Horizontal or vertical? Windows’ layout selection for shading devices optimization

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to constitute an efficient way to improve energy efficiency and occupants comfort in buildings through reduction of direct solar heat gains by exterior shading devices. The shadings orientation and layout depends on the building location and façade orientation, and influence consequently the windows layout. It is still debated which type of window layout is preferable for a specific building location and façade orientation. Design/methodology/approach The paper presents a method to determine the most efficient windows’ layout, horizontal or vertical, for shading devices optimization by mean of integrating energy simulations and computational design. A parametric model has been built by visual programming language to simulate, iterate and compare the results. Findings The research shows the most efficient layouts of windows to be shaded for three latitudes and locations, and the 16 cardinal directions, to be used by architects and designers. The results show a significant prevalence of the horizontal window type on the south façades but also on the east and west orientations for all the three locations, while the rules of thumb would suggest the vertical layout for the sunrise and sunset façades. Originality/value The task of designing exterior shading devices presents two main issues: the shading period selection and the method of calculating its size and shape. The present research uses the innovative method Shaderade that existing literature demonstrates superior comparing other more dated like the section method and the solar vectors one.