uhuMEBr: Energy Refurbishment of Existing Buildings in Subtropical Climates to Become Minimum Energy Buildings

Sergio Gómez Melgar, Miguel Ángel Martínez Bohórquez and José Manuel Andújar Márquez
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Sergio Gómez Melgar: Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain
Miguel Ángel Martínez Bohórquez: Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain
José Manuel Andújar Márquez: Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería, Universidad de Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007 Huelva, Spain

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-35

Abstract: Today, most countries in the world have mandatory regulations, more or less strict, regarding energy efficiency in buildings. However, a large percentage of the buildings already built were constructed under lax or non-existing regulations in this regard. Therefore, many countries are facing the energy refurbishment of their existing buildings to reduce their carbon footprint. Depending on ambient weather conditions where a building settles, its operation with respect to the achievement of maximum energy efficiency should usually be different. This happens in subtropical climates when, during the year and depending on the season, the building needs to conserve heat, evacuate it or even make an exchange with the outside to take advantage of favorable environmental conditions. This paper presents a complete methodology for conducting building energy efficiency refurbishments in subtropical climates in order to convert them into minimum energy buildings. The proposed methodology is illustrated by a case study in a dwelling that includes all the stages, from the analysis of the existing dwelling to the refurbishment works, showing the final results and the subsequent dwelling operation.

Keywords: energy efficiency; subtropical climate building; Minimum-Energy Building (MEB); building refurbishment; building rehabilitation; building renovation; envelope airtightness; envelope thermography; envelope transmittance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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