English

The paper is divided in two parts: the first is about the microclimatic function of the vegetation in built area. Experimental data in different contexts case studies- are analysed in order to define guide-lines for cooling. The second presents a data base of the ecological, functional, morphological characteristics of trees and shrubs. This data base contains sixty elements and is a useful tool for designers, when they want to put green elements in an urban context.

Implementing low energy design principles and measures in buildings depends on a series of architectural, structural and legal parameters. A buildings design, as well as its operational patterns, has increasingly to comply with tightening comfort, health and aesthetic requirements. And all this in view of the fact that the application of techniques like natural and evaporative cooling, sun protection and hybrid energy production systems based on renewable energy sources, are not always easily applicable in the densely built and environmentally burdened urban ambient.

An in-dept analysis of a large office building built in the 60s (occupied by the Italian Ministry for the Environment, chosen for its representativity of buildings built in the 50s and 60s) has been performed. A software model of the building has been created and used to simulate its behaviour in the climate zone of Rome, using a dynamic simulation software.

During the last two decades, the Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) showed a systematic development in Greek market. Many factors affect the BEMS penetration into the Greek market. Among others, the most important are the increment of private building construction activity and the establishment of a relevant legal framework to comply with the respective European one. The aim of this paper is to present the development of BEMS market in Greece and the legal framework that should comply with the European Directive regarding the energy performance of the buildings.

Shading provision should be considered as an integral part of fenestration system design for commercial and office buildings, in order to balance daylighting requirements versus the need to reduce solar gains. Utilization of daylight in buildings may result in reduction in electricity consumption for lighting but also in high cooling demand if excessive solar gains are admitted in the working space. Moreover, visual comfort should be ensured especially for perimeter office spaces. Shading devices can control solar gains and simultaneously allow adequate daylight to the interior.

of innovative daylighting systems and passive cooling techniques implemented in a typical commercial building. The main objectives are the application of innovative daylighting and passive cooling systems to obtain energy savings and to provide thermal and luminous comfort conditions for the occupants. The case study building selected for investigation is located in Mexico City.

The fresnel lens concept is suggested for solar control of the building in order to keep the illumination and the interior temperature at the comfort level. The collection of 60%-80% of the transmitted solar radiation through the fresnel lens on linear absorbers leaves the rest amount to be distributed in the interior space for the illumination and thermal building needs. The fresnel lenses can be combined with Thermal, Photovoltaic, or hybrid type Photovoltaic/Thermal small width absorbers to extract the concentrated solar radiation in the form of heat, electricity or both.

The spatial and material configuration of a building, its dimensions, orientation and fabric are crucial for the choice of the environmental retrofitting strategies to be used. These include innovative daylighting, cooling and control systems, as well as different types of space-related ventilation systems, such as transition spaces, stack devices, ventilation shafts and faadeventilation, including double-skin faade.

Solar radiation is an important source of heat gain into the building and plays an important role as far as thermal comfort in a dwelling is concerned. In summer and in hot climate regions, the thermal gain of a building exceeds the thermal comfort level of the inhabitants and cooling is desirable. The high insolation may be utilized to provide the necessary ventilation cheaply.

The aim of this paper is to confront the designers practice knowledge on the behavior of natural ventilation due to wind action in housing buildings with complex internal partitions against experimental analogical airflow visualization. The methodology consisted of a survey with a group of architects, followed by experimental airflow visualization in physical scale models of a housing building, developed with a water table. The results from the survey showed that the architects were divided regarding the best and worst natural ventilation performance among the tested housing units.