The study intends to predict the achievable energy demand reduction of blinds and shutters on the EU building stock. This is investigated with the use of a building simulation tool that incorporates climate data from Rome, Budapest, Stockholm and Brussels and user profiles of office and residential buildings.
Key Findings
- Blinds and shutters can make an active cooling system superfluous.
- Shutters can contribute to a decrease of the heating energy demand of about 10%.
The building simulation included a room representing an office with a 9am until 6pm usage pattern and a room within an apartment block which is used between 8am and 10pm. Both buildings required energy for heating and air cooling (air conditioning). The study reviewed the thermal energy savings when roller blinds were installed, as a high air permeable option, and a ‘tight’ roller shutter, as a low air permeable system. These were positioned either externally or internally.
The study found the application of blinds or shutters meant reduction in energy consumption was between 63% and 97% for energy required for cooling. Half of the simulations showed a very small energy demand was needed for air cooling, less than 200 kWh/a. With such a small demand needed it’s unlikely air-conditioning would be required at all, saving more energy.
Roller shutters contributed substantially to a decrease of about 10% of the energy demand for heating. Blinds did not because within the simulation they were not closed during the night unlike the roller shutters. The effect of shutters on the heating energy demand savings is greater in residential buildings as they are heated for longer periods of time and offices receive more free heating gains from electrical office equipment.
Although external and internal shutters have the same effect on the heating energy demand, externals are more effective to decrease the cooling energy demand.
Solar shading and shutters can feasible reduce Co2 by 31Mt/a through heating energy demands and 80 Mt/a through a cooling energy demand reduction.
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