Building refurbishment mainly concerns physical and functional building components but should also take into account various topics such as energy consumption, pollutant emission and operational waste reduction as well as air quality and spatial comfort. Against this background, the European project EPIQR offers a new concept which should allow architects to approach the refurbishment of residential buildings with a global view of the whole process. In any refurbishment process, the preparation phase is of utmost importance.
This paper reports on an experimental study dealing with the effects of an automatic shading device on the energetic performance of a dimmable lighting system and on a cooling system. Some equations related to fenestration thermal properties are reformulated under a theoretical approach. In order to collect field data, energy demands and other variables were measured at the "Test Tower" on two distinct floors with identical fenestration features. New data were gathered after adding an automatic shading device to the window of one of the floors.
This study reports on the introduction of air infiltration and mechanical ventilationin a model for energy consumption estimation. The model applies to air conditionned nonresidential building and is developped to need few inputs. Existing air infiltration models arecompared and three equivalent leakage area (ELA) databases are tested on the same casestudy. Calculations of air input throught opened-doors are made to compare flows due to airinfiltration and due to natural ventilation. Simulations are made considering mean airinfiltration value and hourly values.
In the discussion on practice-oriented measures to reduce the CO2 emission, one measure most demanded is the development of zero heating energy houses. The technology applied and investigated in the first pilot projects seems to indicate a possible future without any CO2 emission with respect to residential building. What is really hidden behind this technology and whether it is feasible to introduce it into construction practice, is to be discussed in this contribution with regard to practical experiences.
A major increase of complaints has been observed by the occupants of buildings, concerning health symptoms and comfort. In this study, the occupants' experience of symptoms as well as the occupants' sensation of the environmental parameters were estimated in six office buildings, where the indoor air quality was investigated. It was found that the percentage of building related symptoms experienced by the occupants of the buildings was high and it was strongly related to human comfort and human sensation concerning the environmental conditions.
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