Improved performance of a PV integrated ventilated façade at an existing nZEB

Abstract

Ventilated façades are among the existing measures to reduce the energy demand in buildings. The combination of this passive heating and cooling strategy with photovoltaics (PV) can drive new buildings towards the current European targets for near or even net zero-energy buildings (nZEB). The present work aims at studying the PV integrated ventilated façade of the nZEB known as “LUCIA” at the University of Valladolid, Spain. First, the transmissivity of the PV façade is measured. Then, the monitoring of the available solar radiation is presented together with the air-dry bulb temperatures indoors, outdoors and inside the ventilated façade. The experimental results permit the validation of a mathematical model that describes the behaviour of the ventilated façade in its current operating modes. The results show that dampers should be closed during winter to let the façade act as a further insulation for outdoor temperatures below 18.4 C to improve energy efficiency. Indoor air recirculation would be helpful during 10% of the winter period.