Investigating the possibility of Transparent Insulation Materials as facade elements

This dissertation examines the possibility of using Transparent Insulation Materials (TIMs) as facade materials. Today's understanding of the increasing problem of Global Warming has led to the introduction of Building Regulations focused on the energy consumption of the buildings. Contemporary architecture trends promote the extensive use of glass because of its transparency and versatility. However glass is a major contributor in the energy demand of a building. For that reason, new materials like TIMs are investigated that will balance the architecture against the environmental behaviour of a building. This study has focused on the energy performance of a typical office building in the UK, with and without transparent insulation materials. Several cases were simulated and examined and all the cases using TIMs showed a better environmental performance than the case that did not. The comparisons between the model cases showed that when TIMs are applied in the North facade of the building its environmental performance is improved mainly because of the reduction in the lighting load. Additionally the good thermal performance characteristics of TIMs contribute in the decrease of heating energy. It looks that TIMs could be the ideal materials in the future for meeting both architectural needs and Regulations' requirements