Performance Estimation for Ventilated PV Facades

This paper explores different approaches to the performance estimation for ventilated facades. In particular, an extension of the familiar U and g values has been employed to take account of the energy transfer to the facade ventilation air. In total, four terms describing ventilation gains and transmission losses in terms of irradiance and temperature components are defined which characterise the performance of the facade in total. Steady state analysis has been applied in order to express these four parameters in terms of the detailed heat transfer process within the facade. This approach has been applied to the ventilated facade of the public library at Mataro, Spain. Monthly U and g values have been derived and the associated thermal energy gains calculated for various climates.