Evaluation of Performances, Thermal Comfort and Energy Consumption of a Reversible Radiant Ceiling by Capillary Mat: Application for the Prefabricated Buildings

The objective of this paper is to analyse if Radiant Cooling Ceiling (RCC) has the potential to providebetter comfort and energy consumption in prefabricated buildings by comparison with conventionalsystems installed on this structures. Another purpose of this paper is to investigate the risk ofcondensation on the ceiling panel and finding the solution to prevent this. A building energy simulationcode called Trnsys was used to simulate the system and to analyse different characteristics of theRCC and of the indoor space. The results showed that during the summer period when inprefabricated buildings air temperatures could reach 35C the RCC can assure almost the samethermal comfort like AC (air-conditioning systems) but with energy savings that have reached 21.5% inour studied case. Another important characteristic of radiant ceiling is its reversibility because it can beused also during the winter season to ensure the proper indoor conditions for the occupants. Thefigures and tables presented show that radiant ceiling can be integrated on these light structuresoffering well indoor conditions in terms of indoor temperature, humidity and without any risk ofcondensation during the summer period. We have found that the energy savings could reach morethan 30% in hot and dry climates and 20% in moderate climate using the RCC.