Accessing old and new technologies for thermal comfort and energy saving

Indoor climatization requires temperature and humidity control. The physical processes affecting the heat and vapour balance comprise heat and vapour diffusion across the envelope, ventilation, water evaporation or condensation, metabolic heat and vapour generation, solar and auxiliary heating. Such processes can be qualified and represented in the psychrometric chart, thereby offering the possibility of foreseeing the evolution of the indoor conditions and planning the appropriate control procedure, active or passive, in view of the prevailing outdoor climatic conditions, aiming at saving conventional energy vectors. The advantage of employing heat-pumps in heating, cooling, dehumidification or combined mode of operation is emphasized.