• Energy Research

Many studies are nowadays focused on the application of energy conservation measures (ECMs) to building sector because of the reductions of both greenhouse gases and energy consumption set by the European Union. Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems are the main causes of most energy consumption in the existing buildings. One of the methods to reduce energy consumption is the modification of setpoint temperatures adapted to external climate conditions but maintaining acceptable comfort levels. The adaptive comfort model of ASHRAE 55–2017 uses the prevailing mean outdoor temperature, which records temperatures of the previous days weighted by a constant α which depends on weather changes. This paper analyses the possibilities of optimizing building energy saving with setpoint temperatures according to the α-value and the number of previous days considered. A total of 390 simulations were conducted by considering three representative climate zones of Spain. The results showed that the α-values between 0.4 and 0.6 had the lowest energy consumption. The use of a low number of previous days also achieved greater reductions in heating energy consumption, whereas a larger number of days was applied to cooling energy consumption. This study makes progress in using adaptive setpoint temperatures optimally to reduce the energy consumption in the building sector. © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

Currently, the knowledge of energy consumption in buildings of new and existing dwellings is essential to control and propose energy conservation measures. Most of the predictions of energy consumption in buildings are based on fixed values related to the internal thermal ambient and pre-established operation hypotheses, which do not reflect the dynamic use of buildings and users’ requirements. Spain is a clear example of such a situation. This study suggests the use of an adaptive thermal comfort model as a predictive method of energy consumption in the internal thermal ambient, as well as several operation hypotheses, and both conditions are combined in a simulation model: the Adaptive Comfort Control Implemented Model (ACCIM). The behavior of ACCIM is studied in a representative case of the residential building stock, which is located in three climate zones with different characteristics (warm, cold, and mild climates). The analyses were conducted both in current and future scenarios with the aim of knowing the advantages and limitations in each climate zone. The results show that the average consumption of the current, 2050, and 2080 scenarios decreased between 23% and 46% in warm climates, between 19% and 25% in mild climates, and between 10% and 29% in cold climates by using such a predictive method. It is also shown that this method is more resilient to climate change than the current standard. This research can be a starting point to understand users’ climate adaptation to predict energy consumption.

In southern European countries, summer temperatures could contribute to a high cooling energy consumption. Family units with fewer economic resources living in social dwellings could suffer from fuel poverty if they want to use air conditioning systems. Otherwise, they could face discomfort hours because of a natural ventilation without clear control criteria. This study analyses quantitatively and qualitatively the possibilities of natural ventilation through mixed-mode and the possibility of reducing fuel poverty for family units living in social dwellings. For this purpose, the application of a natural ventilation approach was analysed through an adaptive behaviour based on EN 16798-1: 2019. A case study of 51 social dwellings was analysed by using various operation hypothesis between 2015 and 2019. The results showed the potential of using mixed-mode approaches based on the categories from EN 16798-1:2019 to achieve savings in the energy consumption and to remove cases of fuel poverty in low-income families. Likewise, surveys in which families living in these cities participated reflected the great awareness of the natural ventilation use, although there is not a clear criterion of the need of this ventilation for thermal comfort, as well as the need of a supportive use of air conditioning systems. Finally, the similarity of the climate conditions of the city analysed and the coastal cities from various countries in the south of Europe shows the possibility of using ventilation strategies as energy saving measures in other regions.

The poor maintenance of social dwellings causes the possible building deficiencies to be significantly increased, especially when most of these dwellings have been built before any thermal standard...

The reduction of fuel poverty is among the major challenges of countries, policymakers, stakeholders, and researchers. Many contributions have today emerged; however, two aspects should be widely considered. On the one hand, the use of strategies based on the reduction of energy consumption through the adaptive approach, and on the other hand, the impact of climate change on fuel poverty, particularly considering the recent representative concentration pathways (RCP). This paper addresses both issues in Andalusia, which is among the regions with the highest population ratio under poverty risk. For this purpose, 4 zones with possibilities of applying adaptive strategies were distinguished in the Andalusian geography, and 3 climate change scenarios (RCP 2.6, RCP 4.5, and RCP 8.5) were projected in each decade (from 2030 to 2100). A total of 6,528 cases of representative social housing, simulated in all scenarios, were parametrically studied. All data were assessed from the point of view of fuel poverty risk. The results showed that the adaptive strategies influence the reduction of fuel poverty, both in annual and monthly values. Moreover, the increase in fuel poverty cases because of global warming could be reduced by this approach in the four zones detected in Andalusia.

Los edificios históricos constituyen parte fundamental del patrimonio cultural tangible de la sociedad actual. El cumplimiento de las exigencias de ahorro energético para mitigar el cambio climático, sin embargo, puede verse limitado aquí debido a las características propias de estos edificios. Además, en el caso de las construcciones históricas, los principios de diseño bioclimático aplicados por los arquitectos, desde principios del siglo XX hasta la actualidad, pueden haber perdido efectividad. Ello ocurre, a veces, por las modificaciones en proyecto o por efectos del desarrollo urbanístico. En este estudio se analizan estos dos aspectos en un determinado edificio histórico ubicado en Sevilla: la Casa Duclós de José Luis Sert. Este presenta modificaciones en la cubierta, cuando se compara la proyectada y la construida. Asimismo, su entorno urbano se ha transformado desde que la Casa fue edificada. Para el análisis expuesto en este artículo, se realizaron simulaciones energéticas utilizando datos climáticos correspondientes al periodo 2000-2019. Los resultados muestran la influencia que tuvieron las modificaciones de la cubierta proyectada y la expansión urbanística en el rendimiento energético del edificio, con respecto a la concepción original del inmueble.