Calculation of the Energy Contribution to a Sunspace

EXERCISE 4: CALCULATION OF THE ENERGY CONTRIBUTION OF A SUNSPACE TO THE WINTER THERMAL LOAD OF A BUILDING LOCATED IN TURIN

Based on the results of the preceding exercises, foresee the placement of sunspaces on one or more of the facades of your reference building model.
Then proceed as follows for each sunspace type (characterizing all sunspaces with the same dimensions and thermo physical characteristics):
  a. determine the net sunspace envelop transparent area for each surface orientation;
  b. determine the transparent and opaque area of the walls/windows dividing the sunspace from the indoor space;
  c. determine the monthly average daily global solar irradiation for each sunspace surface using the given table;
  d. draw a schematic representation of shading devices and relevant shading masks to calculate the winter season shadowing factor (1 = no shaded hours; 0 = all hours shaded);
  e. define the characteristics of sunspace windows (ratio of transparent area to total area, glass optical transmittance, glass solar factor, thermal loss transmittance);
  f. define the characteristics of the massive walls dividing the sunspace from the indoor space (thermal loss transmittance, absorption coefficient of the external surface;
  g. apply the EXCEL calculation file to calculate the sunspace energy balance.
When the whole building model is developed, the calculated sunspace energy net contribution will be compared to the winter thermal load of the building.

EXCEL Calculation programme

Terminology

Sheet 1 (fsdg) – Title: Direct solar gain through windows between sunspace and its adjacent indoor room
Input parameters: Name of element
Orientation (S, SE-SW, E, W)
Area [m2]
m   = transparency coefficient (ratio of glazed area to total window’s area, value between 0 and 1); default value = 0.80
   = solar transmission coefficient (ratio of the solar energy entering the room to the solar incident radiation on the glazed element, value...