MicroShade; A Bridge to the Future of Efficient Shading Design

Along with many benefits of daylight in interior space, undesirable solar heat gain and glare have been always challenging. Shading strategies like overhang, louvers, manual and automatic blinds, etc.; are to control unfavorable direct sunlight. Solar UV, IR, and glare control glazing materials are increasingly used instead of shading design, especially for high-rise buildings. Notwithstanding the advantages of solar control glazing, there is a concern about how LowE glazing affects the overall daylight availability in a space. On the other hand, in lack of shade, glare is still a big challenge for solar control glazing strategies. In this study, a MicroShade strategy (solar control coating with 37% VT) is proposed in between interior heat-control clear-glass panes and based on an optimized shading design. A single 12’ * 16’ office room is then studied based on a MicroShade window for south orientation and is compared with an ASHRAE 90.1 code approved LowE glazing strategy (65% VT) without shade. Annual daylight simulations show that totally LowE glass window contributes to higher available daylight. However, close to the window, the MicroShade system has less undesirable illuminance (above 2000 lux), and possible glare. The result of glare simulations, for 7 representative days during hot and warm seasons (5 times per day), show not many differences. Although probably due to reflections of MicroShade materials in general MicroShade system shows 1-2 DGP higher than the other two systems, for the times that solar angle is lower, MicroShade plays a better role in terms of glare control.