Passive solar energy management strategies in shopping centres

The objective of this work is to demonstrate through a case study of a Shopping Centre in Portugal how daylighting and Passive Solar Strategies can be efficient in this kind of buildings, always characterized by large transparent areas and, in consequence, with enormous heat gains that cause overheating problems, especially in summer. Different strategies will be showed applied to a real case. The Shopping Centre in analysis has considered, since the first phase of the design process, natural ventilation, daylighting and others efficient strategies. The efficiency of the actions applied into the building also contributed for the accomplishment of the very recent national law (RSECE - Decree-Law 79/2006) that emerged from the recent implementation of the EPBD (Energy Performance Building Directive) in Portugal. In conclusion, this paper shows that it is possible to achieve a balance between the Shopping Centre concept (defined as an attractive space, comfortable, transparent, pleasant, bright, which are factors that promote the selling) and the low energy consumption concern.