Studies of the solar factors
In January 2010, Métal Déployé asked the Bénéficience engineering design office, a part of the Elithis Group, to carry out a study on the thermal impact of an expanded metal double skin.
The study’s objective: to estimate in concrete terms the energy gain that might be achieved by an expanded metal double skin on a building.
Hypotheses for the study:
From the Earth’s point of view, the sun is considered to be placed at infinity.
This implies that the rays of the sun are considered to be parallel.
Simulation of the travel of the sun around a cell :
The parameters adopted are those used to describe the path of the sun, azimuth and angular being the same, except that the reference point is placed in the centre of a cell.
The transparency rate is defined as the relationship between the transparent area of a cell and the total area of a cell (the sum of the opaque and transparent areas).
The opacity rate is the inverse of the transparency rate
In the model below, the parameters for the azimuth angles and angular elevation are given:
When performing the study, the following data were taken into consideration:
- Periods :
- Winter
- Spring and autumn
- Summer
- Orientations :
- East
- South East
- South
- South West
- West
- Cities :
- Paris
- Lille
- Nantes
- Lyon
- Marseille
We can perform this study for any other location in France, Europe, or the world. Please contact us for further information.
Results of the study:
The expanded metal double skin has an impact both on cold and on lighting.
The energy needs of a building are reduced by 25 % since it has an effect on both lighting and heat, not to mention the advantages of natural rather than artificial lighting.
The heat shield produces a substantial reduction in heating through the glazing and the double skin. Ventilation obtained through the perforations eliminates the chimney effect: therefore heat does not accumulate.
The expanded metal heat shield: POWER – DESIGN –SOLAR PROTECTION – NATURAL LIGHTING
A daily demonstration is experienced by the employees of the Elithis group because their workplace, the Elithis tower, a High Environmental Quality building, has an expanded metal double skin.
Before choosing expanded metal, others materials were assessed:
| |
HEAT INPUT |
LIGHT INPUT |
DURABILITY |
PRICE |
| PERFORATED SHEET |
++ |
++ |
+++ |
++ |
| PVC SHEET |
++ |
+ |
+ |
++ |
| METAL MESH |
++ |
++ |
+++ |
+ |
| EXPANDED METAL |
+++ |
+++ |
+++ |
++ |