In these last years, a great deal of interest has been devoted to double-skin façades due to the advantages claimed by this technology (in terms of energy saving in the cold season, high-tech image, protection from external noise and wind loads). Simulati

The Zero Energy Manufactured Home Project demonstrates and promotes innovative energy saving technologies to the manufactured housing industry and home buying public, while evaluating those technologies energy performance. The project, funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, and the U.S. Department of Energys (DOE) Building America Industrialized Housing Program (BAIHP), examines two 147 square meter (m2) (1600 ft2) two-section manufactured homes, built by the same manufacturer, using an identical floor plan.

Direct expansion (DX) air conditioning (A/C) systems are most commonly used in residential buildings in hot and humid subtropics. They are normally equipped with single-speed compressors and supply fans, relying on on-off cycling compressors to maintain indoor dry-bulb temperature only, leaving indoor humidity uncontrolled. The reason for this situation is the mismatching between an equipment sensible heat ratio (SHR) and an application SHR. This paper reports a study on this mismatching problem for DX A/C systems used in subtropical residences.

Natural ventilation reduces energy consumption for fans and mechanical cooling and in mostcases gives occupants control over their office space. Further benefits include no fan noise and insome cases elimination of the mechanical cooling system. The information in this paper has beenpresented to help building designers, owners and managers understand how certain key factorsaffect the performance and energy efficiency of the ventilation system, and to operate ventilationsystems at minimal energy cost.

Thermal comfort in living rooms or bedrooms is among others determined by the spatial distribution of the supplied ventilation air. In this work, the performance of a self-regulating (pressure-sensitive) air transfer device, in terms of air flow rate and human comfort, was investigated by means of CFD. Self-regulating ventilators limit the air supply rate according to the pressure difference across the ventilator as to reduce draught risks.

It is very important to estimate the stack pressure difference across exterior walls for understanding the energy impacts of infiltration and ventilation in high-rise buildings, because stack pressure is likely to significantly affect energy load and is sustained over a long period. This paper presents a simple prediction strategy for estimating the pressure distribution in high-rise residential buildings, using key parameters that affect the magnitude and distribution of stack pressure.

This paper presents simulation results of the performance of ventilation systems with self-regulating inlets in different types of typical Flemish dwellings. Normal free air inlet vents have one major disadvantage: the complete dependence on the variable outside weather conditions (wind and temperature). The use of selfregulating inlets should minimize this impact, optimize the indoor comfort (no draught) and reduce the waste of energy by ventilation.

This study considers the link between tertiary buildings design and equipments known as natural and hybrid ventilation or cooling. It focuses on the case of cross ventilated buildings and the envelope choices able to ensure comfort along with energy savings. This link is studied by simulating with TRNSYS various cross ventilation systems: by night, day or both. These are applied to typical situations as individual office, open-plan office, or meeting rooms. Studied rooms are chosen south oriented and subjected to medium internal gains.

There are many research works for the moisture buffering effect of the building materials. However, there are few reports for the moisture buffering of the indoor contents such as wooden furniture, textiles and paper products except for the building materials in a room. In order to utilize the moisture buffering effect in the whole room, it is important to evaluate the synthetic moisture buffering including the indoor contents. In this paper, the experiment for moisture buffering of the contents in a room such as textiles and paper products is described.

As a result of the EPB directive, the Flemish government has established a new regulation due as from January 1ste, 2006. This regulation also imposes the presence of minimal ventilation equipment in new buildings. Various Belgian as well as international investigations report a lack of quality of installed ventilation systems, in individual dwellings as well as in utility buildings. Possible problems range from missing inlets, leaking air ducts to inadequate flow rates and acoustical complaints.