English

In this paper the effectiveness of retrofitting strategies in a sunspace attached to a one-storey building has been investigated. Natural and hybrid ventilation, air-tight glass partitions, awnings and increased thermal mass retrofitting scenarios were implemented, mainly for the Greek climate. Window openings and sensor-controlled fans were used to create a controllable and secure environment. Combined ventilation and thermal simulation were applied, taking into account all the related physical phenomena, such as ventilation, infiltration and solar radiation.

The paper deals with on-site measurements of energy benefits resulting from exploitation of a solar greenhouse, which was created in the attic under the southward-oriented glazed roof for pre-heating of the ventilating air.This conception of the solar energy utilisation is used in the residential complex of the senior citizen home in Svitavy, 60 km north of Brno. Based on the data collected with the use of an automation monitoring system during the heating season 2001-2002, the main characteristics of the investigated solar greenhouse operation were established.

Part of the task in the design of ventilation systems involves selection and specification of system components - components sizes and expected performance characteristics or criteria to achieve specific ventilation objectives for anticipated environmental conditions. Careful selection of these components is required to ensure that they are able to react to changes in environmental conditions.

Sheffield City Council in the UK identified some dwellings of non-standard construction that needed to be refurbished. The refurbishment mainly involved applying insulation and rendering to the exterior surfaces of external walls and replacing old windows. The main aims of the refurbishment for the Council were to improve the condition and appearance of the dwellings and reduce conductive heat loss through the fabric.

The objective of the current investigation was to evaluate the field performance of room air distribution in two rooms of a high-performance (low heating and cooling load) home. Thetwo rooms had similar exterior exposures but had different supply register locations (high sidewall and floor). The impact of normal equipment cycling on the room air distribution performance was also investigated. The performance was evaluated based on room air temperature measurements andthe requirements of ASHRAE Standard 55 (ASHRAE 1992).

Designing semi-outdoor environments such as atria or open-style cafes is a popular technique in modern architecture to provide occupants with natural outdoor elements in an artificialenvironment. Occupants are likely to expect a thermal environment differing from the indoors, and thermal adaptation is expected to play a major role in achieving comfort.Seasonal field surveys were conducted in four semi-outdoor environments for short-term occupancy with different levels of environmental control. Observations were made on occupancy conditions and clothing adjustments.

A collaborative effort between Oak Ridge National Laboratory and Tuskegee University has resulted in an energy-efficient, healthy house that is built on Tuskegees experiment station farm to conduct various energy efficiency and indoor air quality studies. The house is well insulated and possesses other energy-efficient features, such as airtight construction, reflective roofing, and unventilated crawlspace. The energy efficiency and thermal performance of the house are investigated in view of electric power consumption as well as indoor and outdoor temperature and relative humidity data.

Removing smoke at the early stage of a building fire would assist in evacuation. Mechanical smoke extraction systems are commonly installed in larger buildings. In designing such a system, makeup air must be provided to displace the hot smoke.However, air supplied would also provide additional oxygen for combustion. Therefore, it is important to study how air should be supplied. In this paper, the efficiency of mechanical exhaust in anatrium with different arrangements for air supply will be discussed.

This paper discusses how ventilation and air distribution can have a positive or negative impact on chemical, biological and radiological agents entering buildings, on their movement within the buildings and on their removal. It also points out the key role played by the envelope airtightness of the building and its pressurization as a security tool.

The hygrothermal behavior of the building envelope affects the overall performance of a building. There are numerous tools for the simulation of the heat and moisture transfer in the building envelope and also whole building simulation tools for energy calculations.