Describes how methods used in widespread energy efficient residential buildings in Germany are now being applied to larger buildings. Germany's Passiv Haus Institut has become a leading centre in developing a specification for the next generation of energy efficient buildings - the Passive House Standard. In 400 residential building the standard has reduced total energy consumption to 12% of the UK norm. Describes how this approach has been applied to a 2,200 m2 office and factory in Colbe, Marburg. The three-storey structure was completed in autumn 1998.

Reports on the detailed design of Birchensale Middle School, and how the design team has incorporated PROBE lessons into the specification. The school is over 30 years old, naturally ventilated and lightweight in construction. The PROBE team's role has been to help fine-tune the design based on the findings from PROBE post-occupancy studies. Perimeter classrooms are naturally ventilated with cross-ventilation via openable fanlights above the classroom doors.

States that car park ventilation systems not only have to control the exhaust gases emitted by vehicles but take into account possible fuel spillages and the venting of smoke in the event of a fire. Explores ways of checking for compliance.

Discusses the accurate evaluation of the effect of thermal bridges on building energy performance using a modelling approach. Sisley software was used first of all to model the heat transfers in the intersections of walls. CLIM 2000 was used to reduce and integrate the models. A comparison was done between these results and the models obtained from thermal regulation values. It appeared that detailed modelling of heat transfers would provide an increased accuracy of around 5% when evaluating the building heat loss.

Gives an overview of a computational approach to the so-called street canyon phenomenon, whereby microclimate influence on thermal loads of buildings and local contribution to temperature rise from air conditioning unit heat emission can affect the heating balance of buildings. Also discusses the influence of flow and temperature fields on the dynamic thermal balance of the building.

Describes the use of a two-layer model to predict mixed convection. It uses a one-equation model for near-wall region and the standard k-e model for the outer-wall region. In six cases its validation shows good agreement between computed and measured data. The model also reduces computing costs.

Proposes a two-layer turbulence model for predicting forced, natural and mixed convection in order to accurately and efficiently simulate indoor airflows. With the aid of direct numerical simulation data, the model uses both a near-wall one-equation model and a near-wall natural convection model.

Looks at two residential flats in a high-rise residential building in Hong Kong using HBT2 detailed building heat transfer simulation software. It analyses the influence of the thermal insulation layer in the outside walls on the yearly cooling load and maximum cooling demand. Tall residential buildings in Hong Kong do not usually incorporate thermal insulation. The simulation predicted a maximum decrease in annual cooling load of up to 6.8%, using a 5 cm thick thermal insulation coating which faced into the flat.

Discusses good control of heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems as the best way to improve energy efficiency in air conditioned buildings. Looks at the Human Science Building at the University of Pretoria in this light. Simulations were performed using QUICKcontrol, a new software tool. Control methods investigated included air bypass, reset control, setback control, improved start-stop times, economiser control and carbon dioxide control. Sixty percent savings were predicted in HVAC power consumption, giving a payback period of nine months.

Analyses present and historical Thai houses in terms of climate, culture and technology, as background to an investigation of the potential for use of natural ventilation as a passive cooling system for new house designs. It suggests that natural ventilation can provide a thermally comfortable indoor environment for 20% of the year. Also develops comprehensive design guidelines for natural ventilation using CFD (computational fluid dynamics).