Energy and indoor climate in Belgian offices : results of a survey

About 100 office buildings in the Flanders and Brussels regions have been subject to a surveyof energy aspects and indoor climate parameters. Building characteristics and energy use havebeen mapped for all buildings; for 48 of them a database has been built containing buildingand room dimensions, materials used for the building shell, windows, glazing, solar shading,occupancy, equipment characteristics (heating, ventilation, cooling, lighting, office equipment. Moreover, detailed measurements were performed in 10 buildings regarding thermal and visual comfort parameters, indoor air quality and air flows, energy use and effective power, etc. This huge amount of data has been analysed and synthesized into an assessment of the equipment of the actual office buildings park regarding energy use and indoor climate, as well as a set of recommendations for improvement of the energy performance of such buildings. The data base has proved to be a valuable tool in the preparation of an energy performance regulation for new office buildings in the Flanders Region and also in the preparation of an energy audit and certification scheme for the Brussels Capital Region.The research project KANTOOR 2000 was supported by the Minister of Energy of theFlemish Region (IWT) and by many industrial partners.