The Evaluation of Office Buildings in terms of Shading Devices

ABSTRACT: With the energy crisis of 1973, most architects, engineers, and building owners rekindled their interest in energy efficient building designs. Since then, the implementation of energy efficient designs has dramatically reduced the growth of non-renewable energy consumption in buildings. However, to successfully create these energy efficient designs, architects must consider energy efficient design strategies during the early design stage. After a building is designed, it becomes significantly more difficult to reduce its energy use. To design buildings, many architects tend to rely on simplified analyses and synthesis techniques. A considerable energy conservation chance exists within the building. Energy is needed in a building for room lighting, cooling, air heating, ventilation, etc. However, the utmost energy is used in buildings for air conditioning of rooms. The building energy demand may be reduced to a nice extent if correct passive solar options are used within the building throughout the design level. The employment of passive building concept to achieve comfort within a building could be a growing interest for the building energy conservation. The essential principle in passive solar architecture is to be able to take advantage of climatic conditions through proper location, orientation and sizing of building parts with less mechanical or artificial thermal control measures. In this regard shading devices as examples of passive elements, with different types and orientation prevent direct radiation and through an outward reflection in order that no energy transfer, owing to direct radiation, is taking place. Their position would be most likely outside spaces to supply shadow over the glazed spaces. Openings as the most important parts of a building in terms of thermal control should be taken into consideration at the design stage of a building. There is therefore a need to introduce measures for controlling heat gain into the interior of buildings in order to reduce the cost of cooling of interior spaces. Although shading devices can be considered as very good alternative for reducing heat gain into buildings and day light control in interior spaces, there is still an inadequate application (in terms of type and orientation of shading devices) by construction companies. This study emphasizes on the role of shading element in direct solar energy gain with an enquiry into shading devices and how they can affect users in office buildings. The two cases (Italian and Spanish office buildings) were chosen to highlight the advantages of using proper shading devices. A comparison between the mentioned case studies and Emu Rectorate Office Building in Eastern Mediterranean University, Famagusta/North Cyprus, has been done assessing the correct shading devices deficiencies which reduce the energy efficiency in the case. The study was finalized with a series of suggestions to improve the energy efficiency in the mentioned Cyprus case, Emu Rectorate Office Building. Keywords: Energy efficiency, Thermal Comfort, Office Buildings, Shading Devices …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………