Numerical studies of thermal comfort for semi-transparent building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)-vacuum glazing system.

• Thermal comfort using building integrated photovoltaic-vacuum system was calculated. • The indoor room temperature for BIPV-vacuum glazing was calculated from one-dimensional heat-model. • Vacuum-PV-single glazing structure was found to be suitable for UK climate. Building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)-vacuum system is promising for advanced window application due to its ability to reduce heat transfer, control over admitted solar heat and generates environmentally benign electricity. In this work, numerically thermal comfort for an unfurnished room comprising of BIPV-vacuum glazing was evaluated for the United Kingdom (UK) climate. Required parameters to determine thermal comfort, one-dimensional heat transfer model was developed and validated for BIPV-vacuum glazing and results were compared with BIPV-double-pane glazing system. PV cell temperature difference between these two different types of glazing was 24 °C. For the UK climate, BIPV-vacuum glazing offered 26% higher room temperature at clear sunny day compared to BIPV-double system. BIPV–vacuum glazing system provided soothing or comfortable thermal comfort during mid-day period for a clear sunny day at temperate climate. In a combined BIPV-vacuum glazing, it was also predicted that vacuum glass facing external ambient is suitable for the UK climate whilst vacuum glass facing internal room ambient is applicable for Indian climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]