Glass surfaces incidence on the energy efficiency of homes: two cases in Tucumán

Abstract

The objective of this work is to demonstrate how the glace surface considerably affects building energy efficiency. Two cases of housing are presented, which consist of two private neighborhood houses located in the metropolitan area of San Miguel de Tucumán. Both were built considering recommended criteria on thermal energy efficiency and using Cassaforma system. This system is very efficient from a thermal energy point of view since it reaches the highest IRAM standards for thermal insulation. However, these cases present a significant window surface, with low thermal performance glazing and no solar protection in most orientations. Their performance is analyzed through EPDA (Passive Architectural Design Strategies) and energy efficiency labeling at their original state. Using the same tools, these houses’ behavior is analyzed considering two possible variants: a 50% window surface reduction and the use of a glass system with a better thermal performance that is available in the local market. It is concluded that carpentry has a high impact on energy behavior in both cases and its reduction allows significant energy savings.

Keywords

• thermal insulation
• envelope
• energy efficiency
• windows
• housing