Passive cooling & climate responsive façade design: Exploring the limits of passive cooling strategies to improve the performance of commercial buildings in warm climates

Alejandro Prieto,Ulrich Knaack,Thomas Auer,Tillmann Klein

doi:10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.06.016

Alejandro Prieto, Ulrich Knaack + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enbuild.2018.06.016

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Abstract

Cooling demands of commercial buildings present a relevant challenge for a sustainable future. They account for over half of the overall energy needs for the operation of an average office building in warm climates, and this situation is expected to become more pressing due to increasing temperatures in cities worldwide. To tackle this issue, it is widely agreed that the application of passive strategies should be the first step in the design of energy efficient buildings, only using active equipment if it is truly necessary. Nonetheless, there is still further need for information regarding the potential limits derived from their application.This paper explores the effectiveness of selected passive cooling strategies in commercial buildings from warm climates, defining performance ranges based on the assessment of multiple scenarios and climate contexts. This task was conducted through the statistical analysis of results from documented research experiences, to define overall ranges and boundary conditions; and through software simulation of selected parameters to isolate their impact under a controlled experimental setup. General findings showed that the mere application of passive strategies is not enough to guarantee relevant savings. Their effectiveness was conditioned to both the harshness of a given climate and different building parameters. Specific recommendations were also discussed for the selected passive strategies considered in the evaluation.

Highlights

The energy required to provide cooling for commercial buildings is an issue of concern in the current global agenda for sustainability
A first issue worth mentioning is the fact that reported energy savings reach higher values in the case of warm-dry climates, evidenced by the large difference between maximum reported values, and the higher average and median values for all strategies, with the exemption of the use of shading devices, which average on both groups
This means that the application of passive cooling strategies has more potential for lowering cooling demands on warm-dry climates, instead of warmhumid ones; which corresponds with the well-known complexity and particular challenges associated with high humidity contexts and tropical regions

Summary

Introduction

The energy required to provide cooling for commercial buildings is an issue of concern in the current global agenda for sustainability. Good practices and benchmarks are being extensively promoted for referential purposes [7,8], while regulation is being enforced to reduce the operational energy demands in buildings [9]. To accomplish this goal, it is widely agreed that the first step in the design of an energy efficient building should be the application of passive strategies under a climate responsive design approach [10,11,12], before considering mechanical equipment driven by fossil fuels. Understanding the potential benefits from passive design strategies and the limits for their application has become a relevant research field, concerning façade design, as the main filtering layer between outside and inside [13]

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