Glazing properties of double skin façade for saving energy on cooling loads - a Mediterranean climate office building simulation

Mauricio Torres, Dr. Eng. Pere Alavedra & Eva Cuerva, Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña & Carla Planas, Grupo JG Consulting Engineers

Double Skin Façade (DSF) is being used in corporative office buildings in Europe as an alternative to the Curtain Wall (CW) typology. As others DSF components, (shadow elements, ventilation openings) glazed panes used on the DSF play a very important role on its energy performance. DSF will present different energy needs for cooling depending on glazing properties and panes sequence. Mediterranean climate zone presents a higher solar radiation incidence rate over the year, if compared to Northern Europe. DSF designers must adopt particular solutions for glazing systems on Mediterranean climate if thermal comfort maintenance with no energy wasting is desired.

A CW office building was thermally simulated in order to verify its energy demands on cooling and heating loads during a whole year. Two different solar factors were tried. After that, an exterior 6mm glazed skin was added 80 cm far from the original south façade. Different glazing types were simulated at the interior south skin in order to measure the differences on energy demands for cooling loads.

A lower exterior glazing solar factor demonstrated to be decisive on energy performance of the building. Lowe coating and double glazing filled with argon increase cooling loads but diminish cooling and heating peaks because they difficult heat to entering and exiting the building. Adopting DSF glazing solutions and strategies from different climates to the Mediterranean zone is not an energy sustainable measure.

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The Authors

Mr. Mauricio Torres Architect Catedra UPC-JG Industrial Engineer - Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña - Barcelona - Spain PhD Industrial Engineer - Universidad Politécnica de Cataluña - Barcelona - Spain Director of the Cátedra UPC - Grupo JG... Read more