Thermal and Lighting Consumption Savings in Classrooms Retrofitted with Shading Devices in a Hot Climate

Most educational buildings in southern Spain do not meet current energy requirements as weak thermal envelopes and the lack of cooling systems lead to severe discomfort in classrooms, especially when temperatures are above 30 °C. Given that global warming is expected to worsen this situation in comi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Energies (Basel) 2018-10, Vol.11 (10), p.2790
Main Authors: Calama-González, Carmen, Suárez, Rafael, León-Rodríguez, Ángel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air conditioners
Air conditioning
Air temperature
Carbon dioxide
Case studies
Classrooms
Climate change
Computer simulation
Cooling
daylight
Energy conservation
Energy consumption
Energy efficiency
energy performance
energy savings
Green buildings
Hot climates
Illuminance
Indoor air quality
Indoor environments
Lighting
Mediterranean climate
overheating
Performance evaluation
Process controls
Public buildings
Retrofitting
school buildings
Schools
Sensors
Shading
Shading devices
Software
solar radiation
Summer
Temperature sensors
Winter
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Summary:Most educational buildings in southern Spain do not meet current energy requirements as weak thermal envelopes and the lack of cooling systems lead to severe discomfort in classrooms, especially when temperatures are above 30 °C. Given that global warming is expected to worsen this situation in coming decades, one of the first steps to be taken is to protect window openings from high levels of solar radiation by adding shading devices to reduce indoor temperatures and improve visual comfort. The aim of this research is to evaluate the reduction in thermal and lighting consumption in a classroom where a solar protection system in the form of an egg-crate shading device was installed. Two classrooms—one with an egg-crate device and another with no shading system—were monitored and compared for a whole year. The use of an egg-crate device in these classrooms reduced indoor operative temperatures during warmer periods while also improving indoor natural illuminance levels. Moreover, annual electric air conditioning consumption decreased by approximately 20%, with a 50% reduction in electric lighting consumption. These savings in electricity were largely conditioned by the use patterns observed in these ambient systems.
ISSN:1996-1073
1996-1073
DOI:10.3390/en11102790