LoginThe current development in building energy efficiency towards nearly-zero energy buildings represents a number of new challenges for building design and construction. One of the major challenges is the increased need for cooling in these highly insulated and airtight buildings, which is not only present during the summer period but also in the shoulder seasons and, in office buildings, even during occupied hours in winter. In most post-occupancy studies of high-performance buildings, elevated indoor temperatures are reported as the most common problem, particularly in residential buildings.
Designers often underestimate the cooling needs and often use too simplified design methodologies to assess the risk of overheating. Ventilation can be an attractive and energy efficient solution, as it is already present in most buildings and can both remove excess heat gains and increase air velocities, thereby widening the thermal comfort range. As cooling becomes necessary almost all year-round the opportunities to utilise the free cooling potential of low temperature outdoor air increase considerably.
Activities related to ventilative cooling continued beyond the project’s completion through:
- the venticool platform, and
- subsequent initiatives including EBC Annexes 62, 80, 87, and 97.