Highly insulating glass facades in multi-storey buildings - Measurements and evaluation

Future highly insulating types of glazing introduce new perspectives for the use of glass in architectural design of energy-efficient buildings. The project demonstrates how the new types of glazing and glass facades can be incorporated in multi-storey buildings. It also demonstrates how to achieve new facade expressions as well as spatial and lighting effects by using highly insulating glass facades while at the same time meeting future requirements as stipulated in the Danish Building Regulations (BR).

The aim of the project it to establish the expected energy consumption and good indoor climate of a multi-storey building built in a Copenhagen suburb. The building has 5 storeys with a total of 24 dwellings and a south facade with a multi-openable facade system consisting of folding doors with low-energy glazing. Energy consumption is expected to be somewhat lower than stipulated in the current Building Regulations as described in By og Byg Results 030 'Openable glass facades in new multi-storey building' (2003). This approaches the requirements in the future BR 2005 and at the same time achieves good architecture, good daylight conditions and a good indoor climate during winter without undesired heat during summer.

Measurements show if the building meets the expectations. They are carried out while the building is occupied. The measurements include 1) registrations of the consumption of electricity, heating and water; 2) registrations of indoor temperatures and relative humidity rates; 3) measurements of air change rates during autumn and winter; 4) registrations of luminance conditions; and 5) measurement of U- and g-values. The measurements are supplemented with questionnaires and interviews with the occupants concerning their use of the building, their perception of its qualities and their experience from their first 6 months of occupancy.

The measurement programme is the second and last phase of the project, a continuation of the first phase funded via EFP 2001, a Danish governmental energy research programme.