Performance Analysis of Photovoltaic Integrated Shading Devices (PVSDs) and Semi-Transparent Photovoltaic (STPV) Devices Retrofitted to a Prototype Office Building in a Hot Desert Climate

Abdelhakim Mesloub, Aritra Ghosh, Mabrouk Touahmia, Ghazy Abdullah Albaqawy, Emad Noaime and Badr M. Alsolami
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Abdelhakim Mesloub: Department of Architectural Engineering, Ha’il University, Ha’il 2440, Saudi Arabia
Aritra Ghosh: Environment and Sustainability Institute, University of Exeter, Penryn, Cornwall TR10 9FE, UK
Mabrouk Touahmia: Department of Architectural Engineering, Ha’il University, Ha’il 2440, Saudi Arabia
Ghazy Abdullah Albaqawy: Department of Architectural Engineering, Ha’il University, Ha’il 2440, Saudi Arabia
Emad Noaime: Department of Architectural Engineering, Ha’il University, Ha’il 2440, Saudi Arabia
Badr M. Alsolami: Islamic Architecture Department, College of Engineering and Islamic Architecture, Umm Al-Qura University, Mekkah 21955, Saudi Arabia

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 23, 1-17

Abstract: This paper presents the impact on energy performance and visual comfort of retrofitting photovoltaic integrated shading devices (PVSDs) to the façade of a prototype office building in a hot desert climate. EnergyPlus™ and the DIVA-for-Rhino© plug-ins were used to perform numerical simulations and parametric analyses examining the energy performance and visual comfort of five configurations, namely: (1) inclined single panel PVSDs, (2) unfilled eggcrate PVSDs, (3) a louvre PVSD of ten slats tilted 30° outward, (4) a louvre PVSD of five slats tilted 30° outward, and (5) an STPV module with 20% transparency which were then compared to a reference office building (ROB) model. The field measurements of an off-grid system at various tilt angles provided an optimum tilt angle of 30°. A 30° tilt was then integrated into some of the PVSD designs. The results revealed that the integration of PVSDs significantly improved overall energy performance and reduced glare. The unfilled eggcrate PVSD did not only have the highest conversion efficiency at ? 20% but generated extra energy as well; an essential feature in the hot desert climate of Saudi Arabia.

Keywords: photovoltaic shading device (PVSD); overall energy; tilt angle; visual comfort; energy saving; hot desert climate (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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