Quantifying Solar Light-Induced Thermal Comfort Effects of Architectural Windows

Shortwave solar irradiance has an energy distribution at different wavelengths and can impact the indoor thermal comfort of humans by entering through windows and directly affecting human skin. Windows play a crucial role in this process, and the market offers a wide range of products with various technical designs and functions for selection. Thermal comfort effects induced by solar irradiance were simulated and quantified by the spectrally-resolved method, specifically focusing on different glazing options in the International Glazing Database. The thermal comfort levels with different glazing installed were also evaluated under different indoor environments. By comparing the thermal comfort levels achieved with different glazing options, it was observed that the choice of glazing system significantly influenced the solar light-induced thermal comfort levels, consequently affecting the overall indoor thermal comfort of humans in diverse indoor environments. Quantifying the solar light-induced thermal comfort effects of architectural windows can be helpful in selecting appropriate windows for buildings, ultimately improving the thermal comfort of humans and energy savings.