The operation of an outdoor test site requires very substantial efforts with respect to investments, maintenance, calibration and training staff. The existing documents dealing with quality procedures in principle guarantee that a good quality level is achieved at all test sites. This paper describes the existing quality manuals and the software tool PASLINKIT developed in the scope of IQ-TEST Thematic Network to make all this pertinent quality documents more practicable and feasible.

PASLINK is the grouping of 14 European research institutes involved in the performance assessment of the thermal and solar characteristics of building components under real climate conditions. Most of the members are performing semi-standardised tests using the PASSYS/PASLINK test cells. IQ-TEST is the European thematic network project aiming at further developing common quality procedures for testing, calibration, data gathering, cleaning and analysis, interpretation of test results and scaling/replication to real buildings, maintenance of test infrastructure.

IQ-Test is a Thematic Network supported by the European Community under the EESD Programme.The objective of IQ-TEST is to further develop common quality procedures for the PASSYS/PASLINK test cell facilities that exist in 12 European countries. This should consolidate thenetwork, integrate the new test sites and strengthen its common approach of support for new product developments in the field of innovative building components.Round robin tests are underway to assess both the inter-site quality of testing and analytical procedures of the participants.

Advanced daylighting strategies and systems can considerably reduce a building’s electricity consumption and also significantly improve the quality of light in an indoor environment. The prediction of these improvements requires good models of glazing pro

Spectral radiative properties of panel glass and coatings are measured, like transmittance and reflectance. The coating influence on the panel behavior is presented. Material properties like index of refraction and the absorption coefficient are determined. Such determination takes place in the visible and near infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. The property determination is performed with transmittances and reflectances measurements in different wavelengths from 400 to 4000 nanometers. Total visible and solar transmittance is calculated, based on these data.

A common architectural feature of curtain wall facades is constituted by a transparent double-glazing unit mounted in front of a recessed interior metal panel. It is typically installed in spandrel areas, where its required to provide to the faade not only surface consistency but also depth.To evaluate condensation risk on this type of envelope element, an experimental program has being carried out on a typical facade panel (Shadow-box) provided by Permasteelisa.

The EC funded ‘SmartHomes’ project commenced in 2001 as a 3 year programme. The primary objective is to establish Internet-based energy services and test these within field trials in Sweden, Greece, the Czech Republic and the UK. The tasks include the pro

In order to improve the user acceptance of an automatic shading device controller, user wishes concerning the blind position are learned and integrated in the automatic controller through an innovative adaptation system developed with the use of Genetic Algorithms. Simulations with virtual users have shown learning and anticipating capabilities of the system. This paper explains in detail the adaptation process and shows one typical example of simulation results.

Solar shading devices can significantly improve thermal comfort and reduce cooling loads and potential glare problems in highly glazed buildings. This paper describes results from an extensive measurement program that started in 1997, covering external shading devices, products placed between two panes (interpane), and internal shading devices. Measurements of the total solar energy transmittance (g-value) have been performed using a double hot-box arrangement placed in a real climate.

This work is based on an extended research from a doctorate thesis developed in a partnership between Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) in Brazil and INSA of Lyon, Thermal Centre of Lyon, Building Physics Team (CETHIL/ETB) in France. The purpose is to examine the envelope building design considering the outside microclimate to achieve a comfortable indoor climate. The context of exterior climatic features and site location are considered, taking in account an indoor discomfort sequence over a typical warm season.