LOWE SONDERBORG - EFFICIENT HEATING AND VENTILATION IN AN EFFICIENT BUILDING SHELL | | Project | Fact sheet | ENG | CORDIS

Objective

The objective of the project is to demonstrate how the overall energy consumption in apartment buildings can be reduced through a combination of energy efficient demand controlled ventilation and energy efficient design of the building shell.
In 16 apartments, energy consumption for ventilation can be controlled according to demand using humidity as the indication of the occupancy level and thereby ventilation requirement. In 16 apartments, heat recuperation on ventilation is installed, and 16 apartments with standard exhaust air ventilation serve as reference objects.
The monitoring results indicate that in the humidity-controlled apartments the total outdoor air change, the mechanical exhaust airflow rate and the energy consumption for heating might be reduced compared to the reference apartments, at mean temperatures per day below 9C, and at the same time the humidity criteria (max.45% RF )were met.
The minimum airflow rate was obtained at a mean temperature at 1.5C where the reduction was 35%.
The measured 35% reduction does not fulfil the anticipated 40-50%, but it's comparable.
The user satisfaction study shows, that the residents are satisfied with the indoor climate and air quality, but that there are some problems with noise and draughts from the air intake vents in the humidity controlled ventilation systems. These are more or less practical problems, which can be solved in future applications.
The succes of humidity controlled ventilation systems also depends on codes and regulations in the different countries. Some countries have codes for a minimum airflow rate, which the humidity controlled system will not always fulfil.
HUMIDITY CONTROL
This project is a full scale demonstration project based on an innovative prototype for humidity controlled ventilation of dwellings.
In the demonstration project, the relative humidity of each room is monitored and the processor controls a servomotor in the air inlet valve for each room. The exhaust air from kitchen and bath is balanced by the processor to equivalate the air inlet.
By this means the air flow through the flat will be reduced to the amount needed to keep the relative humidity below 45% RH.
VENTILATION
The 3 blocks in this project will be furnished with 3 different ventilation systems to make a full scale comparison possible.
1. Standard exhaust system according to building codes.
2. Ventilation system with humidity control.
3. Standard ventilation system with heat recuperation.
LOW TEMPERATURE HEATING
The design concept for the heating installations for the 48 flats in 3 blocks is based on individual installations for each flat, with individual energy metering. Due to the lower temperature differences between flow and return, piping and radiators will have to be increased by 50% for piping and 75% for radiators.
Also due to the low temperature heating, hot water supply will be divided into a pre-heater for 40 deg. C warm water for bath, backed up by an electrical post-heater for 55 deg. C (hot water for kitchen).
SEASONALLY FLEXIBLE SUNSPACES
With normal glazed balconies, the double glazing is placed between the balcony and the living room forming the outer shell of the flat.
The balcony is then an extension of the flat, which can be used only when passive solar energy heats the room.
In this project, a part of the flat can be closed off by a single glazed double door, forming a buffer zone between the open balcony and the living room.
The outer shell of the flat includes this buffer zone, and is glazed with low energy gasfilled double glazing.
The sunspace then fullfils the requirements for dwelling rooms according to building codes and can be used all year around.
MONITORING PROGRAMME
The measurement and evaluation programme is composed of two parts, these being :
1. technical measurements and evaluation
2. resident survey and evaluation.

Programme(s)

ENG-THERMIE 1 - Programme (EEC) for the promotion of energy technology in Europe (THERMIE), 1990-1994

Topic(s)

2.1 - BUILDINGS

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

DEM - Demonstration contracts

Coordinator

ESBENSEN CONSULTING ENGINEERS

EU contribution

No data

Address

MOELLEGADE 54-56
Soendeborg
Denmark

Total cost