External shadings and glazing materials as passive systems to improve energy consumption and indoor comfort in office buildings

External shading systems, window systems and light control systems try to reach the indoor comfort and energy saving by approaches, that are different in complexity, costs and results; besides a good coordination among them could produce better performances. This paper analyses the office space energy demand connected to the use of different glazing materials, light control systems and external fixed shading devices for office buildings, with the aim to optimize their usage aspects and characteristics. External shading devices are studied versus different light control strategies and window systems. The approach is based on an improvement of the hourly simulation program IENUS that was developed to assess building energy demand taking into account the integration between visual and thermal aspects. The results are referred to a typical office building locate in Mediterranean climate.