A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction
Window systems play a key role in establishing both the thermal and luminous environments within buildings, as well as the consequent energy required to maintain these for the comfort of their occupants. Various strategies have been employed to improve the thermal and optical performance of window s...
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| Format: | Article |
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Elsevier
2018
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51528/ |
| _version_ | 1848798517010628608 |
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| author | Sun, Yanyi Wu, Yupeng Wilson, Robin |
| author_facet | Sun, Yanyi Wu, Yupeng Wilson, Robin |
| author_sort | Sun, Yanyi |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Window systems play a key role in establishing both the thermal and luminous environments within buildings, as well as the consequent energy required to maintain these for the comfort of their occupants. Various strategies have been employed to improve the thermal and optical performance of window systems. Some of these approaches result in products with relatively complex structures. Thus, it becomes difficult to characterise their optical and thermal properties for use in building performance prediction. This review discusses the experimental and numerical methods used to predict the thermal and optical behaviour of complex window systems. Following a discussion of thermal characterisation methods available in the literature that include experimental test methods, theoretical calculation methods and Computational Fluid Dynamic methods, sophisticated optical methods, such as use of Bidirectional Scatter Distribution Functions (BSDF) to optically characterise complex window systems, are introduced. The application of BSDF allows advanced daylight assessment metrics along with daylight evaluation tools to be used to realise dynamic annual prediction of the luminous environment. Finally, this paper reviews methods that permit the prediction of the combined thermal, daylight and energy behaviour of buildings that make use of complex window systems. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:21:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-51528 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T20:21:01Z |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-515282020-05-04T19:46:23Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51528/ A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction Sun, Yanyi Wu, Yupeng Wilson, Robin Window systems play a key role in establishing both the thermal and luminous environments within buildings, as well as the consequent energy required to maintain these for the comfort of their occupants. Various strategies have been employed to improve the thermal and optical performance of window systems. Some of these approaches result in products with relatively complex structures. Thus, it becomes difficult to characterise their optical and thermal properties for use in building performance prediction. This review discusses the experimental and numerical methods used to predict the thermal and optical behaviour of complex window systems. Following a discussion of thermal characterisation methods available in the literature that include experimental test methods, theoretical calculation methods and Computational Fluid Dynamic methods, sophisticated optical methods, such as use of Bidirectional Scatter Distribution Functions (BSDF) to optically characterise complex window systems, are introduced. The application of BSDF allows advanced daylight assessment metrics along with daylight evaluation tools to be used to realise dynamic annual prediction of the luminous environment. Finally, this paper reviews methods that permit the prediction of the combined thermal, daylight and energy behaviour of buildings that make use of complex window systems. Elsevier 2018-07-15 Article PeerReviewed Sun, Yanyi, Wu, Yupeng and Wilson, Robin (2018) A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction. Applied Energy, 222 . pp. 729-747. ISSN 0306-2619 Complex window systems; Thermal performance; Bidirectional Scatter Distribution Functions (BSDF); Daylight performance; Building modelling https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261918304823 doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.03.144 doi:10.1016/j.apenergy.2018.03.144 |
| spellingShingle | Complex window systems; Thermal performance; Bidirectional Scatter Distribution Functions (BSDF); Daylight performance; Building modelling Sun, Yanyi Wu, Yupeng Wilson, Robin A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| title | A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| title_full | A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| title_fullStr | A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| title_full_unstemmed | A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| title_short | A review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| title_sort | review of thermal and optical characterisation of complex window systems and their building performance prediction |
| topic | Complex window systems; Thermal performance; Bidirectional Scatter Distribution Functions (BSDF); Daylight performance; Building modelling |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51528/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51528/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/51528/ |