Benefits of vent windows - Sponsored Whitepaper

The solar shading industry became aware of the impact of their products on the reduction of energy, CO2 emission, comfort and productivity. The umbrella trade organization ESSO (European Solar Shading Organization) claims substantial energy savings from solar shading. In a well founded paper (ES-SO, 2006) this was demonstrated.

This notion is intensified by the European Commission that issues the Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD). This Directive stimulate Member States to find ways to reduce the energy consumption of buildings by more than 20%. Taken into account that buildings (office buildings and dwellings) are using 40% of Europe's total primary energy, this objective can only be obtained when every potential source of energy saving will be applied and- as will be demonstrated in this report- good solar shading systems are the first.

SOMFY, a manufacturer of control equipment for solar shading and other window systems worldwide, goes one step further by introducing the Management of Dynamic Facades concept that combines the control of solar shading, vent window and Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning system (HVAC).

In this publication a scientific feasibility study will be made about these types of facades, their impact on the performance of HVAC and energy consumption.

Management of Dynamic Facades combined with the Heating Ventilating and Air Conditioning systems (HVAC) are ready to be applied in practice. As indicated in figure 1 it can have controllable inside and/or outside blinds, window openings, shutters, double skin with dampers and blinds inside etc..