Influence of the green faades in the thermal

performance of corporate buildings in central region of

Chile.

Abstract:
Background:
Seems the last big financial crisis occurs in Chile the year of 1999, this country has grow
exponentially every year in many areas. One of the biggest developments has been in the
construction area, bringing with this a growth in energy consumption, especially in terms of
commercial and public buildings. This situation has being take for many architects like an
opportunity to explore environmental strategies that for many reason, (been the economic cost
one of the principal); they were unable to apply before. On the other hand, the largest
corporations are been the ones with the economic power and the firsts willing to invest in the
area of environmental constructions, under the impression that a big corporation has to be in
the vanguard of technology. One of the more highlight strategies has been the application of
vegetation on the facades in corporate buildings adding with this to the building the visual
concept of sustainable. On the other hand, a big issue has come out of this application making
the green facades in some buildings become no more than a corporation image rather than
actual environmental strategies that contribute to the performance of the buildings.
Purpose:
This study aims to analyze the thermal performance of the external envelope in the corporate
buildings with green facades application and quantify levels of achieved comfort and energy
saving in acclimatization through passive environmental strategies in central zone Chilean
climate.
Method:
This study assess through dynamic thermal simulation 2 corporative buildings in which
environmental strategies base on green facade were applied with the assumption of improve
environmental performance of those buildings. This study predicts internal temperatures and
level of thermal comfort achievement having in consideration the actual environmental
strategies applied in the external envelope. This aims to compared this two buildings in terms of
the green facades performance and how this performance can by affected by location, climate
and other factors.
Results:
Conclusin:

Research question:
1) How the green facades contribute to the environmental performance of the building?
2) How significant are the green facades performances in those buildings in terms comfort
quality and energy efficiency?
3) Are the green facades well implemented in terms location, climate and the architectural
concept of the building?
Methodology:
Introduction:
The principal aims of this research are to quantify the real efficiency of the environmental
strategies that are been applied in the external envelope in the corporations buildings of Chile
and to show the impact of these in terms thermal performance and of energy consumption in
the building. On the other hand, the research aims to study the interaction between the
environmental strategies and the corporation image and the integration of these concepts into
the design process.
Step 1: Study the environmental strategies in corporate buildings Literature review.
Study the functionality of the environmental strategies and their roll in the building performance
in terms of Building Typology, Design Considerations, Strategy Interactions, Integrating LowEnergy Concepts into the Design Process Maintenance, Costs and their relation with energy
savings.
Step 2: Study the main roll of the green faade in the corporate building through literature
review.
Analysis the present scenario in specific cases of corporate buildings in the central region in
Chile, base on the relation between the corporate image with the building and the wrong use of
the concept of sustainability.
Step 3: Analyse the more emblematic Chilean corporative buildings last build in terms of
environmental performance.
This study aims to analysis through quantitative data the performance of the building base on:
1) Quantitative thermal analysis through dynamic simulation taking in consideration building
materials, environmental strategies, climate conditions, and activities inside the building.

2) Quantitative daylight analysis through computer simulation, taking in consideration location,

materials.
3) Quantitative ventilation performance through excel work document, taking in consideration,
external and internal temperatures, heat gains and loss, other climate aspects.

Step 4: Environmental performance comparison between previous analyses of

corporative buildings in Chile.
Compare the data obtain from the simulations in terms of thermal performance and daylight
performance in correlation with the environmental strategies applied in each building. The aims
of this comparison are identify which environmental strategies are best applied taking in
consideration Design, Strategy Interactions, Low-Energy Concepts and Maintenance.
Step 5: Conclusion from analysis and possible improvement in the actual environmental
strategies.
Identify possible weakness in the application of the environmental strategies in terms
performance, Design Considerations, Strategy Interactions. Therefore, possible suggestions to
improve the environmental performance will be made.

Introduction:

Chile is a country that has experienced a huge economic developed through the past 10 years.
One of the biggest developments has been in the construction area, bringing with this new
typology of buildings with new requirements . Parallel to this develop this country has been to
face serious issue in terms of energy supply during the past 40 years. The history of Chile has
been always highlight for energy supply problems, seems 1968 when the luminous signboard
was prohibited, 1989 the first electrical saving plan was applied and in 2007 & 2008 Argentina
decide to cut the gas supply try to solve their own necessities of energy.

One of the main sources of energy consumption this country has is the commercial, public and
residential area with a 26% , being the second larger area with energy consumption after
transport with a 35%.Take these facts in consideration, in 2011 a great controversial was
created in Chile base on the type of energy resources the country should reach for the future,
base on high level of energy consumption creating blackouts and controversial approvals in
government projects in terms of energy resources. Base on this, many corporations are been
trying to embrace the concept of sustainability by creating green image. However in some
situations the image can overcome the actual environmental strategies of these buildings,
compromising their performances, therefore becoming the building in a commercial image
rather than an actual commitment with the environment.

Many of the environmental strategies are being applied in the external envelope of these
buildings; with the intention of protect the users from the external conditions and the same time
searching for certain degree of exposure creating a corporate image thought this applications.
One of the strategies that has been most highlighted in this country in told buildings has been
the green facades, mostly for the thermal and lighting benefits that this environmental strategies
brings with it. On the other hand, the other reason that the green facades has been so
successful is mostly base on bring vegetation into the building and how easily this can be
associated with the concept of sustainable.

However, some buildings that have been applying green facades in their external envelope,
they havent perform accordingly the expectation after a green facade being applied been the
main reason that they are failed to carry out some pre design strategy that involve aspect like:
location, opening typologies, sun path, vegetation typology, vegetation adaptation to the local
climate etc .Making the green facade in these cases not a suitable environmental strategy to
these buildings.

On the other hand, the economic situation of the country offers the opportunity of keep
improving the application of environmental strategies in buildings; making the corporate
buildings one of the first group of buildings in Chile that show application of environmental
strategies in their constructions, this also has become an example to the government and
industries to reach for buildings environmental friendlys in different areas, especially in times
where reduce the energy consumption is become essential to the way of life.

Hence, this investigation will evaluate the thermal performance of the passive environmental
strategies in 2 of some of the most representative corporation buildings in Chile on terms of
green facades application on corporate buildings.

1. Literary review:

1.1 Energy consumption in Chile:

The energy consumption in Chile has grown maintaining a relatively stable composition in time.
They are own characteristic of the local consumption that are unique respect to other countries
of the region. Although the hydrocarbons consume constitute the main group of power in the
country, the biomass has played an important and stable roll in the national power consumption,
mainly in the regions of the South of Chile. The commercial, public and residential sector
represents 25% of the final energy consumption. The main source of energy in this sector is the
firewood, used mainly to cook and heating, which corresponds to 47% of total the power
consumption and creates environmental problems and complications relative to the sustainable
handling of the resources. The electricity and the products derived from petroleum almost have
the same importance in terms of final demand (23% and 20% respectively) the natural gas has
increased their importance, and at the moment it represents 9% of the final consumption in this
sector.
Chile has experienced an important growth of its power consumption during the last decades,
which are especially highlighting in the electrical sector. The final consumption of energy has
grown an average of 2.8% per year during last the 10 years whereas the electricity consumption
has increased in an annual average near 6%. Bring with this great energy problem to the
country, also a great controversial base on the type of energy resources the country should
reach for the future creating blackouts and controversial approvals in government projects in
terms of energy resources.

(Table 1)

(Table 2)

1.2 The image of sustainability

One of the issues that have come to show in many corporate buildings in Chile has been the
application of environmental strategies having like aim the creating of a corporate image that
can be relate with the concept of sustainability and through this enhance the commercial value
of the building and corporation rather than search for real efficiency in the buildings. One
organization that has been aware of this matter is Urbanarbolismo from Spain, been their main
goals the search of energy efficiency through application of vegetation in buildings. Thurs, one
of the critics that this organization is been focus on the wrong used of the concept of
sustainability.
(Jordi Serramia Rui, Urbanarbolismo; una variante de CognitiveCombine WM,2011).
Any of the answers to the question: what is sustainability? it is incomplete in the complexity of
the world in which we lived nowadays, on the other hand, everybody want to aim towards the
sustainability. If something is certain it is that the sustainability has a great advertising value,
adding to the market a product that serves to calm our ecological consciences like consumers.
So something is sustainable is necessary only to paint it green and then associate at least
with one characteristic to with the sustainable slogan like for example: it works with solar
energy, consumes less energy or is biodegradable, also serve other diffuse qualities but
like: is environment friendly , is ecological or, simply, it is a green product.

Picture 1

Picture 2

A vegetal facade as the one of the Caixa forum,in Madrid, Spain(picture 1,2) it gives a clear and
unequivocal ecological image of the building, is truth that these facades absorb CO2 and act to
a certain extent like thermal insulators, nevertheless, the system of Patrick Blanck has a very
high and unacceptable water consumption, if we talk in sustainability terms, for a city like
Madrid. In any case, the green image and the mediatic repercussion are worth it. The truth is,
that vegetation in the architecture has become a fashion, the appearance of the green in the
buildings is multiplied, as it makes reference Jason King in Got Maintenance, without care of as
it is the ecological cost of its maintenance. The vertical garden of the Mutual tower of Madrid
during the night becomes a green light for the city; everybody talks of the CO2 that absorbs that
garden, nevertheless nobody knows the CO2 that produces its nocturnal illumination and its
maintenance.

1.3 The environmental strategies in corporate buildings.

Thanks to so corporation that have decide to applied environmental strategies in their building
these strategies are beginning to have an impact in the way to build in Chile, applying strategies
that have direct relation with energy savings in corporate buildings and the same time help them
to create and image to corporation.
The environmental strategies are an essential part in the process of integration building
strategies having the main goal to achieve a low-energy building design. One of the main rolls
of the thermal strategies in low-energy building is to contribute as much is possible to the
thermal performance of the building by reducing the energy consumption that it is use to keep
the comfort level that the users require to perform their activities.
According to Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines from Federal Energy Management
Program of USA.
The whole-building approach is easily worth the time and effort, as it can save 30% or more in
energy costs over a conventional building designed in accordance with Federal Standard 10
CFR 435. Low-energy design does not necessarily have to result in increased construction
costs. Indeed, one of the key approaches to low energy design is to invest in the buildings form
and enclosure (e.g., windows, walls) so that the heating, cooling, and lighting loads are
reduced, and in turn, smaller, less costly heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems are
needed.
In terms of design strategies the Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines highlight:
While basic techniques and concepts are important, of greater relevance to a given building
project are the specific low energy building design techniques themselves. One key element of
low energy building design is the inventive use of the basic form and enclosure of a building to
save energy while enhancing Occupant comfort. Low-energy building design combines energyconservation strategies and energy-efficient technologies. Low-energy design can also inspire
planning concepts, such as interior private
offices that borrow light from open office spaces at the buildings perimeter.

Basic energy-saving techniques should be used to reduce building energy use.

Siting and organizing the building configuration and massing to reduce loads.
Reducing cooling loads by eliminating undesirable solar heat gain.
Reducing heating loads by using desirable solar heat gain.
Using natural light as a substitute for (or complement to) electrical lighting.
Using natural ventilation whenever possible.
Using more efficient heating and cooling equipment to satisfy reduced loads.
Using

computerized

GUIDELINES)

building

control

systems.

(LOW-ENERGY

BUILDING

DESIGN

1.4 benefits of energy efficiency:

To reach for energy efficiency in a building can be laborious task at the moment to design, but
the nevertheless the improvements of the building can be reflected in many aspects suck as:
financial in terms of energy savings, increasing the value of the building and therefore
increasing the value of the corporation, create new business opportunities. All these aspects are
well illustrated for the international chamber of commerce:
(Discussion paper, International chamber of commerce, commission Environment and energy,
19 November 2009).
Energy efficiency is a fundamental element in the progression towards a future low-carbon
economy. Actions to increase energy efficiency can make a significant impact in squaring the
circle between an increased demand for energy and environmental protection, ensuring a move
towards a more sustainable energy future.

There is a strong business case for energy efficiency, it enables companies to save costs,
improve their competitiveness and overall productivity. Moreover there are also opportunities to
develop new businesses that enhance efficiency across countries and sectors. However,
several barriers remain to energy efficiency improvements.

Reinforcing the market for energy efficiency through innovative mechanisms, such as
standards, labels, public-private partnerships and energy performance contracting, may lead to
increased certainty and demand for energy efficiency which will foster private sector initiatives.

The buildings and residential/commercial energy-using equipment sectors in particular has a

high potential for large cost-effective energy savings.

2. The vegetation in buildings:

Before to study how the green faades can contribute to the building performance is necessary
to understand the behave of vegetation and how the relation between this two element can work
together. The integration of the vegetation in buildings can be made in all type of spaces, outer
or inner. The vertical gardens in interior spaces count on multiple advantages that improve the
atmosphere in the building. The Evapotranspiration and the effects of isolation contribute to
regulate the temperature that becomes lower cost at the time of cool the air. Each vertical
garden has a great capacity to fix CO2 and to release oxygen; certain vegetal absorb pollution
produced by our daily objects. In offices and houses are chemical substances (formaldehyde,
the carbon benzene, tricloroetileno and monoxide) that are cause of diverse problems of health.

2.1 Definition of Evapotranspiration

(Encyclopaedia of earth, Published: August 3, 2010, Edited: August 3, 2010, Lead
Author George Burba, Contributing Authors: Jason A. Hubbart, Michael Pidwirn)
Evapotranspiration (ET) is a term describing the transport of water into the atmosphere from
surfaces, including soil (soil evaporation), and from vegetation (transpiration). The latter two are
often

the

most

important

contributors

to

evapotranspiration.

Other

contributors

to

evapotranspiration may include evaporation from wet canopy surface (wet-canopy evaporation),
and evaporation from vegetation-covered water surface in wetlands.
The process of evapotranspiration is one of the main consumers of solar energy at the Earth's
surface. Energy used for evapotranspiration is generally referred to as latent heat flux; however,
the term latent heat flux is broad, and includes other related processes unrelated to
transpiration including condensation (e.g., fog, dew), and snow and ice sublimation. Apart
from precipitation, evapotranspiration is one of the most significant components of the water
cycle.
Factors affecting evapotranspiration

The rate of evapotranspiration at any location on the Earth's surface is controlled by several
factors:

Energy

availability.

The

more energy available,

the

greater

the

rate

of Evapotranspiration. It takes about 600 calories of heat energy to change 1 gram of liquid
water into a gas.

The humidity gradient away from the surface. The rate and quantity of water vapor
entering into the atmosphere both become higher in drier air.
The wind speed

immediately

above

the

surface.

The

process

of

evapotranspiration

moves water vapor from ground or water surfaces to an adjacent shallow layer that is only a few
centimeters

thick.

When

this

layer

becomes

saturated

evapotranspiration

stops.

However, wind can remove this layer replacing it with drier air which increases the potential for
Evapotranspiration

2.2 benefits
2.2 application

3. Study cases:
3.1 buildings information:

Projects

sqm site

sqm build

year of
construction

x sqm

Architecs

Consorcio building
Santiago Branch

3.781 sqm

26.720
sqm

1990-93

574,47 x
sqm

Enrique
Browne
Borja
Huidobro

Consorcio building
Concepcion Branch

1.096 sqm

2.766 sqm

2003-2004

476,01 x
sqm

Enrique
Browne

3.2. Plans:
3.2.1. Consorcio building
3.3 general environmental design concepts
3.3.1 Lighting strategy of Consorsio building Concepcion branch
Pictures and graphs
3.3.2 Heating strategy
Pictures and graphs
3.3.3 Ventilation strategy
Pictures and graphs
3.4 Building materials
Characteristic of materials sections of materials with roof materials composition, U-values,
thickness of materials

4. Microclimate analysis
4.1 microclimate analysis of Santiago

Latitude 3326'
Longitude 7037

Picture 4

Picture 5

The Literary cafe is located in Santiago City, the Capital of Chile. Santiago is the principal city;
located almost in the middle of the country. The latitude is the main element that determines
the Chilean climate. Santiago counts with a Mediterranean climate, being the summer season
since December through February (the thermometers go up to 30C in this season) and winter
since May through August, and the annual average is of 14C.
During the year there is a 52% of clear sky condition over Santiago which means that any
system of illumination based on natural lighting could be useful.
During almost haft of the year (47%) the external temperature is below the comfort range, this
means that heat loss must be prevented during this period. On the other hand the other haft of
the year (42%) the external temperature is in the comfort range, which means passive cooling
system could be viable in this period.
Santiago Sky conditions during occupancy
Hours 9:00 -20:00 mon-sun

Santiago averages temperatures during the year

4.2 microclimate analysis of Concepcion

Pictures and graphs
5. Analysiss of buildings
5.1Site microclimate analysis

Before analyse the inside daylight performance is crucial to understand the solar geometric
relation between Consorcio building with the surrounding buildings. It must be take in
consideration that by the time that Consorcio building was project it and build , there was not
building that obstruct

5.2 Quantitative analysis: daylight performance

5.2.1 Daylight performance of Consorcio building offices, Concepcon branch

(CIBSE Guide A, M.Humphreys (Oxford Brookes University), 2006: page 1.8.1)

Lighting in a building has three purposes:
To enable the occupant to work and move about in safety
To enable tasks to be performed correctly and at an appropriate pace
To create a pleasing appearance.
In this specific study cases was essential to determine which was the transmittance value of
vegetation being the main reason that the exterior layer that represent the vegetation has an
impact inside the offices in terms of light quality and distribution. Therefore, in this case the
vegetation layer was applied with a 0.35 in transmittance value base on previous studies in this
subject. (Reflectance and Transmittance of Light by Leaves,Joseph t. Woolley, publication on
November 5, 1970) transmittance and reflectance curves were recorded for wavelengths from
0.45 (in some cases 0.34) to 2.7 micrometers for faces and backs of leaves and for stacked
leaves of several plant species. Measurements were made at different angles of illumination.
The daylight study focus in the performance of the area was the offices are being these ones
were the green facade surround.

Case without green facade

Case with green facade

Table results:

Daylight
Factor
(minimum)

Without
green
facade
4.12%
With
green
facade

case

Daylight
Factor
(average)

1.87%

uniformity
ratio

illuminance
overcast/
average

illuminance
sunny/
average

CIBSE
recommendati
on (minimum)

1.29%

0.31

238.33 lux

1128.35lux

300500 lux

1.14%

0.6

110.01 lux

486.29lux

300500 lux

If we take in consideration that the green facade suppose to bloom from sprint and it will keep
blossom until summer season it can be by said in terms of daylight performance, that the green
facade contribute to keep the lux levels in range of what is recommended for Offices base on
CIBSE guide. Nevertheless, the acceptable daylight factor in a office desk is between 4 and 6 %
also taking in consideration the daylight factor percentage is measure in overcast sky and most
of the time this climate condition is presented on winter when the green facade has disappear,
the analysis show that without the green faade the offices are reaching the 4% in daylight,
what it acceptable. However, some studies were made in terms of daylight factor, taking in
consideration that the green facade were still present, this was made take in consideration that
the city of Concepcion still present a considerable percentage of cloudy day on summer when
the green facade still present. In this case the daylight factor drops to a considerable 1.87%
thus, not accomplish the necessary daylight to perform office activities.

Lux levels in sunny day with vegetation

Lux levels in sunny day without vegetation

Without green facade

U.R. =0.3
With green facade
U.R. =0.6

On the other hand, the application of the green facade helps to maintain the uniformity of light
inside the offices, at cost of keeping a really low daylight factor. In this case the priority is to
keep a higher daylight factor for the reason that the U.R. is measuring the uniformity of light that
in some cases like this last, the uniformity can be really constant, but at the same time very low
unable to have a good daylight performance.

Glade analysis:

5.1.2 Consorcio building Santiago

Case with green facade

Case without green facade

5.2 Quantitative thermal analyses

5.2.1 Consorcio building Concepcon
Analysis through simulation (TAS)Graphs : energy , temperatures achieves with and without
green facade
Relation in which case air condition and heating are most use.
5.2.2 Consorcio building Santiago
Analysis through simulation (TAS) Graphs : energy , temperatures achieves with and without
green facade
Relation in which case air condition and heating are most use.
5.3 Quantitative ventilation analyses
Simulation of ventilation
6 Comparison table
Table of comparison between buildings in terms of daylight, thermal and ventilation
performance.
7 conclusions
8 suggest improvements

References:
[1] Carlos Pia (Director de Relaciones Internacionales) y equipo de expertos de la Comisin Nacional de
Energa de Chile. Captulo 1. Regulacin y funcionamiento del sector energtico en Chile.in spanish. 2007
[2] Faust Bovelander, Philip E. Coleman, David Crossley, Yie-Zu Robert Hu, Nigel Jollands, Kenji
Kobayashi, Tran Thanh Lien, Wong Yew Wah, miembros del equipo de expertos. Peer Review on Energy
Efficiency in Chile. Informe para el Grupo de Trabajo sobre Energa de APEC. 2009. in spanish.
[3] U.S. Department of Energy by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, a DOE national
laboratory.United States Department of Energy. Low-Energy Building Design Guidelines (Energyefficient design for new Federal facilities). July 2001.
[4] Mr. Jens Laustsen (International energy agency). Energy efficiency requirements in building codes,
energy efficiency policies for new buildings. In Support of the G8 Plan of Action. March 2008.

[5]