Thermal mass, insulation and ventilation in sustainable housing - An investigation across climate and occupancy

Tuohy, Paul and McElroy, Lori and Johnstone, Cameron; (2005) Thermal mass, insulation and ventilation in sustainable housing - An investigation across climate and occupancy. In: Proceedings of the 9th IBPSA Conference, Building Simulation 2005. IBPSA, CAN, pp. 1253-1260.

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Abstract

Sustainable housing standards are reviewed including the UK 2005 building regulations, the UK Advanced Standard and EU Passive-house Standard. Conflicts between the standards are highlighted. The significance of insulation, orientation, ventilation, thermal mass, occupancy, gains, shading and climate on predicted energy performance is illustrated. An ESP-r model is then used to investigate these factors across a range of climates and occupancy / gains scenarios. The investigation covers both heating and cooling energy requirements. The relative importance of key factors is quantified and a matrix of results presented with conclusions. The role of simulation in informing design decisions is demonstrated as well as the importance of considering climate and occupancy/ gains patterns.