Innovative low energy renovation of a single family dwelling for summer comfort

A single family detached dwelling was partly renovated for structural reasons. This was an opportunity to rethink the concept of the living space with adjacent sunspace. The new structure is flexible, to take account for the varying occupation, by a sliding separation wall. A balanced ventilation system with heat recovery must guarantee good indoor air quality at a minimal energy cost. The external construction is equipped with a sloped green roof, a high glazed facade with innovative framework and triple Argon filled glazing (U 0.8 W/mK) with warm-edge spacer. To control solar gains, a shading device with large inclinable lamellas has been designed. These lamellas are equipped with PV solar cells. To optimise the position, spacing and inclination of the shading and of the PV cells, a model study was performed in the daylight laboratory of BBRI under the direct sun simulator for various moments of the day and the season. Summer comfort conditions can be further improved by a system of night time ventilation via large louvers both in the sunspace and in the living room and an exhaust chimney equipped with a low pressure fan to support the natural ventilation whenever needed (hybrid ventilation). Monitoring results are not yet available at the moment of publication, but are envisaged in the near future.