The Milbrandt low-energy house was built in 1980 in Saskatoon as part of a demonstration project. This paper discusses temperature distribution using point-source heaters as the sole heat source and relying on natural convection for distribution of heat. Summertime overheating in low-energy houses was also studied.
ECRC Capenhurst co-operated with two firms of builders to design, build and sell four low energy houses. The houses were insulated to a high standard and fitted with mechanical ventilation. The average annual space heating energy consumption of the four houses was some 6,000 kWh, 95% of which was provided at low tariff rate by storage heaters. The whole house average temperature over the heating season ranged from 17.6 to 20.3 degrees C for the four houses.
SINTEF, The Foundation for Scienti f ic and Industrial Research at the Norwegian Institute of Technology, has monitored a number of experimental low-energy houses, and also undertaken measurements in some other houses to establish the energy consumption, air tightness, ventilation rates etc. Some of the experimental houses are extremely air tight. In connection with these measurements we have made some observations on the occupants behavior related to ventilation, and their satisfaction with the ventilation system.
The application of heat pumps to ventilation heat recovery in domestic houses is considered. It is shown that the most effective system is a combination of heat pump and heat recovery unit; a plate heat exchanger is the type commonly used. Such units are now commercially available, and can provide heat at a lower cost per kilowatt hour than the Economy 7 tariff. The performance of several units is presented, and seasonal running costs have been computed for a house equivalent to the Capenhurst low energy house design.
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