefficient ◽

Energy Performance ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Light Transmittance ◽

Lighting Energy ◽

Energy Consumptions ◽

Electrochromic Windows

The present study sets out to review the thermal and optical properties of electrochromic windows (ECWs) through an analysis of the improvement in the energy performance of a building resulting from their application. The performance analysis was based on the change in the room temperature according to the solar transmittance and the orientation of the ECWs, the energy consumptions of the building’s heating/cooling systems, and that of the building’s lighting according to the visible light transmittance (VLT). To achieve this, the Quick Energy Simulation Tool (eQUEST), a building energy interpretation program, was used. The solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of the ECWs was found to be significantly reduced. This had the effect of lowering the room temperature in summer, such that the effect on the summer cooling energy consumption was also remarkable. However, with a reduction in the VLT, the lighting energy consumption increased. The net result of the changes in the heating/cooling and lighting energy consumptions was a reduction of about 11,207 kWh/yr (8.89%). The ECWs were found to realize a greater reduction in a building’s energy consumption than was possible with windows glazed with low-E coated glass.

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DSSC-Integrated Glassblocks for the Construction of Sustainable Building Envelopes

Advanced Materials Research ◽

10.4028/www.scientific.net/amr.875-877.629 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 875-877 ◽

pp. 629-634 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Rossella Corrao ◽

Dario D'Anna ◽

Marco Morini ◽

Luisa Pastore

Keyword(s):

Energy Efficient ◽

Light Transmittance ◽

Building Envelopes ◽

Sustainable Building ◽

Building Product ◽

Building Integrated Photovoltaics ◽

Pv Systems ◽

Innovative Solutions ◽

First Results ◽

The University

The paper shows the first results of the optical performance analysis carried out on the DSSC integrated glassblock, an innovative building product developed at the Department of Architecture of the University of Palermo. In the field of a research that is being conducted in order to define innovative solutions for the construction of photovoltaic and energy efficient translucent building envelopes, different hypotheses of integration of DSSC into the glassblock have been foreseen. The integration of glassblock with third generation PV systems allows to define a novel building-PV product that meets the current requirements of the BIPV (Building Integrated Photovoltaics) market. By means of OptiCAD® software, several numerical simulations were conducted to analyse the solar factor, the light transmittance and the shading coefficient of the device.

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Problems and Prospects of Nanometer Transparent Infrared Thermal Insulation Glass

E3S Web of Conferences ◽

10.1051/e3sconf/20185301013 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 53 ◽

pp. 01013

Author(s):

Nan Zhang ◽

Mengyuan Xu ◽

Ning Li

Keyword(s):

Energy Conservation ◽

Visible Light ◽

Energy Saving ◽

Building Energy ◽

Light Transmittance ◽

Large Area ◽

Existing Building ◽

Economic Application ◽

Performance Indexes ◽

Building Energy Saving

The existing building energy-saving reconstruction has a large area in our country. If the performance indexes such as the shading coefficient, visible light transmittance and hardness of the coating heat-insulating glass are in the condition of reaching the specification, and it can meet the needs of energy conservation and reform in building, it is a suitable technology for economic application.

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Analysis of Convergence Characteristics of Average Method Regulated by ISO 9869-1 for Evaluating In Situ Thermal Resistance and Thermal Transmittance of Opaque Exterior Walls

Energies ◽

10.3390/en12101989 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 (10) ◽

pp. 1989 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Doo Sung Choi ◽

Myeong Jin Ko

Keyword(s):

Thermal Resistance ◽

Average Method ◽

Test Duration ◽

Test Environment ◽

Building Envelopes ◽

Thermal Transmittance ◽

The Third ◽

U Value ◽

R Value

In the last few decades, an average method which is regulated by ISO 9869-1 has been used to evaluate the in situ thermal transmittance (U-value) and thermal resistance (R-value) of building envelopes obtained from onsite measurements and to verify the validity of newly proposed methods. Nevertheless, only a few studies have investigated the test duration required to obtain reliable results using this method and the convergence characteristics of the results. This study aims to evaluate the convergence characteristics of the in situ values analyzed using the average method. The criteria for determining convergence (i.e., end of the test) using the average method are very strict, mainly because of the third condition, which compares the deviation of two values derived from the first and last periods of the same duration. To shorten the test duration, environmental variables should be kept constant throughout the test or an appropriate period should be selected. The convergence of the in situ U-value and R-value is affected more by the length of the test duration than by the temperature difference if the test environment meets literature-recommended conditions. Furthermore, there is no difference between the use of the U-value and R-value in determining the end of the test.

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Towards the implementation of periodic thermal transmittance in Spanish building energy regulation

Journal of Building Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.jobe.2020.101402 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 31 ◽

pp. 101402 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

David Bienvenido-Huertas ◽

Carlos Rubio-Bellido ◽

Jesús A. Pulido-Arcas ◽

Alexis Pérez-Fargallo

Keyword(s):

Building Energy ◽

Energy Regulation ◽

Thermal Transmittance

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Characterising Draught in Mediterranean Multifamily Housing

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su11082433 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 2433

Author(s):

Jesica Fernández-Agüera ◽

Samuel Domínguez-Amarillo ◽

Miguel Ángel Campano

Keyword(s):

Social Housing ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Hot Water ◽

Outdoor Air ◽

Multifamily Housing ◽

Building Envelopes ◽

Domestic Hot Water ◽

European Cities ◽

Occupant Comfort ◽

Communal Areas

Social housing dating from the postwar years through the end of the twentieth century is one of the major stores of European cities’ residential stock. As it is generally characterised by a poor thermal performance and an inefficient control of energy consumption, it constitutes one of the main targets for residential heritage renewal. This study aimed to locate and quantify air leaks across building envelopes in Mediterranean multifamily housing with a view to curbing the uncontrolled inflow of outdoor air that has a direct impact on occupant comfort and housing energy demand. Airtightness tests conducted in a series of protocols to quantify draught across envelope elements were supplemented with qualitative infrared thermographic and smoke tests to locate leakage pathways. Air was found to flow mainly across façade enclosures, primarily around openings, as well as through service penetrations in walls between flats and communal areas accommodating electrical and telecommunication wires and water supply, domestic hot water (DHW), and drainage pipes. The general absence of evidence of draught across structural floors or inter-flat partitions was consistent with the construction systems in place.

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Cataloguing of the Defects Existing in Aluminium Window Frames and Their Recurrence According to Pluvio-Climatic Zones

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12187398 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (18) ◽

pp. 7398

Author(s):

Manuel J. Carretero-Ayuso ◽

Carlos E. Rodríguez-Jiménez ◽

David Bienvenido-Huertas ◽

Juan Moyano

Keyword(s):

External Environment ◽

Air Permeability ◽

Water Infiltration ◽

Construction Process ◽

Climatic Zones ◽

Building Envelopes ◽

External Agents ◽

Data Source ◽

Window Frames

The sustainability of building envelopes is affected by its windows, since these establish the connection/separation between the indoor rooms and the external environment. They can also lead to problems if they do not offer sufficient protection against external agents. The data source in this research is unprecedented, as it is based on records of court sentences. There is a significant number of cases (1615), which provides high representativeness for the functional reality of windows. The methodology that was developed classifies the defects and the causes that were found, also analysing correspondence with their recurrence according to aspects of climatological location. In the results, the cases pertaining to water infiltration, air permeability and humidity by condensation are highlighted. This study provides a vision that categorizes problems related to aluminium windows that may be useful for future interventions by agents participating in the construction process.

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Development and evaluation of a measurement method and system for solar heat gain coefficient and thermal transmittance

Materials Research Innovations ◽

10.1179/1432891714z.0000000001230 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 19 (sup5) ◽

pp. S5-964-S5-967

Author(s):

T. J. Kim ◽

J. S. Kang ◽

H. J. Choi ◽

J. S. Park

Keyword(s):

Measurement Method ◽

Gain Coefficient ◽

Heat Gain ◽

Solar Heat ◽

Thermal Transmittance ◽

Solar Heat Gain

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Air infiltration through building envelopes: A review

Journal of Building Physics ◽

10.1177/1744259111423085 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 267-302 ◽

Cited By ~ 66

Author(s):

Chadi Younes ◽

Caesar Abi Shdid ◽

Girma Bitsuamlak

Keyword(s):

Indoor Air ◽

Energy Demand ◽

Building Energy ◽

Building Envelope ◽

Energy Costs ◽

Air Leakage ◽

Building Envelopes ◽

Air Infiltration ◽

Considerable Impact ◽

Evaluation Techniques

Air leakage through the building envelope into the building interiors has a considerable impact on the energy loads and consequently energy demand and energy costs of buildings. This phenomenon known as infiltration happens through various openings and venues in the building envelope varying from large openings such as doors and windows to minute cracks and crevices. In addition to impacting building energy loads, infiltration impacts indoor air quality and can result in moisture accumulation problems in the building envelope. A generalized review of infiltration that includes evaluation techniques and models, quantification, and interaction with other heat transfer phenomena is presented in this article.

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