Dynamic simulation of a novel double Trombe wall to evaluate energy performance in the heating season

In the residential building sector, a sustainable human-environment relationship can be achieved by encouraging both the use of renewable sources and the enhancement of energy efficiency in technical systems and building envelopes. This article performs an energy analysis to evaluate the reduction in energy demand attained by installing two Trombe walls on the south-facing wall of the variable orientation test station at the University of Calabria. The two passive systems were symmetrically placed on either side of the existing window system. The assessment of monthly energy demand during the heating season was conducted using the dynamic simulation software DesignBuilder®. To determine the optimal configuration of the Trombe walls, the influence on energy demand related to the materials used for the support structure, the type and number of glasses forming the solar space, the size of the solar space, and the dimensions of the vents were evaluated. The findings indicate that the installation of the two Trombe walls, each comprising two vents with an area of 0.1 m² and a solar space depth of 0.20 m, vertically enclosed by three glass walls with double low-emissivity glazing, results in a 60.62 % reduction in winter energy demand.