AAU Student Projects - visit Aalborg University's student projects portal
A master's thesis from Aalborg University
Book cover


Modelling and Design of Double Skin Façades

Authors

;

Term

4. term

Publication year

2008

Pages

130

Abstract

Denne afhandling undersøger, hvordan en dobbeltskal-facade (to lag facade med et luftmellemrum) kan forbedre en bygnings energieffektivitet ved at forvarme den friske indblæsningsluft i samspil med et mekanisk ventilationsanlæg. Vi målte på en fuldskalamodel i tre forløb (november 2006; slut april/begyndelsen af maj 2008; og maj 2008), og i det sidste forløb blev der monteret solafskærmning i luftspalten. Vi verificerede opstillingen ved at bruge sporgas til at måle luftstrømmen gennem facaden. Vi analyserede forskellige vejrsituationer, især solindstråling og effekten af afskærmning, for at se hvornår en dobbeltskal-facade kan reducere eller øge behovet for opvarmning og køling samt effektbelastningen, og vi gav anbefalinger om brug af afskærmning og driftsstrategier. På baggrund af målingerne lavede vi også tre sæt simple energiberegninger efter en metode fra Bestfaçade Project Group samt tre dynamiske computersimuleringer i bygningsprogrammet BSim. Værktøjerne er tænkt til hurtige vurderinger tidligt i designet af, hvordan en dobbeltskal-facade kan påvirke energiforbruget. Vi sammenlignede resultaterne med målingerne og vurderede begge metoder; i de fleste tilfælde afveg de beregnede og simulerede resultater markant fra virkeligheden. Afhandlingen afslutter med forslag til at forbedre modeller for dobbeltskal-facader og solafskærmning.

This thesis examines how a Double Skin Façade (two layers of façade with an air cavity) can improve a building’s energy performance by preheating incoming fresh air, working together with a mechanical ventilation system. We measured a full-scale setup in three campaigns (November 2006; late April/early May 2008; and May 2008), and in the last campaign a solar shading device was installed in the cavity. We verified the setup by using tracer gas to measure airflow through the façade. We analyzed different weather conditions, especially sunlight (solar radiation) and the effect of shading, to see when a Double Skin Façade can reduce or increase heating and cooling needs and power loads, leading to recommendations on shading use and operating strategies. Using the measurement data, we also ran three sets of simple energy calculations based on a method from the Bestfaçade Project Group and three dynamic computer simulations in the building energy program BSim. These tools are intended for quick, early-stage assessments of how a Double Skin Façade might influence energy use. We compared their results with the measurements and evaluated both methods; in most cases, the calculated and simulated results differed substantially from reality. The thesis ends with suggestions for improving models of Double Skin Façades and solar shading.

[This summary has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]