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Analysis of the Effect of Using External Venetian Blinds on the Thermal Comfort of Users of Highly Glazed Office Rooms in a Transition Season of Temperate Climate—Case Study

Author

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  • Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Cracow, Poland)

  • Katarzyna Nowak

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Cracow, Poland)

  • Marcin Furtak

    (Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Cracow, Poland)

Abstract

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is among the most urgent social development tasks due to the scale of energy consumption in this industry. At the same time, it is essential to meet high requirements for indoor environmental quality and thermal comfort. The issue of overheating is most often analysed in summer but it also occurs in transition seasons, when the cooling systems do not operate. The paper attempts to evaluate the effectiveness of external mobile shading elements on the microclimate of rooms with large glazed areas in the transition season. Passive solutions, such as shading elements, which limit the increase of indoor temperature, do not always allow the acquisition and maintenance of comfortable solutions for the duration of the season, as demonstrated by the authors. Temporary cooling of the rooms may be necessary to maintain comfortable conditions for the users, or other solutions should be devised to improve comfort (e.g., reduction of clothing insulation characteristics). The novelty of the study consists in the analysis of comfort in a “nearly zero energy consumption” building (NZEB) during a period not analyzed by other scientists. This is a transition period during which heating/cooling systems do not operate. The research task set by the authors involved the assessment of the possibility to reduce office space overheating in the transition season (spring) by using external shading equipment in rooms with large glazed areas. An additional research task aimed at checking the extent to which user behaviour, such as reduction in clothing insulation characteristics, can improve comfort in overheated rooms. The results of the tests reveal that the difference in the ambient air temperature between a room with external venetian blinds and an identical room with no venetian blinds in the transition season, i.e., from 27 March to 6 April 2017, ranged from 12.3 to 2.1 °C. The use of a shading system (external venetian blinds positioned at an angle of 45°) reduced the number of discomfort hours by 92% (during working hours) compared to the room without external venetian blinds. A reduction in the thermal insulation of the clothes worn by people working in the room with no venetian blinds helped to reduce the number of discomfort hours by 31%.

Suggested Citation

  • Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak & Katarzyna Nowak & Marcin Furtak, 2019. "Analysis of the Effect of Using External Venetian Blinds on the Thermal Comfort of Users of Highly Glazed Office Rooms in a Transition Season of Temperate Climate—Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2019:i:1:p:81-:d:301031
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Yang, Liu & Yan, Haiyan & Lam, Joseph C., 2014. "Thermal comfort and building energy consumption implications – A review," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 164-173.
    2. Li, Nan & Li, Juncheng & Fan, Ruijuan & Jia, Hongyuan, 2015. "Probability of occupant operation of windows during transition seasons in office buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 73(C), pages 84-91.
    3. Palmero-Marrero, Ana I. & Oliveira, Armando C., 2010. "Effect of louver shading devices on building energy requirements," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(6), pages 2040-2049, June.
    4. Yaolin Lin & Shiquan Zhou & Wei Yang & Chun-Qing Li, 2018. "Design Optimization Considering Variable Thermal Mass, Insulation, Absorptance of Solar Radiation, and Glazing Ratio Using a Prediction Model and Genetic Algorithm," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-15, January.
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    1. Henriqueta Teixeira & Maria da Glória Gomes & António Moret Rodrigues & Júlia Pereira, 2021. "In-Service Thermal and Luminous Performance Monitoring of a Refurbished Building with Solar Control Films on the Glazing System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, March.
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    3. Przemysław Markiewicz-Zahorski & Joanna Rucińska & Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak & Michał Zielina, 2021. "Building Energy Performance Analysis after Changing Its Form of Use from an Office to a Residential Building," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-24, January.

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