Experimental assessment of the energy performance of an advanced responsive multifunctional façade module

• A new multifunctional façade module is proposed.
• Working principles and relevant features are shown.
• The energy performance of the module was experimentally assessed.
• Experimental results are critically analyzed.
• Suggestions for the module improvements are given.

Responsive building elements (RBEs), renewable energy sources (RES) and energy storage within the building are considered as a key issue for the development of zero energy/emission buildings. The exploitation at the building scale of RES and of the opportunities offered by the environment can be achieved through the ability of the RBEs to dynamically adapt to changing environmental conditions. Among various concepts, advanced integrated façades (AIFs) are probably one the most promising technologies, due to the important role that the building envelope plays in controlling the energy and mass flows between the building and the outdoor environment.In the framework of a research activity on AIFs, a new multifunctional façade module (MFM), called ACTRESS (ACTive, RESponsive and Solar) has been conceived and a prototype built for analyzing the energy performance and the potentialities of such envelope components. The work presented in the paper introduces the MFM features and illustrates the results of an experimental campaign performed for the winter (heating) season.