Skip to main content

Lund University Publications

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Energy Simulations for Glazed Office Buildings in Sweden

Poirazis, Harris LU ; Blomsterberg, Åke LU and Wall, Maria LU (2008) In Energy and Buildings Volume 40(Issue 7). p.1161-1170
Abstract
Highly glazed buildings are designed by architects to be airy, light and transparent with more access to daylight. Their energy efficiency, however, has become questioned. Therefore, energy simulations of single skin office buildings in Sweden were carried out, using a dynamic energy simulation tool. In order to study the impact of glass on the energy use during the occupation stage, office building alternatives with 30, 60 and 100% window to external wall area were studied. Other varied parameters were the building's orientation, the plan type (open and cell plan offices), the control set points and the façade elements (type and size of windows, type and position of shading devices, etc.). The main conclusion is that careful design is... (More)
Highly glazed buildings are designed by architects to be airy, light and transparent with more access to daylight. Their energy efficiency, however, has become questioned. Therefore, energy simulations of single skin office buildings in Sweden were carried out, using a dynamic energy simulation tool. In order to study the impact of glass on the energy use during the occupation stage, office building alternatives with 30, 60 and 100% window to external wall area were studied. Other varied parameters were the building's orientation, the plan type (open and cell plan offices), the control set points and the façade elements (type and size of windows, type and position of shading devices, etc.). The main conclusion is that careful design is needed to ensure low energy use and good thermal comfort, especially for highly glazed office buildings. Careful design of glazed office buildings has to be based on detailed thermal simulations. Especially in fully glazed buildings (in which the façade is more “sensitive” to climatic conditions), proper combination of control set points, glazing and solar shading are crucial for the energy performance.



A sensitivity analysis of single skin glazed office buildings was one of the main aims of the study. Although it was concluded that highly glazed single skin buildings are likely to consume more energy during the occupation stage, after studying the impact of shadings, window types, etc., the increase was lowered to 15% (100% glazed alternative compared to a typical reference building with 30% window to external wall area) maintaining at the same time an acceptable level of thermal comfort. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Glazed office buildings, Energy simulations, Energy use
in
Energy and Buildings
volume
Volume 40
issue
Issue 7
pages
1161 - 1170
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • wos:000256169700006
  • scopus:41949139766
ISSN
1872-6178
DOI
10.1016/j.enbuild.2007.10.011
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
b2da6cb8-3ac7-4ca9-bcab-0aee963767eb (old id 775853)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 11:47:30
date last changed
2022-03-05 06:30:25
@article{b2da6cb8-3ac7-4ca9-bcab-0aee963767eb,
  abstract     = {{Highly glazed buildings are designed by architects to be airy, light and transparent with more access to daylight. Their energy efficiency, however, has become questioned. Therefore, energy simulations of single skin office buildings in Sweden were carried out, using a dynamic energy simulation tool. In order to study the impact of glass on the energy use during the occupation stage, office building alternatives with 30, 60 and 100% window to external wall area were studied. Other varied parameters were the building's orientation, the plan type (open and cell plan offices), the control set points and the façade elements (type and size of windows, type and position of shading devices, etc.). The main conclusion is that careful design is needed to ensure low energy use and good thermal comfort, especially for highly glazed office buildings. Careful design of glazed office buildings has to be based on detailed thermal simulations. Especially in fully glazed buildings (in which the façade is more “sensitive” to climatic conditions), proper combination of control set points, glazing and solar shading are crucial for the energy performance.<br/><br>
<br/><br>
A sensitivity analysis of single skin glazed office buildings was one of the main aims of the study. Although it was concluded that highly glazed single skin buildings are likely to consume more energy during the occupation stage, after studying the impact of shadings, window types, etc., the increase was lowered to 15% (100% glazed alternative compared to a typical reference building with 30% window to external wall area) maintaining at the same time an acceptable level of thermal comfort.}},
  author       = {{Poirazis, Harris and Blomsterberg, Åke and Wall, Maria}},
  issn         = {{1872-6178}},
  keywords     = {{Glazed office buildings; Energy simulations; Energy use}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{Issue 7}},
  pages        = {{1161--1170}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Energy and Buildings}},
  title        = {{Energy Simulations for Glazed Office Buildings in Sweden}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2007.10.011}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.enbuild.2007.10.011}},
  volume       = {{Volume 40}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}