In the tropical climate, it is challenging when dealing with glaring and hot sunlight. Louvers had become one of the strategies to overcome the heat and glare.

1. THE DESIGN OF LOUVERS
AS SHADING DEVICE & FAÇADE TREATMENT TO OPTIMIZE
DAYLIGHT & IMPROVE BUILDING ENERGY EFFICIENCY UNDER
TROPICAL CLIMATE
Assignment 2a: Building Performance Analysis Using Simulation Modelling
(Methods Worksheet)
MBES2093 - ADVANCED ARCHITECTURAL TECHNOLOGY & INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENT
KIM ZHAO WEI MBE141079
Master in Architecture
Department of Architecture
Faculty of Built Environment
University Technology of Malaysia
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2. Table of Content
1. Building design
2. Simulation Objectives
3. Computer Simulation Test Procedures
4. Base Model – Office Room Configuration
5. Analysis Setting
6. Simulation Result of Test Cases
7. Conclusion
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3. 1.0 BUILDING DESIGN
Simulation Description
The targeted building design is a mix use building for agriculture, commercial and office area. The building
design aims to achieve maximum utilization of daylight with minimum glare by using louvers as shading device.
The shading device will also play a role to reduce solar radiation intake which it could lower the cooling load of
HVAC unit in the office spaces.
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4. 2.0 SIMULATION OBJECTIVES
The simulation will analyze the following performances by using Autodesk Ecotect 2011:
• Daylighting performance (lux)
• Overall distribution of daylight (daylight factor)
• HVAC Load (Wh)
• Solar Gain (Wh)
Subject Title
1 Project Title
PROPOSED MIXED DEVELOPMENT WITH 1 STOREY OF MARKET, 1 STOREY RESTAURANT & CAFÉ
COMBINED INTENSE VERTICAL FARM, 1 STOREY OF LEARNING CENTRE COMBINED
STRAWBERRY VERTICAL FARM, 1 STOREY OF RENTABLE OFFICE COMBINED INTENSE VERTICAL
FARM, 1 STOREY OF OFFICE, 1 BASEMENT FOR STORAGE FLOOR COMBINED VERTICAL FARM
AND 1 BASEMENT CAR PARK ON LOT 11526, JALAN MASJID TANAH, MELAKA FOR MARDI,
SKYGREEN CORP., UPM& PPPKMMT (Persatuan Penjaja-penjaja Dan Peniaga-peniaga Kecil
Melayu Cawangan Masjid Tanah)
2 Building Category (Architect Act) 2
3 Built Up Area 12,140.58 sqm
4 Building Height 23m
5 Building Type 5 Storey building
6 Location Masjid Tanah, Melaka
7 Lot Site Lot 11526, Jalan Masjid Tanah,
8 Lot Size 1 acre
9 Owner’s Name ALOR GAJAH STATE
10 Architect Kimzwarch Design Group
11 Consultant involved
Architect, Civil and Structural Engineering, Mechanical and Electrical Consultant, Land
Surveyor, Quantity Surveyor, Landscape Architect & other relevant specialist.
12 Land Title Commercial
13 Plot Ratio 1 to 4 (Permitted)
14 Contract engaged PAMContract 2006
15 Tendering Selective Tendering
16 Class of Contractor Class C
Brief project description and information. 4

5. 3.0 COMPUTER SIMULATION TEST
PROCEDURES Base Test Model
3D Modelling in
Ecotect Analysis 2011
Test Case Variable:
- No shade
- Vertical louvers
- Horizontal louvers
Revit Materials &
Glazing
Assign materials
Reference Grid Overcast Sky
Date:
22nd, December
Solstice
Time: 1500
Space
Occupancy
Ventilation
Active system
Operational
Hours
Output:
- Daylight Factor
- Daylight Illuminance (lux)
- Cooling Load
Quantitative Analysis:
- Potential for daylight
optimization
- Potential for energy
consumption reduction
for cooling
Discussion:
- Potential for daylight
optimization
- Potential for energy
consumption reduction
for cooling
Office Model
Configuration
Test Cases
Simulation
Definition
Simulation
Result
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6. 4.0 BASE MODEL
CONFIGURATION
Office as part of the main space in the development planning.
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7. 4.0 BASE MODEL
CONFIGURATION Instructions (Revit)
1. Build base model in REVIT.
2. Remember to put room space
annotation (architectural).
3. Note that only window, wall and
floor can be detected by Ecotect.
4. Export into GBXML file.
Instructions (Notepad)
1. Open the exported file with
Notepad.
2. Change the format to Unicode-8
and save as a new file.
3. Ready to be import into Ecotect.
Base Model 1 – No shade
With full glazed window
Room height – 3.5m
Width of Room – 8.5m
Depth of Room – 16m
Width of Window – 8m
Height of Window – 2.5m
Still height – 0.5m
Base Model 2 – Vertical
Shade
Additional vertical shade –
0.06m x 0.45m x 3.3m
(use wall to construct)
Base Model 3 – Horizontal
Shade
Additional Horizontal
shade – 0.06m x 0.45m x
8m
(use floor to construct)
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8. 1 acre
Existing Market
Commercial
Plot ratio: 1:4
Max Floors: 5
Coordinates: 2.3523° N, 102.1089° E
4.0 BASE MODEL - SITE
Tips
Making sure the site orientation and create simulation according to
the site orientation in order to get relevant result.
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9. 4.0 BASE MODEL - SITE
1. The location of the base model is Masjid Tanah, Melaka
with latitude of 2.3523° N, 102.1089° E.
2. The daylight simulations were made at December Solstice –
22st December at 1.30 pm with overcast sky condition of
external illuminance of 20 k Lux . This is because this point
of time it has minimum daylight availability.
3. The climatic data of Malacca are similar to the Singapore
due to their geographical location and coordinates. Thus,
the climatic data of Singapore are employed for the
simulation purposes.
4. The simulations are calculated based on the weather data
from ECOTECT Weather Tool for Singapore via US
Department of Energy (source:
http://www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/energyplus/cfm/wea
ther_data.cfm).
5. Load the weather file from the options below in Ecotect.
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10. 5.0 ANALYSIS SETTING
Import the GBXML file by clicking into import
options in the File Tab.
Choose open as new and let it load.
Checking the model site location through this
option which is to ensure the site orientation.
Activate the analysis grid to allow daylight analysis.
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11. 5.0 ANALYSIS SETTING
In order to expand the analysis to fit the whole
internal space, choose within options from auto-fit
grid to objects.
If the grid does not cover enough space, choose
manually adjust grid extents in adjust grid extents.
You will get a yellow box as shown with red cube at
four of the end of the box.
Click once on the box that you want to adjust and
when it appear solid, click again to move. You can
adjust the box through xyz axis.
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12. 5.0 ANALYSIS SETTING
Once done with the
analysis grid, then scroll to
the bottom to perform
simulation by choosing
Perform Calculation.
A box will pop out for lighting analysis, choose
natural light levels and click next.
Choose over the analysis grid options and if
you have the time for simulation, you may
choose full 3D extents (where it would
simulate the whole ‘yellow box’ that was
adjusted previously.). Proceed with next.
When reaches 4th step of 7th, key in 20000 lux
in the blank provided. Then, proceed with
next.
Finally, press ok once everything done. Wait
for the calculation and you may play with the
data set available and also 2d slice position (if
you choose full 3D extents analysis).
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13. 5.0 ANALYSIS SETTING
Go to analysis to perform thermal analysis of
hourly heat gains/loss. Then choose the
hottest day (average) to conduct the
calculation. With the data, you can speculate
the max energy consumption of the cooling
load of the office spaces.
Set up the office space setting in terms of
general settings like the clothing, room
capacity and so on.
Then, set up on the thermal properties of the
office space like the type of system, thermal
range and operational hour.
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14. Test Model 1 – Without louvers Test Model 2 – Vertical Louvers Test Model 3 – Horizontal Louvers
6.0 SIMULATION RESULTS
DAYLIGHT LEVEL PARAMETER
• Less than 100lux is insufficient daylight.
• Between 100 lux and 2000 lux is useful daylight.
• More than 2000 lux is too much daylight and can
result in visual and thermal discomfort.
RESULT
• Test Model 1 has more than 2000lux near the
opening.
• Test Model 2 & 3 has lux within 200lux to 1800lux.
DaylightLevelDaylightFactorDaylightLevel
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15. HOURLY TEMPERATURES - Sunday 10th June (161)
Zone: 1 Office Room
Avg. Temperature: 30.0 C (Ground 27.5 C)
Total Surface Area: 421.352 m2 (309.8% flr area).
Total Exposed Area: 285.290 m2 (209.8% flr area).
Total South Window: 0.000 m2 (0.0% flr area).
Total Window Area: 21.584 m2 (15.9% flr area).
Total Conductance (AU): 1100 W/°K
Total Admittance (AY): 2565 W/°K
Response Factor: 2.25
HOUR INSIDE OUTSIDE TEMP.DIF
(C) (C) (C)
----- ------- -------- ---------
07 30.0 29.1 0.9
08 30.5 30.0 0.5
09 26.0 30.0 -4.0
10 26.0 31.2 -5.2
11 26.0 32.0 -6.0
12 26.0 32.0 -6.0
13 26.0 32.5 -6.5
14 26.0 32.0 -6.0
15 26.0 33.0 -7.0
16 26.0 31.2 -5.2
17 26.0 31.0 -5.0
18 26.0 31.0 -5.0
19 26.0 30.0 -4.0
20 26.0 30.0 -4.0
21 26.0 29.0 -3.0
22 26.0 29.4 -3.4
23 30.0 29.0 1.0
6.0 SIMULATION RESULTS
Justification of Date Option
• 10th June is recorded as one of the averagely hot day around the year.
• Assuming half of the year is averagely hot, hence the average energy consumption
spent on cooling load can be accounted and analyze in order to propose a better
energy saving design.
• The office space is assume operational from 8am to 10pm at night. The temperature
will be set in the range of 24 to 26 degree Celcius
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16. Result
Case 1 Cooling load per day
HVAC (Wh) = 462061
Case 2 Cooling load per day
HVAC (Wh) = 459096 (1% improvement)
Case 3 Cooling load per day
HVAC (Wh) = 438716 (5% improvement)
Showed that the variation of louvers design will
affect energy consumption for the cooling load.
6.0 SIMULATION RESULTS
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17. 1. Different variation of louvers will affect both daylight penetration and solar
heat gain. However, the reduction of solar heat gain is more significant.
2. During daylight analysis, the result usually came out as unexpected and need
quite a lot of tuning to achieve desirable result.
3. Some error in detection during constructing model in Revit:
• Louvers build with curtain wall system
• Roof build with floors
• Featured columns
4. The overall daylight level in the room is considerable ideal for office work yet
can be improve with light shelves or solar tube.
7.0 CONCLUSION
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