Energy Performance of Offices Buildings in Brazil using Insulated Glass Units

Abstract

The insulated glazing system is widely used in Europe and North America as a strategy to improve energy performance and thermal comfort in buildings. However, it has been introduced to the Brazilian market without considering the local climate, predominantly tropical. The proper choice of the glass is essential to reduce energy consumption as it is through the glass that the most direct and intense heat exchange occurs. This research aims to investigate the energy performance of office buildings in Brazil that have used insulated glass units (IGUs) on the facades. The energy's analyses were conducted through computer simulation through the software EnergyPlus. Different facades` configurations were tested using different combinations of Window-to-wall-ratio (WWR) and Solar Heat Gain Coefficient (SHGC). Building's models with IGUs showed an energy consumption for cooling up to 11% higher than models with laminated single-pane glass unit (SGUL) on temperate climate (southern Brazil). Modest values of energy savings, around 4%, were verified for models with IGUs in warmer climates.

Influência da absorção de vidros de controle solar no consumo de energia para climatização de um edifício de escritórios

“…Os edifícios são responsáveis por uma parcela significativa do dispêndio com energia elétrica no Brasil. Em edificações comerciais, o condicionamento de ar representa uma das maiores parcelas do consumo total, variando entre 35 e 70%, sendo maior em climas tropicais e menor em climas temperados [1]. Estudos comprovam que vidros de controle solar podem reduzir o ganho de calor, e consequentemente, a demanda por ar-condicionado, ao filtrar a radiação solar incidente na envoltória da edificação [2][3] [4].…”