Comprehensive Research on the Near-Zero Energy Consumption of an Office Building in Hefei Based on a Photovoltaic Curtain Wall

Abstract

The near-zero energy design of a building is linked to the regional climate in which the building is located. On the basis of studying the cavity size and ground height of a photovoltaic curtain wall, the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic curtain wall under different ground heights is compared in this paper. According to the “Technical Standard for Near-Zero Energy Buildings”, the personnel and lighting of a 12-metre office building in Hefei were parametrically arranged and three design schemes for near-zero energy buildings were proposed. The energy consumption of the benchmark building and the design energy consumption of each scheme were calculated by using the energy consumption simulation software Design Builder V 7.0.0.096; the feasibility of realizing the near-zero energy consumption building by using each scheme was checked. The results show that when the cavity width of the photovoltaic curtain wall of the office building is 70 mm, the cavity heat transfer coefficient is the lowest and the heat insulation of the building is the best. When the height from the ground is 0.7 m, the power generation efficiency of the photovoltaic curtain wall reaches a maximum of 18.39% and the south façade of the building is more suitable for the layout and installation of the photovoltaic curtain wall. The single-façade photovoltaic curtain wall should be combined with a high-efficiency air conditioning system and lighting system; the installation of a photovoltaic rooftop at the same time can meet the design requirements of near-zero energy buildings in hot-summer and cold-winter areas. This paper provides some guidance for exploring the design of near-zero energy office buildings, which is of practical significance.