The design of Rotherham's new courthouse adopts passive solar architecture and heat recovery systems in an effort to make the legal process less energy intensive. Stephen Ashley reports.
Domestic heating systems with a heat exchanger are generally assessed for efficiency by the ratio of primary energy input delivered energy output. In practice, performance depends on all the components in the heat delivery system and on their matching. In the air heating system addressed here, the components include: the gas burning air heater, supply ducts, return ducts, heat recovery system, controls, fans, filters and pumps. This paper describes experiments conducted on a test house in Bath during the years 1991 to 1993.
Passivehouses in Europe with a specific energyrequirement of less than 30kWh/(m2a) total for heating, tap warm water, ventilation and household electricity have been realized in Darmstadt, FRG. Four families live in the dwellings with extreme thermal insulation, heat recovery and optimized use of passive solar energy. The measurement program includes more than 200 sensors; temperatures, comfort, energy flows, air flows and indoor air quality are monitored. With dynamic simulation comprising about 2000 cases of alternative design of the building components the project was optimized.
Several demonstration buildings were constructed in order to find technical solutions to energy saving and better indoor air quality in the 1980's in Fiand. Warm air heating systems were installed in two multi-storey residential buildings and in several single family homes. Heat recovery units were installed in many buildings. During renovation, mechanical supply air and heat recovery units were installed in two multi-storey residential buildings. Studies on energy consumption and performance of air conditioning systems were carried out in the demonstration buildings.
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