Effects of double glazed facade on energy consumption, thermal comfort and condensation for a typical office building in Singapore

Abstract

Fully glazed facade that has been increasingly used in Singapore causes higher energy consumption and thermal discomfort due to higher solar gain. The use of double glazed facade system with ventilation system is one way to solve these problems. The objective of this paper is to investigate the effects of double glazed facade with ventilation system on the energy consumption, thermal comfort and condensation and compare to single glazed facade system. TAS and CFD software were utilized to calculate energy consumption, thermal comfort and condensation for single glazed facade building as well as double glazed facade building. The simulation results showed double glazed facade with natural ventilation were able to minimize energy consumption as well as to enhance the thermal comfort. Turning the mechanical fans on could also solve the condensation problem due to high humidity. © 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.