Optimization of useful daylight illuminance vs. drag force for vertical shading fins/panels

Abstract

This paper concentrates on the issues of daylight optimization in an office building using external shading fins/panels. Vertical shading elements are seen as an important tool of daylight management in buildings, especially when the façade is fully glazed. This enables guiding daylight deep into the room, simultaneously reducing the impact of direct solar radiation.

The presented analysis illustrates the impact of the different spacing of vertical fins on the user’s visual comfort. The analyzed case studies feature different numbers of panels on a south-facing façade located on the 51 deg. latitude in Wrocław, Poland. The daylight calculations were done using De Luminae software (the DL-Light platform) with SketchUp. The analysis of the useful daylight illuminance (UDI) is combined with a caflculation of the maximum drag force acting on the panels installed outside. The research has been conducted taking into account various wind directions. The results show that it is possible to indicate the optimal number of installed vertical fins in order to help increase visual comfort and minimize drag force.

Additional information

Funding

Shading analysis included in this paper was funded by the National Science Centre, Poland grant entitled: “New trends in architecture of transparent facades – formal experiments, technological innovations”, ref. no. 2014/15/B/ST8/00191.