Experimental Full-Scale Test Cell Optimizing for Research of Novel Concepts towards Climatically Active Solar Façade Design

Abstract

The passive solar test facilities have recently been created in many research centers all over the world to analyse dynamic outdoor phenomena on buildings and their components. The main objective of these research activities is primarily to evolve a methodology, improve test methods, validate numerical models and measure real thermodynamic properties of building components under outdoor climate conditions. An integration of advanced material solutions into buildings need to be investigated within specific conditions related specifically to outdoor test methods. A research project on Contemporary concepts of climatically active solar facades at the Brno University of Technology does have an ambition to create an experimental full-scale test cell for research of thermal aspects in progressive advances of future solar façade concepts exposed to the real climate conditions. This paper describes the design optimization phase preceding the test cell assembly. This phase includes the analysis of energy and thermal properties based on parametric study features. Computer simulations based on finite element and volume methods are involved in the optimization process. The proposed optimized test cell design is confronted with parametrization of typical thermal aspects to present final test cell demonstration.