The BBSA is pleased to be presenting with the National Energy Foundation (NEF) at Vision 2017 at Olympia on 6 June.
Andrew Chalk from the BBSA and Federico Seguro from NEF will be in Theatre 3 at 14:30 with a 20 minute presentation entitled Solar Shading for Better Buildings.
There will be scientific evidence from an extensive cost-benefit analysis that justifies the case for considering solar shading at an early stage in design to enhance interfaces with other building services and enable more glass to be used.
We believe considerable opportunities exist for both retro-fitting shading systems in existing buildings where single and uncoated double glazing which is more ‘permeable’ to solar energy, are still common. New build is just as important with increasing levels of airtightness and insulation leading buildings to be more prone to overheating throughout the year.
Energy saving potentials appear substantial. Dynamic simulation modelling of a highly-glazed office carried out in EnergyPlus showed operational energy savings of 5-12% for internal shading and 37-40% for external shading if the reference building was provided with standard blinds, ultimately justifying the investment in the solar shading.
However, in the UK the benefits of solar shading as a passive solar control and daylight management tool is still poorly recognised, and there is a need to approach shading beyond the energy implications (reduced overheating) to embrace broader benefits such as comfort and productivity.
