Shading or overheating? Evaluating the thermal effects of aluminium louvres on glass façades

Material selection of building façades significantly influence indoor thermal conditions, particularly in tropical climates. This study investigates the impact of aluminium shading louvres on the inner surface temperature of a glass façade in a lecture building in South Lampung, Indonesia. Field measurements were conducted using a FLIR C2 thermal camera and a WeatherHawk WindMate (WM-300) wind gauge to record hourly temperature variations from 08:00 to 17:00 over 2 days. The results indicate that a fully glazed façade experiences the highest inner surface temperatures, reaching 32.5°C at midday, while the addition of aluminium shading louvres unexpectedly led to higher inner surface temperatures compared to unshaded glass. This phenomenon is attributed to re-radiated heat from the shading elements. Additionally, the study found that brick walls retained heat longer, maintaining elevated temperatures into the evening. These findings highlight the complex thermal interactions between shading devices and façade materials, emphasising the need for further research on optimising shading strategies for improved indoor thermal comfort in tropical buildings.