While Double Skin Façades [DSF] are considered one of the advanced techniques of designing energy efficient buildings, the decision to... Show moreWhile Double Skin Façades [DSF] are considered one of the advanced techniques of designing energy efficient buildings, the decision to implement a DSF is usually driven by aesthetics. The project owners and unspecialized architects generally lack the knowledge of which types of DSFs are applicable in different climate zones. In some applications, DSF designs are increasing the energy costs of buildings due to incorrect assumptions during the system selection process. This research aims to come up with result patterns to show which types of DSFs are applicable in each American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers [ASHRAE] climate zone to guide project owners and unspecialized architects during their decision making process, when they choose to design a DSF. Using Building Energy Modeling [BEM] software, various types of DSFs are analyzed at different locations. The thermal performance of the DSF is determined by comparing the building energy use data of a generic office building. The BEM tool chosen to run the analysis is Virtual Environment by Integrated Environmental Solutions [IESVE]. The different types of DSFs are created following a set of parameters such as stratification type, permissibility of airflow, and width of interstitial space. The weather data for different locations is obtained from U.S. Department of Energy [DOE] website. Although there has been much research done regarding the thermal performance of DSFs, there is a significant gap in terms of parametric and location based evaluation. Moreover, previous research tend to focus on a very specific function or type of DSF, while this study aims to create a general guide for practitioners in the decision making level of the building construction industry. M.S. in Civil Engineering, December 2011 Show less
