Sustainability & Energy – Friday 28th September
Rising energy costs, combined with the effort to reduce carbon footprints, have made energy efficiency a top priority.
Analysis of high-performing buildings against future climate scenarios has demonstrated solar shading to be one of the most cost-effective solutions to tackle overheating.
Solar shading significantly reduces the need for mechanical air conditioning, which in any case does not have any effect on radiant heat exchange and can also negatively impact on indoor air quality.
Detailed modelling by the National Energy Foundation (NEF) shows that total energy savings can be as high as 48% when external shading is used, and up to 14% using internal shading.
The ability of blinds and shutters to reduce heat loss during the winter and heat gain in the summer also reduces a building’s heating and cooling requirements.
Air conditioning currently accounts for 10% of the world’s electricity use and that figure is rising.
Air conditioning can increase a building’s energy consumption (and associated carbon emissions) by up to 100%.
Solar shading can allow for natural ventilation of a buildings during warmer times of the year, and in turn help maintain good indoor air quality.
Solar shading is a sounds investment. An analy7sis of HVAC systems in three climate zones – Stockholm Amsterdam and Madrid – demonstrated that solar shading installed in each building paid for itself in less than a year.
Modelling shows external shading can save up to 54% of HVAC energy and internal shading up to 16%.
Solar shading saves energy and that’s just the start.
https://shadeit.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Solar-shading-saves-energy.pdf
World Green Building Week 2018
http://www.worldgbc.org/calendar/world-green-building-week-2018
World Green Building Council:
www.worldgbc.org/
