Effect of Airtightness on Thermal Loads in Legacy Low-Income Housing

Samuel Domínguez-Amarillo, Jesica Fernández-Agüera, Miguel Ángel Campano and Ignacio Acosta
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Samuel Domínguez-Amarillo: Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, 41014 Sevilla, Spain
Jesica Fernández-Agüera: Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, 41014 Sevilla, Spain
Miguel Ángel Campano: Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, 41014 Sevilla, Spain
Ignacio Acosta: Instituto Universitario de Arquitectura y Ciencias de la Construcción, Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, 41014 Sevilla, Spain

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 9, 1-14

Abstract: Spain’s high winter weather-associated death count, the second largest in Europe, can be attributed primarily to the low construction standards of its social housing, particularly the stock built prior to the entry into effect of the earliest statutory provisions on envelope quality. Hence, improving building envelopes to both reduce energy consumption and raise occupant comfort levels is important. Air leakage is one of the factors with the greatest impact on indoor comfort and domestic energy consumption. This study explores the sensitivity of energy consumption to that parameter in a series of types of social housing built between 1950 and 1979 in five Mediterranean climate zones. Demand in a total of 53 housing units located in 21 developments was simulated to that end. The findings show that air permeability has a significant effect on wintertime demand in the sample studied. Although the impact is greater in the more severe climates where it is estimated to be over 10 kWh/m 2 , it may also affect energy consumption in mild climates.

Keywords: airtightness; residential buildings; blower door test; air infiltration; southern Europe; energy demand (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: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:9:p:1677-:d:227953

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