A simple model to study ventilated facades energy performance.

Aims to supply a simple and useful tool for the analysis of energy performance of different ventilated facades typology. A steady state energy balance was applied to a control volume solving basic equations with finite element code with an iterative procedure, in order to simulate the studied sample. The different surfac3e and air mass temperatures are calculate for each step of the channel height, and the mass flow rate evaluated as overall natural draught. The study investigated effects due to different cavity widths of the ventilation channel for winter and summer season with opened and closed ends. It was demonstrated using comparisons that it is possible to obtain a sensible solar cooling effect during summer, when the air cavity width of the chimney is wider than 7 cm. The cooling effect becomes stable for wider cavities. Stresses the importance in winter of thermal insulation provided by the closed ventilated facade.