Evaluating the Energy Performance of Standard and Nano-Coated Glass Facades Buildings:  Sulaymaniyah City as a Case Study

Noor  Nawzad Abdulkarim; Hoshyar  Qadir Rasul

doi:10.25098/9.2.28

Authors

Noor Nawzad Abdulkarim College of Engineering, Architecture Department, Koya University, Erbil, Iraq
Hoshyar Qadir Rasul College of Engineering, Cities and Regions Planning Department, Polytechnic University, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25098/9.2.28

Keywords:

Standard Glass, nano-coated glass, façade orientation, energy performance, solar heat gain

Abstract

Recently, the increased cooling energy demand has posed additional challenges to buildings, especially in the summer under prolonged exposure to the sun. Consequently, the design of the façade and the choice of glazing are vital in improving energy performance and reducing solar heat gain. The current research examines the effectiveness of nano-coated Low-E glazing VS regular double-glazing on cooling loads of southwest-facing façades of buildings in the governorate of Sulaymaniyah in Iraq. "Autodesk Revit and Autodesk Carbon Insight Analysis" were used to develop the modeling of three mixed-use commercial buildings, which are of different architectural forms, glazing ratios, and zoning inside the buildings. The internal loads with the same local summer climate data were used on all models to focus on the influence of the glazing type. Energy savings by using silver nano Low-E coated glass in the three case studies: Gawhary Mulk saved 40.64%, in Aqary Building, 28.84%, and 24.61% in Mix Brand. Buildings were found to have the greatest performance gains through the use of large, unshaded, southwest-facing units that had high windows-to-wall ratios. In comparison to the ASHRAE Standard 90.1, the nano-glass buildings meet or exceed the recommended cooling energy intensity (173.7 kWh/m²/year); however, in the case of standard glazing, it exceeds this in most cases. These results prove the energy-saving potential of nano-coated glazing, emphasize the decisive role of façade orientation, and justify its usage as a passive measure to cut down the energy consumption of buildings in summer.

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