Application of Inclined Glass Wall as Building Facade under Tropical Climate Conditions

The geometric design of the building’s exterior, particularly using glass as the main building material, was found to be able to reduce the cooling load of a building, especially in the tropical climate of Malaysia. This study aims to measure the thermal performance of inclined glass walls with various angles and orientations in minimizing solar heat absorption in a building. This study uses Integrated Environmental Solutions - Virtual Environment (IES-VE) simulation software with 32 models simulated using the ApacheSim module to investigate the most effective angle and orientation of inclined glass walls in achieving thermal comfort. The results revealed that the optimum angle for each orientation depended on the sun’s path during the four (4) design days - 21st March, 21st June, 21st September, and 21st December. Throughout all design dates, the 55° inclined glass wall provided the best thermal performance for all orientations except for those exposed to extreme solar radiation due to the sun’s path on the measured dates. The 75° inclined glass wall is more effective at each design date. To optimize the inclined glass wall’s performance, the design is recommended to consider low-albedo material on the surface around the building. This is to reduce heat reflection which can affect the thermal performance of the inclined glass wall surface. Also, landscape design and airflow around the building’s exterior surfaces can help with more effective thermal performance. Therefore, the application of inclined glass walls is proven to be effective in reducing building energy, however, the surrounding pavement material should also be considered at the early stage of design.