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The modernist movement in architecture has led to a building boom of a large number of high-rise buildings with glazed faç ades. These faç ades were aesthetically pleasing, but have a high energy loading. To address this, a double-skin faç ade (DSF) has been proposed to manage the interaction between the outdoor and indoor environments. A DSF can contribute to balance the demand for energy saving, thermal and visual comfort, and a high-tech image for building envelopes. The design of the DSF involves decisions on geometric parameters, glass selection, ventilation strategy, shading, daylighting, aesthetics, wind loads, and maintenance and cleaning cost expectations. This paper reports an experimental application of a DSF in an old apartment building which has been modelled in order to find the configuration to select design parameters that could minimize the energy demand and total carbon emissions. A simulation-based virtual environment program was used to determine the optimal sustainable features of the double-skin envelope. Results of the simulation are presented and discussed for four different cavity widths and ventilation modes of operation, highlighting the potential savings in comparison to the existing faç ade construction. The impact of internal shading within cavity space was also investigated.

This paper aims to assess how occupants perceived their visual environments of diverse luminous ambiences created by daylight in apartment buildings. Daylighting can have a large influence on environmental condition to improve ambience, visual comfort, well-being and health of occupants. Thus, it is essential to understand what visual adaptive actions for the satisfaction of occupants and how they respond to given visual environments. A purpose-built living room with balcony extension was situated at Kyung Hee University in Korea (latitude 37.17N, longitude 127.01E) to monitor data throughout a 1-month period in winter. Thirty-two subjects participated and each subject spent a day in the test room. All subjects were given the opportunity to have artificial lighting and blinds control over the lighting ambience appropriate for their activity. Physical measurements such as illuminance levels of vertical and floor-planes, window luminance were monitored simultaneously which were cross-linked to the subjective assessment of blinds control. Experimental results revealed the factors affecting the occupant use of shading systems; visual comfort, seating orientation and blinds types could have an effect. The results of this study should provide useful information on daylighting as a function of photometrical and behavioural factors for future application in building design.

Although there have been continuing efforts recently for low-energy buildings as parts of the low-carbon green growth movement, particular attention has been paid to architectural design, the elective control of façades, and the efficiency of Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) mechanical systems. To maximize the gains from these efforts, it is essential to consider the energy distribution approach and its layout during the design stage of the building. To this end, air distribution principles in HVAC have grown in popularity in buildings. The method to deliver the energy is strongly associated with increasing concerns about indoor environmental quality on occupants’ well-being, as well as rising energy costs for space heating and cooling. This paper identifies types of air distribution systems for heating and cooling in buildings and addresses the potential energy benefit of an underfloor air distribution (UFAD or UAD) system over the conventional ceiling air distribution system. A series of EnergyPlus simulations shows performance differences between the two distribution systems. One result is that the potential benefits of an UFAD are clearly demonstrated for a large space with a high ceiling.

In terms of lighting for the built environment, both providing healthy light and eliminating harmful components of light are the key factors for consolidation and for health promotion. The ingredients of daylight are exceedingly complicated and are classified by the wavelength of light. Ultraviolet (UV) light, wavelength between 400 nm-10 nm, is more energetic and will penetrate more readily through obstacles than visible light. In spite of all their positive uses, UV rays are very harmful for anyone who spends a large amount of time in the sun without proper protection. Glass and film manufacturers produce optically functional glass panes to control UV and infrared rays of sunlight. In order to curb excessive penetration of UV rays, optically functional glasses have been proposed and the performance assessments of the glazed materials have been measured and reported in this paper. Various pair-glasses consisting of UV control glass and the conventional are manufactured and evaluated, providing the photometric data in terms of wavelength. In conclusion, UV protection glass is more effective in controlling UV rays of natural light. Obviously, clear glass treated with UV protection film would provide excellent control of UV penetration and a pair of clear and UV protection glass treated with UV protection film should be recommended; this achieves 96.7% UV protection performance from natural light.