Quantification of the thermal performance of free-running three-storey houses

Abstract

This paper explores the possible means to adopt environmentally-friendly passive techniques to promote thermal comfort inside houses with the view of minimizing the use of energy-intensive active means such as fans. This could reduce the operating cost of houses, growth of demand for electricity in the domestic sector and adverse effects on the environment resulting from human settlement. A three-storey passive house that could be proposed on the basis of qualitative studies was selected for the quantification of its thermal behaviour, using DEROB-LTH computer program, varying the surface colour of the roof, walls and floors. The same house was again simulated after removal of its passive features such as shading devices and balcony roof, and addition of undesirable features such as west-facing windows. For all cases, the same set of probable internal loads were used. The results indicated that the indoor temperature of a functional space of a passive house can be lower as much as by 5°C than that of the same space of the same house containing features that are thermally undesirable. The results also show that, in a passive house, the indoor temperature can be maintained below the maximum outdoor temperature, which occurs around 2 p.m. This is a significant finding that guarantees benefits at both individual and national level if passive techniques are adopted by a sizable population of the country.