Field tests on the thermal and lighting performance of external venetian blinds in winter conditions

This paper aims at analyzing the thermal performance of real full-scale buildings with varying the characteristics of external blind systems. In particular, two test-rooms were continuously monitored in winter conditions with the purpose to evaluate the effect of shading systems variation with varying technical features of the opaque envelope system. The experimental apparatus consists of two full scale prototype buildings which architecture has been designed by considering typical Italian residential layout in terms of construction materials and ratio between transparent and opaque envelope area. The shading layout was periodically modified with the final objective to quantify the effect of such modifications in terms of indoor thermal and lighting performance during the winter period.