The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran

About half of the energy loss in buildings is wasted through windows. Determining the optimum window-to-wall ratio (WWR) for different building facades would reduce such energy losses. The optimum WWR is the window area that minimizes the total annual energy of cooling, heating, and lighting. The pu...

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Main Authors: Jalil Shaeri, Amin Habibi, Mahmood Yaghoubi, Ata Chokhachian
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2019-04-01
Series:Environments
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/6/4/45
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author Jalil Shaeri
Amin Habibi
Mahmood Yaghoubi
Ata Chokhachian
author_facet Jalil Shaeri
Amin Habibi
Mahmood Yaghoubi
Ata Chokhachian
author_sort Jalil Shaeri
collection DOAJ
description About half of the energy loss in buildings is wasted through windows. Determining the optimum window-to-wall ratio (WWR) for different building facades would reduce such energy losses. The optimum WWR is the window area that minimizes the total annual energy of cooling, heating, and lighting. The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimum WWR of different facades of an office building. For this purpose, a sample building is simulated by means of DesignBuilder software in order to investigate the annual solar heat gain, cooling load, heating load, and lighting consumption for the three cities of Bushehr, Shiraz, and Tabriz, and optimum window areas of office buildings for the three cities are determined. Based on the results, the optimum window area for the north building facade for all climates is 20–30%. This amount for the southern facade of the building in Bushehr, Shiraz, and Tabriz is, respectively, 20–30%, 10–30%, and 20–50%. The optimum window area for the eastern and western building facades in Bushehr is 30–50%; in Tabriz it is 40–70%, and in Shiraz it is 20–60% and 40–70%, respectively. The difference between the maximum and minimum energy consumption with different window areas in Bushehr and Shiraz is 20–100% and in Tabriz it is 16–25%.
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spelling doaj.art-ca561cab57dd4bc1aa3b69394716f1242022-12-22T04:01:17ZengMDPI AGEnvironments2076-32982019-04-01644510.3390/environments6040045environments6040045The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in IranJalil Shaeri0Amin Habibi1Mahmood Yaghoubi2Ata Chokhachian3Faculty of Arts and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz 718773-35, IranFaculty of Arts and Architecture, Shiraz University, Shiraz 718773-35, IranSchool of Mechanical Engineering, Shiraz University, Shiraz 7196481334, IranChair of Building Technology and Climate Responsive Design, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, GermanyAbout half of the energy loss in buildings is wasted through windows. Determining the optimum window-to-wall ratio (WWR) for different building facades would reduce such energy losses. The optimum WWR is the window area that minimizes the total annual energy of cooling, heating, and lighting. The purpose of this study is to investigate the optimum WWR of different facades of an office building. For this purpose, a sample building is simulated by means of DesignBuilder software in order to investigate the annual solar heat gain, cooling load, heating load, and lighting consumption for the three cities of Bushehr, Shiraz, and Tabriz, and optimum window areas of office buildings for the three cities are determined. Based on the results, the optimum window area for the north building facade for all climates is 20–30%. This amount for the southern facade of the building in Bushehr, Shiraz, and Tabriz is, respectively, 20–30%, 10–30%, and 20–50%. The optimum window area for the eastern and western building facades in Bushehr is 30–50%; in Tabriz it is 40–70%, and in Shiraz it is 20–60% and 40–70%, respectively. The difference between the maximum and minimum energy consumption with different window areas in Bushehr and Shiraz is 20–100% and in Tabriz it is 16–25%.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/6/4/45window-to-wall ratio (WWR)officesolar heat gainclimateenergy consumption
spellingShingle Jalil Shaeri
Amin Habibi
Mahmood Yaghoubi
Ata Chokhachian
The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran
Environments
window-to-wall ratio (WWR)
office
solar heat gain
climate
energy consumption
title The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran
title_full The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran
title_fullStr The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran
title_full_unstemmed The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran
title_short The Optimum Window-to-Wall Ratio in Office Buildings for Hot‒Humid, Hot‒Dry, and Cold Climates in Iran
title_sort optimum window to wall ratio in office buildings for hot humid hot dry and cold climates in iran
topic window-to-wall ratio (WWR)
office
solar heat gain
climate
energy consumption
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3298/6/4/45
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