shading

In this paper several kinds of window shading are introduced and compared. In addition, the potential of energy efficiency of exterior shading and three representative windows in three typical cities of China are analyzed and compared using eQUEST software. The objective of this paper is to analyze the influence of window shading in different climate zones of China through simulation. The result shows that in freezing climate zone it is appropriate to use the low-e windows with small U-value.

As overheating problems in glassy buildings came up more and more, EMPA put a focus on the determination and modelling of the total solar energy transmittance (TSET) of multiple glazing combined with different shading systems within the framework of IEA Task 27 "Performance, durability and sustainability of solar faade components". Experimental data were produced by a calorimetric outdoor test facility near Zurich (Switzerland).

SERRAGLAZE is a breakthrough daylighting system designed to be incorporated into the primary glazing of normal sidelit rooms to save energy and enhance comfort.The paper describes the design, construction and optical properties of the plastic SERRAGLAZE panel, the key component of the system.

States that it is possible to integrate HVAC blinds and lighting, which could make possible energy savings, a reduction of peak demand and the improvement of comfort level. Presents some of the results of the INTECOM research project, which aims to define data to be exchanged between different controllers in multi-vendor solutions. The article focuses on the integrated control at zone level. Integrated control strategy performances are analysed by simulation. Prototypes have been produced and assessed on virtual buildings by emulation techniques.

As streets usually cover more than a quarter of the urban area, canyon street morphology plays an important role in creating the urban climate. It directly influences the air temperature, moisture and wind flow within the streets as well as the urban surrounding area and has been the topic in several urban climatology studies. Recently, studies based on the street Cluster Thermal Time Constant (CTTC) model have been carried out by the authors with a view to assessing the thermal effects of alternative architectural designs of the flanking buildings and inner courtyards.

The purpose of this work is to evaluate the thermal comfort of human beings in outdoor spaces, taking into account the microclimatic modifications produced by vegetation. The parameters needed to formulate a comfort index are of differing orders of magnitude, so the same conditions could be seen as comfortable outdoors and yet be unacceptable indoors. One of the most influential landscape elements in the degree of comfort is vegetation. The main effects of vegetation are on solar radiation and wind.

This paper describes the results coming out of the European Commission supported THERMIE Target Project Energy Comfort 2000. This was the first Target project, containing eight non-domestic buildings, started in July 1993 and to be completed at the end of 1998. The project aimed to design and construct buildings which use less than 50% of the energy of a traditional equivalent, by using passive methods, particularly to avoid the need for air-conditioning. High quality internal conditions were to be achieved.

In summer, it is possible to achieve a satisfactory comfort in residential buildings with purely passive means as thermal inertia, possibility of cross ventilation and solar protection of the external envelope. These parameters have to be taken into account at the earliest stages of building design.