Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Integrated Shading Devices (PVSDs) and Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic (STPV) Devices Retrofitted to a Prototype Office Building in a Hot Desert Climate

This paper presents the impact on energy performance and visual comfort of retrofitting photovoltaic integrated shading devices (PVSDs) to the façade of a prototype office building in a hot desert climate. EnergyPlus™ and the DIVA-for-Rhino© plug-ins were used to perform numerical simulations and pa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Sustainability 2020-12, Vol.12 (23), p.10145
Main Authors: Mesloub, Abdelhakim, Ghosh, Aritra, Touahmia, Mabrouk, Albaqawy, Ghazy Abdullah, Noaime, Emad, Alsolami, Badr M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Alternative energy sources
Architecture
Arid climates
Attitude (inclination)
Buildings
Case studies
Corporate headquarters
Deserts
Design
Electricity
Energy
Energy consumption
Energy conversion efficiency
Energy resources
Engineering schools
Green buildings
HVAC
Lighting
Office buildings
Performance evaluation
Photovoltaic cells
Photovoltaics
Retrofitting
Shading
Shading devices
Slats
Solar energy
Sustainability
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Summary:This paper presents the impact on energy performance and visual comfort of retrofitting photovoltaic integrated shading devices (PVSDs) to the façade of a prototype office building in a hot desert climate. EnergyPlus™ and the DIVA-for-Rhino© plug-ins were used to perform numerical simulations and parametric analyses examining the energy performance and visual comfort of five configurations, namely: (1) inclined single panel PVSDs, (2) unfilled eggcrate PVSDs, (3) a louvre PVSD of ten slats tilted 30° outward, (4) a louvre PVSD of five slats tilted 30° outward, and (5) an STPV module with 20% transparency which were then compared to a reference office building (ROB) model. The field measurements of an off-grid system at various tilt angles provided an optimum tilt angle of 30°. A 30° tilt was then integrated into some of the PVSD designs. The results revealed that the integration of PVSDs significantly improved overall energy performance and reduced glare. The unfilled eggcrate PVSD did not only have the highest conversion efficiency at ȵ 20% but generated extra energy as well; an essential feature in the hot desert climate of Saudi Arabia.
ISSN:2071-1050
2071-1050
DOI:10.3390/su122310145