SIMULATION AND MONITORING CAMPAIGN IN A SUNSPACE, ANALYSIS OF ITS INFLUENCE OVER THE BUILDING THERMAL PERFORMANCE. A CASE STUDY.

Abstract

The thermal performance of a sunspace attached to a bioclimatic building in Madrid has been studied. As a passive strategy, combines naturally the effect of the direct solar radiation and the absorption of the opaque constructive systems and the thermal properties of the air enclosed in the sunspace. During the winter, the sun warms the air enclosed allowing to use it as a natural collector of warm air to introduce it in the inner areas. During the summer, it’s a buffer space who prevent the influence of the ambient conditions in the inner areas. In the case studied, most of the recommended passive strategies formulated in other theoretical studies has been implemented. The experimental results show a thermal performance which prevent the overheating effect in summer, shown in other studies. In this case, the higher values of temperatures in the sunspace are reached during the winter, not in summer; it demonstrate the potential saving of energy consumption of the inner areas attached to the sunspace. The experimental data were compared with numerical results using EnergyPlus, showing a good accuracy among them and validating the simulation; predict the thermal performance makes easier the design phase. Keywords: Monitoring; Energy simulation; Bioclimatic architecture; Sunspace