Thermo-energetic simulations. Protocol for modelling traditional green facades in cities in arid areas

Abstract

Today's cities face the challenge of adopting technologies that promote sustainable urbanization in order to mitigate urban warming and be resilient to the effects of climate change. This research aims to characterize the optothermal properties of Traditional Green Façades (TGF) during the summer season, and develop a simplified modelling protocol in EnergyPlusTM. To this end, a trial was conducted in the Mendoza Metropolitan Area under controlled conditions with the perennial climbing species called Pandorea jasminoides (white bignonia). Experimentally, it was determined that a reduction of 7.1ºC in the indoor air temperature of a space behind a wall with TGF compared with that recorded in a similar space behind a conventional brick wall. To represent this model in the simulation, a shadow surface -Shadow Surface E+- and an additional material in the envelope representing the mass characteristics of the TGF are implemented. Unlike the methodologies adopted by other authors, this study not only provides a model in EnergyPlusTM that considers the physical and mass properties of the foliage of the climbing plant that makes up the TGF, but also allows this method to be systematically applied to characterize various plant species to develop a database for application in different contexts and building types.