Development and Experimental Assessment of Components for Architecturally Integrated Solar Air-Heating Façades

This study investigates a Solar Air Heating Façade (SAHF), architecturally enhanced through the integration of granular translucent Silica-Aerogel into multi-wall polycarbonate (PC) panels and the implementation of coated timber lamellas. The novelty of this work lies in the combined evaluation of thermal resistance and solar transmission properties of façade-integrated components, aiming to improve both energy efficiency and architectural integration. Two experimental campaigns were conducted: (i) thermal transmittance tests to determine the U-value of PC panels with and without Silica-Aerogel infill, and (ii) solar transmission measurements under controlled artificial solar radiation to evaluate the optical performance of various lamella configurations and coatings. Results show that the incorporation of Silica-Aerogel reduced the U-value by 41.8%, achieving a minimum of 1.19 W/m2 K with the 20 mm thick PC panel, while decreasing the solar transmission of 43–53% depending on the incidence angle. The integration of reflective aluminum-coated timber lamella demonstrated promising results, enabling effective management of solar radiation. These findings highlight the potential of façade systems that combine high-performance insulation with visually integrated shading elements.