Identifying external louver angle for residence opening to optimize the indoor environment for the composite climate of Delhi NCR

Abstract

The essential part of any shading device is to intercept the solar radiation in such a manner that it allows enough daylight inside the building, while at the same time the indoor thermal comfort is upheld for all the seasons. Earlier studies proved that in comparison with internal shading devices, the external ones minimize the internal heat gain in an effective manner by blocking the radiation, before it reaches the fenestration glazing. However, fixed external shades are incapable of balancing the varying requirements of light and heat for different climatic conditions. Mainly, summer and winter in the composite climate demands adaptive shading solutions as per the changing season. The current study is an attempt to evolve appropriate external adaptive louver shades and recommend louver angles for different months, for a single space of a typical apartment building in Delhi NCR region. The recommended angles allow the occupants to make informed decisions by manually adjusting the louvers to improve the indoor environment. This study utilized ladybug and honeybee plugins for the purpose of simulation. The results show that the monthly adjustments of external adaptive shades enhance the indoor environment and save energy. The study developed, analysed and compared two different types of external adaptive louver shading systems such as EALS (External Adaptive Louver Screen) and EALA (External Adaptive Louver Awning) for better indoor environment and energy saving for west orientation.