Historical Analysis of Real Energy Consumption and Indoor Conditions in Single-Family Passive Building

Szymon Firląg (), Abdullah Sikander Baig and Dariusz Koc
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Szymon Firląg: Wydział Inżynierii Lądowej, Politechnika Warszawska, Al. Armii Ludowej 16, 00-637 Warszawa, Poland
Abdullah Sikander Baig: Wydział Inżynierii Lądowej, Politechnika Warszawska, Al. Armii Ludowej 16, 00-637 Warszawa, Poland
Dariusz Koc: Polish National Energy Conservation Agency, Al. Jerozolimskie 65/79, 00-697 Warszawa, Poland

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 2, 1-35

Abstract: The paper includes a historical analysis of real energy consumption and indoor conditions in a single-family passive building located in Warsaw, Poland. Passive houses have emerged as a sustainable alternative to the conventional construction of houses, having advantages such as low energy consumption, comfortable indoor temperatures, an environmentally friendly nature, and low carbon emissions. This research consists of indoor temperature assessments over a 5-year period (2018–2022) which include comfort assessments made in accordance with the standard EN 16798-1 and precise assessments made for extreme weather events over a two-week critical period including the heating and cooling seasons. The real energy consumption analysis, including electric heating, outdoor lighting, indoor lighting, ventilation, and domestic hot water, was compared against passive house and nearly-zero energy standards. The results of the study show that the building is thermally comfortable to live in, as it remained mainly in the first comfort category, IEQ I. There was no such issue as overheating and underheating even during extreme weather events. The energy need for heating remained very close to the passive standard, namely 15 kWh/(m 2 ·year). The total primary energy consumption for heating, hot water, and electricity meets the standard required value of 120 kWh/(m 2 ·year). These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of passive house design principles at achieving high levels of thermal comfort and energy efficiency in cold climates. In addition, it is demonstrated that it is possible to maintain comfortable indoor temperatures (even with outdoor air temperatures reaching 35 °C) without air conditioning or cooling systems. The integration of a photovoltaic system offers a viable pathway toward transforming the building into a zero-energy standard, contributing to sustainability goals and reducing carbon emissions.

Keywords: energy consumption; thermal comfort; passive building; long-term monitoring; overheating risk; nearly-zero energy building (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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