Low-Cost Innovative Prototype of Automatically Adjustable Sun Louvers

Authors

  • Prittiporn Lopkerd Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University
  • Srisak Phattanawasin Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University

Keywords:

Low-cost innovative prototype, Automatically adjustable sun louvers, Climate responsive architecture, Exterior shading device

Abstract

The energy crisis and global warming nowadays drive many issues of architectural practice and research fields. One of effective strategies in reducing the heat inside buildings, is to design enclosure responsive to the climate and radiation from the sun. Today, few of intelligent systems imparted to the innovative building skins, have been already developed in the product market, however; these devices unfortunately cannot be offered to all consumers due to their advanced technology and expensive cost. This issue brings up the question how it could be possible to develop the climate responsive building skins by low-cost technology and budget. This research therefore proposes the low-cost innovative prototype of automatically adjustable louvers with real-time solar tracking system. The prototype is composed of steel blades installed with inexpensive adjustable prefab hinges, solar tracker system with light sensor, and local microcontroller board. Applying LUX sensor to measure the light resistant meter and passing the signal to control panel for rotating the louver-blade according to the direct sun angle, is proposed as the key solution for efficiency sun louvers for real-time climate. Also designing the algorithm code on microcontroller board based on Open-source software (OSS), makes this prototype possibly low-cost comparing to other adjustable louvers. This exterior shading device with simple, uncomplicated, and economical systems can be installed into both existing buildings and new constructions, and hopefully be an ideal part of the “green” architectural solution affordable for every single households.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Daniels, K. (1997). Technology of ecological buildings. Basel: Birkhäuser Verlag.

Igoe, T. (2007). Making things talk (1st ed.). U.S.A.: Make Books.

Kamal, M. A. (2013).Le Corbusier’s solar shading strategy for tropical environment: A sustainable approach.Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies, 10(1), 19-26.

Karvinen, T., Karvinen, K., & Valtokari, V. (2014). Make: Sensors: A hands-on primer for monitoring the real world with Arduino and Raspberry Pi. California: Maker Media.

Lenoir, A., Cory, S., Donn, M., & Garde, F. (2013). Optimisation methodology for the design of solar shading for thermal and visual comfort in tropical climates. Proceedings of BS2013:13th Conference of International Building Performance Simulation Association, (pp. 1489-1496). Chambéry, France.

Mestek Architectural Group [MESTEK]. (2012). Product catalog of solar shading louver systems - MESTEK by COLT (MF 10 71 13 - Exterior Sun Control Devices). Retrieved April 1, 2016, from http://www.mestek.com/architectural.asp#.VxG-w_l97IUon.

Noble, J. (2009). Programming interactivity. U.S.A.: O’Reilly Media Inc.

Ots, E. (2011). Decoding theoryspeak: An Illustrated guideto architectural theory. London: Routledge, 180-181.

Phattanawasin, S., &Lopkerd, P. (2016). Development and innovation of exterior shading devices for climate responsive architecture. Journal of Architectural/ Planning Research and Studies, 13(1), 35-48.

Sreshthaputra, A. (2007).Green architecture: The sustainability challenge. ASA – Journal of Architecture, 10:51-11:51, 70-76.

Srisutapan, A. (2010). Daylight in architecture. Bangkok: Thammasat University Press.

Srisutapan, A. (2014). Potential of energy saving from daylight usage under ministerial regulation. Journal of Architectural/Planning Research and Studies, 11(2), 37-52.

Tavares, S. G., & Silva, H-D. C. (2007). Brazilian solar architecture: An analysis of MESP daylighting system. Proceedings of ISES World Congress 2007, 1(5), 476-480.

The Association of Siamese Architects Under Royal Patronage [ASA]. (2008). The Architectural Design Awards 2008. ASA – Journal of Architecture, 08:51- 09:51, 87.

Wankanapon, P. (2011). Integrated passive daylighting for climate change: Energy efficient school. Pathumthani: Thammasatpress.

Wilson, R. (2014). 10 Key questions about exterior shading. Retrieved April 1, 2016, from http://www.constructionspecifier.com/10-key-questions-about-exterior-shading/.

David, M., Donn, M., Garde, F., & Lenoir, A. (2011). Assessment of the thermal and visual efficiency of solar shades. Building and Environment, 46(7), 1489-1496.

Haase, M., & Amato, A. (2006). Sustainable facade design for zero energy buildings in the tropics. Proceedings of the 23rd International PLEA conference, (pp. 6-8). Geneva, Switzerland.

Lopkerd, P. (2015). The prototype development of low- cost solar tracking system for adjustable sun louvers. Proceedings of the 6th Built Environment Research Associates Conference 2015 (BERAC 6), July 17, 2015, (pp. 42-48). Pathumthani, Thailand: Thammasat University.

Ochaoa, C. E., & Capeluto, I. G. (2008). Intelligent facades in hot climates: energy and comfort strategies for successful application. Proceedings of the 25th Conference on Passive and Low Energy Architecture, (p. 25). Dublin, Ireland.

Ragheb, A., El-Shimy, H., & Ragheb, G. (2016). Green architecture: A concept of sustainability. Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences, 216, 778 – 787.

Schwartz, M. (2014). Arduino home automation. Birmingham: Packt Publishing.

St. Laurent, A. M. (2008). Understanding open source and free software licensing. USA: O’Reilly Media.

Velikov, K., & Thün, G. (2013). Responsive building envelopes: Characteristics and evolving paradigms. In F. Trubiano (Ed.), Design and construction of high performance homes: building envelopes, renewable energies and integrated practice (pp. 75-93). Oxford: Routledge.

Downloads

Published

2018-12-03

How to Cite

Lopkerd, P., & Phattanawasin, S. (2018). Low-Cost Innovative Prototype of Automatically Adjustable Sun Louvers. International Journal of Building, Urban, Interior and Landscape Technology (BUILT), 12, 47–58. Retrieved from https://ph02.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/BUILT/article/view/169209

Issue

Section

Research Article