Understanding the complexities of building physics and human behaviour in achieving a nearly zero energy building

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Abstract

About 40% of the world’s energy consumption and approximately a third of greenhouse gas emissions are associated with buildings. As the percentage of new buildings relative to existing buildings is increasing at a rate of only 1% per year, retrofitting is recognised as the most immediate, pressing and cost effective mechanism to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions in the building and construction sector. Preliminary pre-retrofit results of eight case study buildings examining the energy consumption, thermal comfort and human behaviour in typical Irish residential houses built over the last two decades are presented with the impact of human behaviour on energy consumption highlighted. The paper discusses how architects and engineers are going to have to not only understand the complexities of a buildings physics but also the behaviour and attitudes towards energy consumption of the people living inside them in order to develop a holistic retrofit design.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationStructures and Architecture - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Structures and Architecture (ICSA 2016)
EditorsPaulo J.S. Cruz
PublisherCRC Press/Balkema
Pages640-648
Number of pages9
ISBN (Print)9781138026513
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 27 Jul 2016
Event3rd International Conference on Structures and Architecture, ICSA 2016 - Guimaraes, Portugal
Duration: 27 Jul 201629 Jul 2016

Publication series

NameStructures and Architecture - Proceedings of the 3rd International Conference on Structures and Architecture, ICSA 2016

Conference

Conference3rd International Conference on Structures and Architecture, ICSA 2016
Country/TerritoryPortugal
CityGuimaraes
Period27/07/1629/07/16

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