 Our case study evaluates the effectiveness of the shading devices on the Living Learning Center's south façade. The Living Learning Center, often referred to as the LLC, is a new addition to the campus, built in 2006. The LLC is an integrative space, combining dining and living areas with classrooms and study spaces.
The shading devices on the LLC have a more modern approach, with one horizontal member formed by many slatted louvers. We immediately questioned the success of such a small shade for a south facing façade and were curious about the consequences of too much thermal gain. Therefore our hypothesis was that the shading devices on the south facing dorm windows of the Living Learning Center do not meet the required shading performance. Through modeling the LLC south façade and the sun's path throughout the year we found our hypothesis to be correct. While the shading devices were sufficient for the majority of the year, they did not meet the necessary shading for 31% of the year. The majority of the time that the requirements were not met was during the hot hours of the afternoon cause excess heat gain in the dorm rooms.
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