Glazing daylighting performance and Trombe wall thermal performance of a modular facade system in four different Portuguese cities

摘要

The need to reduce energy consumption in buildings leads to the development of new facade systems that can be energy efficient; thus, contributing significantly to heat transfer between outdoor and indoor spaces. Here, the versatility and flexibility of the modules are key attributes. For this purpose, this study focused on the thermal performance of Trombe walls and glazings and the glazing daylighting performance of a modular facade system in four different Portuguese cities. Computational simulations for the thermal performance of different arrangements of the modules were accomplished with the DesignBuilder software, while the glazing daylighting performance was studied by means of Ecotect and Desktop Radiance software, and compared with the transmittance curves of glazings. Occupancy profile and internal gains were fixed according to the Portuguese reality for both studies. The main characteristics considered in this research were the use of two double glazings, four different Portuguese climates and one or two Trombe walls in the facade. According to results, the use of Trombe walls and double self-cleaning glazing in the facade showed an important reduction in the energy consumption as well as better daylighting performance.