Active building envelope systems toward renewable and sustainable energy. (April 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Luo, Yongqiang; Zhang, Ling; Bozlar, Michael; Liu, Zhongbing; Guo, Hongshan; Meggers, Forrest
• Is Part Of: Renewable & sustainable energy reviews. Volume 104(2019)
• Page Start: 470
• Page End: 491
• Publication Date: 2019-04
• Subjects: ABE Active building envelope -- AHU Air Handling Unit -- ASHRAE American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers -- BIPV/T Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal -- COP Coefficient of performance -- DC Direct current -- DEC Desiccant, Evaporative Cooling -- DSF Double skin façade -- EC Electrochromic -- EIA Energy Information Administration -- GHG Greenhouse gas -- GSHE Ground source-based heat exchanger -- HVAC Heating, ventilation and air conditioning -- LBNL Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory -- NPV Net Present Value -- ODE Ordinary differential equations -- OECD The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development -- PCM Phase-change materials -- PDE Partial differential equation -- PV Photovoltaic -- TE Thermoelectric -- TEM Thermoelectric module (TEM) -- TEG Thermoelectric generator -- TSC Transpired solar collectors; Active building envelope -- Building performance -- Building wall -- Glazing façade -- Energy efficiency; Renewable energy sources -- Periodicals; Power resources -- Periodicals; Énergies renouvelables -- Périodiques; Ressources énergétiques -- Périodiques; 333.794
• DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2019.01.005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1364-0321

Abstract

Abstract: Although passive building envelope systems dominate contemporary building design, active building envelope (ABE) research, development, and deployment are rapidly growing and present many new ways to address building energy efficiency at the façade level. This paper presents a comprehensive review on the state-of-art-research on ABEs for improving building energy efficiency. First, a clarified concept of ABE is put forward based on two conditions: The ability of lowering cooling/heating loads in buildings, and performing energy transformation as the key judging factors. Second, four major categories of ABEs, namely air-based, water-based, solid-based and kinetic façades, are discussed in terms of their system structural and functional features as well as system performance. In addition, a statistical analysis is performed for a better understanding of current research focus, general trends, as well as research methods. It is found that technical research on ABEs has dramatically increased but the ratio of ABE to general façade studies remains stable. In terms of research methods and approaches, numerical simulations are dominant. Some specific comments on limitations of current ABE studies and general suggestions for the future studies are discussed. Future work suggests the need for contributions from a wide range of scientists, engineers, and architects in the building industry and beyond to push forward building energy efficiency. Highlights: A new and effective definition of active building envelope is proposed. Research tendency, distributions and study methods offer a clear map of active building envelopes. A state-of-the-art review and discussion is presented for active building envelopes. Outlooks and recommendations for active envelopes can facilitate its further development.