Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region

Energy consumption in buildings plays a significant role in the global energy demand. The European Union has promoted different regulatory directives in the framework of energy efficiency to develop the construction of buildings with nearly zero energy consumption. The main objective of this paper i...

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Main Authors: Francisco Espino-González, María Eugenia Armas-Cabrera, Fernando Montesdeoca-Martínez, Sergio Velázquez-Medina
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Applied Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3694
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author Francisco Espino-González
María Eugenia Armas-Cabrera
Fernando Montesdeoca-Martínez
Sergio Velázquez-Medina
author_facet Francisco Espino-González
María Eugenia Armas-Cabrera
Fernando Montesdeoca-Martínez
Sergio Velázquez-Medina
author_sort Francisco Espino-González
collection DOAJ
description Energy consumption in buildings plays a significant role in the global energy demand. The European Union has promoted different regulatory directives in the framework of energy efficiency to develop the construction of buildings with nearly zero energy consumption. The main objective of this paper is to simulate how the design characteristics of different factors of the window elements of buildings (frame, glass, and shading systems) located in a hot climate region affect their cooling primary energy consumption. For this purpose, a comparative analysis is carried out with multiple simulations of different types of single-family residential dwellings using the EnergyPlus energy model. From the results obtained, it can be deduced that, compared to the standard design configuration, the primary energy consumption for cooling of the buildings studied can be reduced by up to 12.7% and 29.5% by modifying the design characteristics of the frame–glass assembly or the shading system of the window openings, respectively. The conclusions drawn from this study can serve as a reference in normative and regulatory documents affecting the building sector for the establishment of minimum requirements for certain characteristics of the constructive design of buildings.
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publisher MDPI AG
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series Applied Sciences
spelling doaj-art-bb17de85e9294dafbb80e54a0ee5e68f2025-08-20T02:15:55ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172025-03-01157369410.3390/app15073694Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate RegionFrancisco Espino-González0María Eugenia Armas-Cabrera1Fernando Montesdeoca-Martínez2Sergio Velázquez-Medina3Doctoral School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus de Tafira s/n, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainDepartment of Architectural Construction, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus de Tafira s/n, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainDoctoral School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus de Tafira s/n, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainDepartment of Electronics and Automatics Engineering, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Campus de Tafira s/n, 35017 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainEnergy consumption in buildings plays a significant role in the global energy demand. The European Union has promoted different regulatory directives in the framework of energy efficiency to develop the construction of buildings with nearly zero energy consumption. The main objective of this paper is to simulate how the design characteristics of different factors of the window elements of buildings (frame, glass, and shading systems) located in a hot climate region affect their cooling primary energy consumption. For this purpose, a comparative analysis is carried out with multiple simulations of different types of single-family residential dwellings using the EnergyPlus energy model. From the results obtained, it can be deduced that, compared to the standard design configuration, the primary energy consumption for cooling of the buildings studied can be reduced by up to 12.7% and 29.5% by modifying the design characteristics of the frame–glass assembly or the shading system of the window openings, respectively. The conclusions drawn from this study can serve as a reference in normative and regulatory documents affecting the building sector for the establishment of minimum requirements for certain characteristics of the constructive design of buildings.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3694energy efficiencyenergy consumption in buildingshot climatenearly zero-energy building
spellingShingle Francisco Espino-González
María Eugenia Armas-Cabrera
Fernando Montesdeoca-Martínez
Sergio Velázquez-Medina
Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region
Applied Sciences
energy efficiency
energy consumption in buildings
hot climate
nearly zero-energy building
title Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region
title_full Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region
title_fullStr Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region
title_full_unstemmed Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region
title_short Simulation of Building Energy Consumption for Different Design Features of Window Elements: Case Study in a Hot Climate Region
title_sort simulation of building energy consumption for different design features of window elements case study in a hot climate region
topic energy efficiency
energy consumption in buildings
hot climate
nearly zero-energy building
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/15/7/3694
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AT mariaeugeniaarmascabrera simulationofbuildingenergyconsumptionfordifferentdesignfeaturesofwindowelementscasestudyinahotclimateregion
AT fernandomontesdeocamartinez simulationofbuildingenergyconsumptionfordifferentdesignfeaturesofwindowelementscasestudyinahotclimateregion
AT sergiovelazquezmedina simulationofbuildingenergyconsumptionfordifferentdesignfeaturesofwindowelementscasestudyinahotclimateregion