Thermal Mitigation of the Indoor and Outdoor Climate by Green Curtains in Japanese Condominiums

Abstract

In recent years, “green curtains” have become one of the most prevalent thermal mitigation methods in Japan. They can be considered as green infrastructure for achieving thermal comfort and reducing energy use. To examine the thermal mitigation effect of the green curtain for practical applicability in the condominium, the indoor and balcony temperatures for 48 days both in households with and without green curtains were analyzed. The balcony globe temperature of the households with green curtains was 0.6 °C lower than that of the households without green curtains, during air-conditioner usage. Furthermore, the air-conditioner usage time of the households with green curtains was 40% less than that of the households without green curtains. The results showed that green curtains are effective for achieving both thermal mitigation and energy saving in a condominium.