Characterization of a naturally ventilated double-skin façade through the design of experiments (DOE) methodology in a controlled environment

Abstract

The two-fold aim of this study was to compare and reflect on the impact of different experimental designs on the characterization of a complex façade system, and to understand the role of constructional elements and boundary conditions on the thermal and fluid dynamic behavior of a double-skin facade (DSF), focusing on the controllability of these phenomena during the operation of the DSF.

We employed and compared four experimental designs capable of assessing factors’ interactions and non-linear behaviors typical of dynamic façades. Experimental data were obtained using a full-scale DSF mock-up, installed in a climate simulator, which was operated in outdoor air curtain mode under boundary conditions typical of the summer season. Similarities and differences between characterizations obtained through different experimental designs enabled us to analyse the impact of different experimental designs and to identify the features that affect the DSF’s performance.

The results demonstrated that the design of experiments methodology could be successfully employed to study the behavior of complex facades. Using more than one experimental design allowed us to obtain a robust picture of the behavior of a naturally ventilated façade. Relevant factors and interactions were also identified and linked to phenomena that determine how the DSF behaves under typical summer conditions.