Evaluation of the energy and lighting performances of innovative transparent materials in buildings

Energy consumptions due to the residential and the tertiary sectors is increasing in the whole world, especially during summertime, when the demand of electricity for air conditioning is growing at a very speed rate. In Italy, energy consumptions of residential and tertiary sectors represent 47% of total energy annual demand. The world demographic growth, according to the last projections, will increase the energetic demand by 1.7% per year during the period between 2000 and 2030, reaching 15.3*109 TEP. The economic development of mankind requires therefore to the world energetic system more and more substantial performances. In this context, the need to control greenhouse gases emissions as established by the Kyoto Protocol is may be in contrast with the need to assure the best living conditions in buildings, in terms of both thermal and visual comfort. The energetic crisis requires control of consumption and the introduction, during the design phase, of materials and technologies suitable for energy conservation. Bioclimatic Architecture can be considered as a complex of design solutions able to assure the maintenance of the best condition in terms of environmental comfort, limiting the use of electrical and hvac systems. The bioclimatic design criteria aim at reducing energy consumptions of buildings through energy conservation, passive solar heating and cooling, natural lighting and the use of photovoltaic modules. In Europe the consumption of energy for heating, cooling and electrical lighting reaches 40% of the total consumption of primary energy, so the development of bioclimatic approach represents a good perspective for energy saving and environmental pollution reduction.