Effect of window type, size and orientation on the total energy demand for a building in Indian climatic conditions

Windows in a building allow daylight to enter a building space but simultaneously they also result in heat gains and losses affecting energy balance. This requires an optimisation of window area from the point of view of total energy demand viz., for lighting and cooling/heating. This paper is devoted to this kind of study for Indian climatic conditions, which are characterised by six climatic zones varying from extreme cold to hot, dry and humid conditions. Different types of windows have been considered because the optimised size will also depend on the thermo-optical parameters like heat transfer coefficient (U-value), solar heat gain coefficient (g), visual (τ), and total transmittance (T) of the glazing in the window. It is observed that in a non-insulated building, cooling/heating energy demand far exceeds lighting energy demand, making the optimisation of window area a futile exercise from the point of view of total energy demand. Only for buildings with U-value below 0.6 W/m²K can optimisation be achieved. The optimised window area and the corresponding specific energy consumption have been calculated for different climates in India, for different orientations, and for three different advanced window systems.