Influence of Glazing Types on the Indoor Thermal Performance of Tropical High-Rise Residential Buildings

Abstract

In tropical climates, the solar radiation absorption of glazed windows results in overheated indoor environments and increased cooling energy loads during daytime. Meanwhile, situations differ during nighttime. The present study focuses on the effects of glazing type on the indoor temperature in high-rise residential buildings in the hot and humid climate of Malaysia. The primary objective of this study is to assess the effects of six glazing types on the indoor air temperature of the base case room oriented toward the southwest with a Window Wall Ratio WWR of 45% under both ventilated and unventilated conditions. The effects during daytime and nighttime are investigated separately. A computerized simulation tool (Virtual Environment by Integrated Environmental Solutions) is used to conduct the investigation. Penang is selected as the empirical background location of a hot and humid climate. The study found that reflective double glazing exhibits lower indoor air temperature throughout the day regardless of the ventilation condition, with an optimum improvement of up to 107% and 14% in unventilated and ventilated rooms, respectively, compared with single clear glazing. The study recommends the use of reflective single or double glass in regions with a hot and humid climate similar to that of Malaysia.