The use of Dynamic Environmental Control Systems (DECS) in Cavities of Double Skin Facades for Energy Savings

Abstract

Dynamic and adaptive façade components have significant potential for energy efficiency goals. However, it is not yet common to see double skin facade (DSF) buildings integrating dynamic component systems to improve their energy savings. Previous studies have repeatedly found DSF buildings to increase their energy consumption during cooling seasons. Potential exists to counteract this problem by developing a kinetic mechanism within the DSF. The Dynamic Environmental Controls System (DECS) was designed and developed to improve their performance. Its application was examined, evaluated via energy modeling simulations, and showed a decrease of the energy demand.DECS has the ability to dynamically change the cavity compartmentation between four types of DSFs: multi-storey, corridor, shaft box, and box window; and twenty-one intermediate configurations. Their performances were examined in DesignBuilder for three climate zones: Los Angeles, New York, and Houston. The focus was each case study's performance for the hottest and coldest day per climate to determine the efficiency of DSFs in extreme weather conditions. The rationale was to locate the boundaries of their performance from perspective of most improvements via DECS. The energy usage of the intermediate configurations was then examined and the dispersion of the results between all types scrutinized. The simulations were made on hourly time steps, and the most efficient configuration per hour was being selected. The aggregation of all formed the DECS pattern for each 24-hour cycle.Two major results were obtained. The application of DECS and analysis of the generated results lead to a decrease of the energy consumption of DSF buildings for the hottest day up to 3.92%, 2.52% and 1.97% per climate and for the coldest day up to 0.55%, 1.90% and 4.00% accordingly. Secondly, the methodology of the research was made less efficient by the lack of a suitable software interface. This issue is addressed.