Abstract
This paper presents a technical and economic analysis about the influence of glass facades in the energy efficiency of a commercial office building in six Brazilian cities: Belo Horizonte, Brasilia, Curitiba, Fortaleza, Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. The influence of 36 different types of glass available in the national market, including single-pane glass, laminated and IGUs was evaluated. The research was developed based on literature review and through computer simulation with EnergyPlus software. The design of an office building with a window-to-wall ratio of 50% and total area of approximately 12,000 m² has been adopted as the reference model for the study. The results presented in the article are savings in electricity consumption and energy cost demanded by each type of solar control glass, compared to single-pane clear glass. Also, the payback time for investments in solar control glazing is calculated. The results show that in the city of Fortaleza, for example, the investment in a selective glazing system can be returned before two years. The investment on IGUs is more feasible in the hottest cities. As a contribution, the article provides a database of energy performance of 36 glazing options for six Brazilian cities, which can help the decision-making process by analyzing the energy savings to be achieved.
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