Life Cycle Assessment of Solar Façade Concepts Based on Transparent Insulation Materials

Abstract

Contemporary architecture and construction industry are trying to cope with increasing requirements concerning energy efficiency and environmental impacts. One of the available options is the active utilization of energy gains from the environment, specifically solar energy gains. These gains can be utilized by, for example, solar walls and facades. The solar façade concept has been under development for more than a century. However, it has not achieved widespread use for various reasons. Rather recently the concept was enhanced by the application of transparent insulation materials that have the potential to increase the efficiency of such façades. The presented study evaluates the environmental efficiency of 10 solar façade assemblies in the mild climate of the Czech Republic, Central Europe. The evaluated façade assemblies combine the principles of a solar wall with transparent insulation based on honeycomb and polycarbonate panels. The study applies Life-Cycle Assessment methodology to the calculation of environmental impacts related to the life cycle of the evaluated assemblies. The results indicate that even though there are several limiting factors, façade assemblies with transparent insulation have lower environmental impacts compared to a reference assembly with standard thermal insulation. The highest achieved difference is approx. 84% (in favor of the assembly with transparent insulation) during a modelled 50-year façade assembly service life.

Classification, experimental assessment, modeling methods and evaluation metrics of Trombe walls

“…The available evaluation indexes are listed in Table 10. , which is also called CO2 emissions, is used more frequently than other indexes in the environmental assessment of a Trombe wall, not only for a life-cycle analysis [174,[208][209][210] but also for an annual analysis [82,90,173,206]. can be calculated by multiplying the quantity of energy consumption of a Trombe wall by its unit CO2 emissions.…”

Experimental and numerical study on the thermal performance of polycarbonate panels

“…The usefulness of TIMs has been widely studied and developed worldwide over the past few decades [6] predominantly with regard to their application in the case of solar thermal collectors [7] [8]. However, their integration in building envelopes has also seen some attention [9] [10]. Furthermore, there also have been several studies focused on solar walls where TIMs have replaced the original glazing elements [11].…”

Preparation and Characterization of a Selective Polymer-Based Solar Absorber for Building Integration

“…In conventional building applications (solar thermal systems, solar walls), the metal is also present as a structural element in the form of a sheet (metal thickness of at least 0.2 mm). However, previous research identified high environmental impacts of metal in this role [32,33]. Therefore, the developed absorber presented in this paper utilizes metal only for its impact on emissivity.…”