An assessment of glazing systems suitable for the Mediterranean climate

Abstract

The ever-increasing aesthetically driven demand for fully glazed façades poses a design challenge; not least in controlling the cooling demand of such buildings, especially in a southern Mediterranean climate. This study was concerned with determining which glazing technology would be most suited in a building within the central Mediterranean region to achieve the optimum thermal performance during the cooling season. In this context, this paper experimentally investigates the thermal performance of different forms of glazing assemblies in a southern Mediterranean climate. Based on established standards, local test cells were constructed to assess the thermal performance of room-sized spaces fitted with different types of glazing. A comparative approach was adopted, whereby the thermal performance of a space fitted (sequentially) with four different types of glazing were compared with that of a reference cell along the four cardinal orientations. Results indicate that double-glazed units with a solar-control coating perform best facing South, whereas spectrally-selective, low-emissivity coatings perform better facing the three other cardinal orientations. Solarcontrol film over single glazing improve the thermal performance only marginally whereas uncoated doubleglazed units, are not only the least effective in reducing solar heat gain, but effectively contribute to increased cooling loads due to higher g-values.