Parametric Study of the Impact of Venetian Blinds on Air-Conditioning Energy-Saving Potential for Residential Buildings

This paper presents a comprehensive parametric study on the energy-saving potential of venetian blinds in residential buildings. Nine parameters which may affect the energy performance of venetian blinds were selected for parametric analysis. Three values with high, medium and low levels were set for each parameter. The medium value was set according to the mainstream products on the market, while the high and low values were the theoretical upper and lower limits. Thus, a combination of 9072 cases of venetian blinds were obtained. The above cases were modeled in WINDOW software with 0°, 45°, −45° and 90° blind angles, respectively. The EnergyPlus software was used to simulate annual air-conditioning energy consumption for each case. Finally, a new index, annual energy performance (AEP), is developed for evaluating the energy-saving potential of venetian blinds.