Energy Performance of Double Skin Facade for Modern Buildings in Hong Kong

Many external facades of modern buildings are extensively glazed to evoke a fashionable, high-tech building image. Double-skin facades—generally composed of an external glazing facade, a cavity space up to one metre wide, and an inner facade of common construction materials and structure—are able to further boost this high-tech image. The double-skin design is recommended for the potentially high energy savings and environmental benefits, the good acoustical performance, the effective screening of urban pollutants, the excellent thermal comfort, the feasible integration with a natural ventilation scheme, and the capability for solar energy utilization and solar control. This project will evaluate numerically the energy performance of the application of double-skin facades in modern buildings in Hong Kong, with particular attention to the cooling and lighting aspects, and it will identify the key design parameters and practical concerns in typical building environments. Guidelines will be developed for the optimal use of double-skin facade technology in the modern buildings of Hong Kong.