Exploring double skin façade as strategy for achieving thermal comfort in proposed mixed use office complex Kano, Nigeria

Abstract

Thermal comfort can be defined as a state of mind which a human feels neither too hot nor too cold. Thermal discomfort in the case of hot humid climates, becomes a great threat to our livelihood and thermal comfort in offices in general. The ability of designers to harness and use the building envelope make life much better and livable is of great importance. This research seeks to use Double skin façade as a strategy for improving indoor thermal comfort by testing the air gap between the double skins. Climate and Weather readings were obtained and used to simulate and check the effect of Double skin façade in improving indoor thermal comfort in office complex. Double skin facade has been suggested by many researchers as a possible alternative technique for improving indoor thermal comfort. The double skin facade study in this research involved computer simulation using Emissions Control Optimization TEChnology (ECOTEC). The result of the final base case model shows that double skin façade can increase the indoor thermal comfort in a building and the wider the air gap, the higher the thermal comfort by showing the hours of comfort and discomfort to the simulated office building. The other important factor is that it can continuously induce the flow of natural ventilation, regardless of the available wind outside of the office complex building. This effect is significant toward improving the thermal comfort performance in the office complex through passive natural ventilation.