Which facade type operates on the principle of a ventilated double skin with an intermediate shading device and reflects most incoming solar radiation back through the external glass?

Which facade type operates on the principle of a ventilated double skin with an intermediate shading device and reflects most incoming solar radiation back through the external glass?

• A. Curtain wall
• B. Double-layered facade
• C. Glass curtain
• D. Solid wall

Answer: (B)

Ventilated double-skin façades use two glass skins with an air cavity and an intermediate shading device to control sun and heat. The shading element reduces direct solar gain, and the airflow in the cavity helps carry heat away, so a large portion of the incoming solar radiation can be reflected back through the outer glass. This combination of two layers, a ventilated gap, and a shading device is what makes the double-layered facade the best description for this behavior. Curtain walls and glass curtains are typically single-skin systems or lack the ventilated cavity with an integrated shading element, while a solid wall has no glazing to reflect solar radiation through external glass.

Ventilated double-skin façades use two glass skins with an air cavity and an intermediate shading device to control sun and heat. The shading element reduces direct solar gain, and the airflow in the cavity helps carry heat away, so a large portion of the incoming solar radiation can be reflected back through the outer glass. This combination of two layers, a ventilated gap, and a shading device is what makes the double-layered facade the best description for this behavior. Curtain walls and glass curtains are typically single-skin systems or lack the ventilated cavity with an integrated shading element, while a solid wall has no glazing to reflect solar radiation through external glass.