The Energy Performance of the Double Skin Façade in a Conventional Residential Building in Irbid, Jordan
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Date
2018-07
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The British University in Dubai (BUiD)
Abstract
This paper aims at investigating the thermal performance of double skin façade (DSF) for a residential building known as “Amara” in Irbid, Jordan. This city, is the second largest city located in the northern part of Jordan, usually experiences a hot dry summer with high solar radiations and a cold-wet winter. Being the DSF the globe’s active trends that is applicable in both new and refurbishment of old buildings as a passive solution, this paper addresses aspects of applying the DSF on an inhabited building in Irbid considering the windows glazing type and cavity thicknesses on the energy consumption of the adjacent conditioned zones. In this work, a comparative study is carried out on a base case and several models of DSF to systematically assess whether this system could work as a passive strategy. This papers also reviews literatures from cities share similar climate conditions. The majority of research results show that the DSF functions efficiently during winters, while the summer overheating between the two skin layers is highly predictable due to the excessive solar gains and its performance is not guaranteed during summer. Hence, special focuses were implemented on the different geometry shapes of the DSF to achieve the maximum benefits possible in attaining the thermal comfort zones with the minimal usage of the fossil-fuels based equipment.
Simulation using IES VE software confirmed that both the cavity width and geometry of the DSF played a massive role in obtaining a relatively moderate thermal zone during winter seasons and an acceptable indoor temperature during summer seasons. Results of simulations are presented and discussed for several geometry types, cavity widths, and ventilation modes. The results also highlighted the potential of energy saving in comparison to the existing façade (single skin façade). The impact on the occupant’s thermal satisfaction is also investigated.
Results showed that the box-window DSF type with 300mm cavity width is the most candidate facade that saves energy around 37.22% coincides with increasing occupant's thermal acceptance by 8.15% from 63.01% in the base case.
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Keywords
energy performance, double skin facade, conventional residential building, Jordan