residential buildings

Natural ventilation in residential dwellings is very important for occupants’ health and comfort. Previous studies by the authors have concluded that natural ventilation performance in dwellings can be enhanced by positioning the two groups of window openings (bedroom windows and living room windows) in opposite directions or perpendicular to each other; and/or the use of side-hung windows. However, the buildings selected for those studies were located in an isolated site, for the purpose of focused evaluation of the influence of various configuration parameters and window types.

The Spanish Technical Building Code is one of the three royal decrees that were approved in Spain as a consequence of the transposition of the European Directive on the energy performance of buildings (2002/91/EU, 2002). One basic document of the Technical Building Code deals with the limitations of building energy demands. Nowadays, due to the recast of the European Directive on the energy performance of buildings (2010/31/EU, 2010), a revision process of the current regulations has begun, starting with the Technical Building Code, with its first revision envisaged for 2012.

Unlike cold climate regions, where natural ventilation is not preferred during winter, natural ventilation is always preferred in Hong Kong for cooling because of the subtropical climate. It also provides better indoor environment quality and energy conservation. Natural ventilation performance of a residential unit is affected by internal as well as external factors. External factors are often subject to constraints beyond the control of site planners and architects.

This paper reviews the literature for evidence of links between ventilation rates in dwellings and moisture related respiratory health with a particular focus on house dust mites (HDM) and fungal growth. There is general consensus that a link exists between ventilation rates in dwellings and respiratory hazards (for example HDM). There is also general consensus of a link between these respiratory hazards and respiratory problems, but it is not clear to what extent hazards cause ill-health.

This paper focuses on energy performance compliance checks to the French EP-regulation RT 2000 and the way they are performed in Rhône-Alpes, Burgundy, and Franche-Comté. It gives an overview of the approach developed and used which consists in collecting

Experience of energy auditing of residential buildings in Latvia discovers problems with discrepancy of data measured and calculated. Analysis of dynamic changes of data presents factors, which influence results of energy audits and proposals for energy efficiency measure. Paper presents analysis of influence of solar radiation and modelling of solar factor for control of heat supply.

This research was to assess the performance of air infiltration, the corresponding energy consumption, indoor contaminant level for residential buildings in Harbin, a typical city in the severe cold region of China. Based on questionnaire survey and field measurements, the prototypical apartment building includes its physical structure, air leakage and life style of occupants has been determined. Then unsteady-state numerical simulations were carried out by the use of COMIS.

This paper is a review of data collected in European dwellings on particulate matter (PM), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), formaldehyde, dampness/mould and dust mites at home. Related health effects are summarized in this review too, along with some results not yet published from two Italian indoor air studies.

This document gives an overview of the work within the area of housing and health. It defines firstly what is healthy housing, then how housing impacts on health, and deals with a survey made in 8 cities in Europe.

It is often discussed about the possibilities that more efficient windows offer to reduce the energy loads in residential buildings. Often such results can be achieved reducing the thermal transmittance or optimising the solar gains, not so often the influence of the air permeability is taken into account. This issue is, on the contrary, very important in countries, as Italy, where the age of the building stock is accompanied by the installation of very old windows, characterised by high air leakage, which causes strong heat losses and discomfort phenomena for users.