Review of simulation modeling for shading devices in buildings

Many countries around the world are confronted with the challenge of decreasing energy consumption, while the use of electrical appliances is continuously increasing in buildings. The requirement to minimize the energy consumption can be fulfilled by revaluating architectural aspects. One of these aspects is related to overheating problems, caused by facades with large, glazed portions. In such designs, shading elements must carefully be integrated and considered at an early-design stage in the design process. Shading of buildings is crucial especially in climates with hot summer. It is significant to protect the window from solar radiation in summer while allowing maximum solar radiation in winter. For this reason, precise figures of their performance are needed. As such, simulation tools are often used for identifying the most suitable shading element that suits the building. In literature, there are many studies that have been done to designate the energy performance of shading devices in buildings by using simulation tools. This study focuses both on the shading device types used in the building sector and the previous studies done for designating the performance aspects of different shading devices types. Numerous studies for different building types located in different climatic regions have been reviewed in order to underline the importance of simulation modeling for shading devices in buildings. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.