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Abstract
This paper presents the impact on energy performance and visual comfort of retrofitting photovoltaic integrated shading devices (PVSDs) to the façade of a prototype office building in a hot desert climate. EnergyPlus™ and the DIVA-for-Rhino© plug-ins were used to perform numerical simulations and parametric analyses examining the energy performance and visual comfort of five configurations, namely: (1) inclined single panel PVSDs, (2) unfilled eggcrate PVSDs, (3) a louvre PVSD of ten slats tilted 30° outward, (4) a louvre PVSD of five slats tilted 30° outward, and (5) an STPV module with 20% transparency which were then compared to a reference office building (ROB) model. The field measurements of an off-grid system at various tilt angles provided an optimum tilt angle of 30°. A 30° tilt was then integrated into some of the PVSD designs. The results revealed that the integration of PVSDs significantly improved overall energy performance and reduced glare. The unfilled eggcrate PVSD did not only have the highest conversion efficiency at ȵ 20% but generated extra energy as well; an essential feature in the hot desert climate of Saudi Arabia.
Highlights
Rapid population growth coupled with leaps in urbanisation and industrialisation over the last two decades have exponentially increased electricity demand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [1,2,3]
Lopez-Ruiz et al [39] studied the potential of building roof top solar systems for Saudi Arabian architecture, which rarely employs the use of photovoltaic integrated shading devices (PVSDs)
The energy output of the EnergyPlusTM simulations was slightly higher for all tilt angles than the off-grid system results, at midday
Summary
Rapid population growth coupled with leaps in urbanisation and industrialisation over the last two decades have exponentially increased electricity demand in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia [1,2,3]. Using DIVA Grasshopper 3D© and the window-to-wall ratio (WWR) variable, Settino et al [28] developed an evolutionary algorithm to optimise the size and shape of shading systems in three European cities It found that an optimally designed PVSD system could reduce annual energy consumption by up to 42%. Lopez-Ruiz et al [39] studied the potential of building roof top solar systems for Saudi Arabian architecture, which rarely employs the use of PVSDs. Only a few studies have investigated the overall energy performance of external fixed PVSDs over conventional shading devices [40] or examined the vertical and horizontal photovoltaic shading device in terms of insolation [4]. Ty 2020, 12, x FOR PEER RESVuIEsWtainability 2020, 12, 10145 ity 2020, 12, xTFaObRlePE1.ETRhReEdViIfEfeWrent PVSDs configurations used in the simulations
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