Adaptive Use of Solar Energy through the Building Envelope. Reduction of total energy consumption by Air-Conditioning Systems

The paper is devoted to the analysis of possibility for construction of low energy buildings with envelopes controlled for minimization of energy consumption by air conditioning systems. It describes the possibilities to reduce energy consumption of large public buildings in summer time when there are the highest electricity demands for cooling. Energy consumption depends on parameters of outdoor and indoor air, energy performance of the envelope and inside heat and moisture emissions. The paper gives a complex mathematical model for controlled envelope’s thermal resistance depending on outdoor parameters. It proposes constructive suggestion to create buildings whose walls, roofs and glassed surfaces have changeable thermal characteristics and methodology of control for separate elements (double skin facades, multiple films on windows, ventilated curtain walls, automated venetian blinds). The paper analyses the impact of building envelope thermodynamic characteristics on the parameters of supply air in air conditioning systems. It describes the change modes of thermal resistance and resistance to solar radiation considering the different states of inside and outside air conditions. As the result the paper gives theoretical algorithm of regulation of building envelope thermodynamic characteristics in ideal conditions based on minimization of energy use by air conditioning systems