Structures that Include a Semi-Outdoor Space: Part 1: Energy Performance

There are several examples of buildings that are partially or entirely covered by a
transparent shield, such that a semi-outdoor space between the building and the
shield is created. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the impact of the addition of a shield on the energy use of a building. Two case study buildings were examined; the EMBRACE dwelling, which has a climate shield on two of its sides and the ‘’Dome of Visions (DoV)’’, in which a dwelling is enclosed in a domeshaped climate shield. Simulations were performed using IDA ICE software, where both buildings were simulated in two versions; with and without their climate shield. The results of the two versions were compared in terms of peak load and energy demand in the Copenhagen region, for three different cases; during the heating season, during the cooling season and during the cooling season with natural ventilation in the semi-outdoor space. In EMBRACE, the heating and cooling demand were only slightly affected by the addition of the climate shield. However, when implementing natural ventilation in the semi-outdoor space both the peak cooling load and the energy demand were reduced during the cooling season by 30.8% and 14.6% respectively. In DoV, the addition of the shield resulted in a reduced heating demand (-37.7%) but significantly higher cooling demand (109.8%), although with natural ventilation the peak cooling load and the energy demand were reduced, by 34.8% and 61.6% respectively, compared to the unshielded version of the building.