IES-VE User Forum

Hello All,

Quick question with regards to modelling spandrel panels.

Mu understanding is that it should be modelled as a door with the construction make up similar to a wall.

Alternatively, could it be modelled as a window?

Only issue is that a spandrel panel does not have a g-value or VLT.

To me, the first solution makes most sense, im just looking for confirmation.

Thanks in advance

definitely not like a window... if you must then what you suggested might work. Alternatively I would suggest you simplify your construction and calculate the area weighted average u-value of the facade including the spandrel (unless you have significantly large areas of spandrel)

I do them as doors. If a panel is intended to cover a floor edge then it goes in the top of the floor below, if it covers the edge of an internal wall then it gets split between two rooms.

Area waiting the U-value of the external wall would be a very tedious task as the buildings I model typically have different amounts of spandrel in the external wall of each room.

The main problem I have is deciding what U-value to assign to the door/spandrel as I find that architects are incredibly vague about the spandrel construction. In one case I was able to discover that the spandrel panels in a curtain wall which included top end solar glass were in fact constructed from single panes of clear glass painted black on the inside. So generally I give them the same U-value as the glass, unless someone tells me otherwise.

Hi,
If you are modelling for Part L compliance in the UK, then I don't think modelling it as a window or a door would comply.

If I was modelling with iSBEM, I would enter the entire area as 'curtain walling', a separate wall type with its own U value, and then add any glazed areas as windows within this wall area. To do this in IES, it looks like I need to sub divide the zones so that I can attach different wall types in the areas of curtain walling, which seems a bit onerous. Is there an easier way to do this?

The alternative would be to enter the entire curtain walling as one window and account for the spandrel areas by increasing the percentage framing factor proportionally.
Judy

Hi there,

Good point Judy.
I think in order to avoid the onerous task of attaching different wall types in the areas of 'curtain walls' especially for a shell and core retail unit for example, modelling as a window and increasing the framing factor could work.

Has anybody any other views on this?