Subtasks

The main activities in Task 56 are grouped in the following Subtasks.

Subtask A: Solar envelope systems classification and communication

(Michaela Meir, Norway)

An overview of products and solutions of solar envelope systems, which are presently available on the market, will be made available in Subtask A as a preparatory work for Subtask B and C. In particular, the conditions for the effective deployment of solar envelope systems will be analysed in this Subtask.

In addition, the communication of such factors and of the overall results will be tackled here.

A market analysis will be firstly carried out (Activity A.1) assessing existing solutions through a literature review and the advice of the experts participating. Moreover, standards, test methods and numerical tools will be categorised.

Different products and solutions will be evaluated through a SWOT analysis, accounting for technical and non-technical issues, which in the past have determined the success or the failure of solar envelope systems (Activity A.2).

A major activity of Subtask A will be then to attract and involve central actors, decision makers, planners, builders, architects, experts from research and industry. This will be achieved by the exchange of information generated in all Subtasks through local workshops, newsletters and an updated public website (Activity A.3).

Subtask B: Performance characterisation of solar envelope elements

(Christoph Maurer, Germany)

Subtask B aims to develop tools and strategies to foster the market penetration for industrialised solar envelope systems. In particular, it focuses on the solar envelope elements intended as the sub-systems, strictly incorporated in the building envelope.

Solar envelope elements need to be integrated in the construction process already at an early planning stage. To this purpose, planners need to be provided with the necessary information – i.e. integration parameters, performance measurements and modelling, etc. – when starting their task. The target of the subtask is finally a successful construction process including the transfer of knowledge and models e.g. between the component manufacturers and the planners of the building.

Key here is therefore the involvement of an industrial partnership from the very beginning of the program. The Activities reported next will be elaborated only with reference to the specific elements suggested by the manufacturers involved in the Task.

This Subtask will be built on three main Activities:

• development of strategies for the effective market penetration of solar envelope systems developed by the Task partners
• elaboration of simulation models for solar envelope elements, developed by the Task partners
• development of laboratory tests requirements for performance and functional assessment of solar envelope elements.

Subtask C: Assessment of solar envelope systems at building level

(Fabian Ochs, Austria)

In Subtask C complete solar envelope systems are defined based on active and passive components and integrated into the HVAC system of reference buildings. These buildings are considered as virtual case studies, which the specific envelope elements proposed by the industrial partners are integrated into.

The Task is performed in two parallel and interacting activities:

1. Solutions that are technically and economically meaningful will be identified by means of building and HVAC simulations. A decision support instrument (pre-design tool) will be developed as part of this activity, allowing simplified calculations to be performed.
2. Existing systems will be evaluated by monitoring demonstration systems installed.

The solutions will be evaluated based on reference conditions assessed in Subtask A, and sub-systems and KPIs defined in Subtask B.