Objectives

A centralised information system database containing details and performance data collected from a survey of double skin facades built in the European Union will be established. This database will contain information for the target group - performance, cost-benefit analyses and categorisation of the data. It will include education modules explaining the basic principles of double skin facades and hyperlinks to sources of information on the internet.
The state of the art of double skin facades in different countries and climatic regions will be evaluated. A coherent typology of double skin facades will be developed.
A design guide including best practice examples will be compiled, providing the target group with a common basic scientific, technical and economic knowledge on double skin facades. The design guide will allow the target group to design, choose, manage, use and maintain first of all double skin facades but also buildings including DSF (case studies - good examples of technical solutions and buildings; potential advantages and disadvantages with DSF, situations where DSF can be appropriate, microscopic and macroscopic impacts of double skin facades). The energy demand and consumptions (heating, ventilation, cooling, lighting) of different facade types will be compared and appropriate control strategies will be included. Non energy related issues like acoustics, aesthetics, fire protection, moisture, corrosion, durability, maintenance, repair will be discussed.
An assessment method will be developed, which on the one hand can be integrated in the assessment methods of the EPBD and on the other hand offers sufficient accuracy of the thermal behaviour and the energy performance of the system. Similar to the standardised approach for the winter gardens, trombe walls and the ventilated building envelope parts of the ISO 13790, annex F, a monthly balanced calculation procedure will be developed and evaluated based on sensitivity studies performed in earlier projects of the consortium partners. With this method the thermal and visual behaviour and the energy performance of the facade can be calculated in the future with adequate accuracy for assessments of potentials and a prediction of the efficiency of the facade technology can be derived. By that the energy efficiency and quality of the facade could be European-wide certified where required. This calculation procedure should harmonise with the currently developed CEN-Standards for the implementation of the EPBD.
Default values of typical applications for the standard assessment can be provided and further more system related characteristics can be integrated. With this method the thermal and visual behaviour and the energy performance of the facade can be calculated in the future with adequate accuracy for assessments of potentials and a prediction of the efficiency of the facade technology can be derived.

Benchmarks will be made available to allow users and operators to compare their energy consumption levels with others in the same group, set future targets and identify measures to reduce energy consumption.

Non-technological barriers will be identified, solutions to overcome them will be presented and the results will be incorporated in the dissemination strategy. The analyses will comprise the following non-technological barriers, legal, financial, institutional, standardisation and cultural.
The project results will be disseminated by different strategies, like website, CD-Roms, workshops and presentation at conferences, e.g. Energy Performance and Indoor Climate in Buildings.