Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Modelling of Solar Shading

The use of solar shading in future low energy office buildings is essential for minimizing energy consumption for building services, while maintaining thermal conditions. Implementing solar shading technologies in energy calculations and thermal building simulation programs is essential in order to demonstrate the effect of adaptive solar shading. Much literature covers the detailed description of solar shading in correlation with the glazing system. However in order to document the benefits of the shading technology, the description of the shading device in the thermal building simulation software must be described at a reasonably accurate level, related to the specific solar shading device. This research presents different approaches for modeling solar shading devices, demonstrating the level of accuracy in relation to full-scale measurements conducted at Aalborg University. Modeling of solar shading bridges the gap between increased complexity of solar shading technologies and the use of these technologies in thermal building simulation software.