Built environment

Passive systems
Energy

Javier Orozco-Messana
DIMM, ITM, Ass.Pr
THERMAL COMFORT

• Thermal comfort is defined as that condition of mind which

expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment
• How people feel about the thermal environment is affected not only
by air temperature, room surface temperature, air velocity (and
humidity), but also by the clothing they are wearing and the activity
they are engaged in
• Given the opportunity, people will adapt to ensure they are
comfortable so occupant control of the thermal environment is
important. People will also expect certain conditions in buildings
they use frequently, so large temperature shifts should be avoided
either within any day or one day to the next

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THERMAL COMFORT

• Thermodynamics
• Atmospheric conditions
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Movement and air purity
• Thermophysiology the human body
• Comfort equation
• Thermal equilibrium
• Air quality
• Humidification and dehumidification
• Ceilings climate
• Wall temperatures
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BUILDING ENERGY DEMAND

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HISTORICAL EVOLUTION

Passivhaus concepts
• Very good insulation, reduced thermal bridges and well-insulated Windows
• Good air tightness and ventilation system with highly efficient heat recovery

For cold climates, it turns out that these improvements in building shell finally result in the
possibility to simplify the heating system:
• It becomes possible to keep the building comfortable only by heating the air that needs
to be supplied to the building to guarantee good indoor air quality
• The whole heat distribution system can then be reduced to a small post-heater (heat
recovery system)

This fact renders high energy efficiency cost-efficient: Considering the lifecycle cost of the
building, a Passivhaus needs not be more expensive than a conventional new dwelling

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Over the centuries, a large diversity of passive strategies have been
developed, from a most empirical to a progressively more scientific and
technological approach:

1. Windows/ Insulation/ Cold bridges

2. U-value (in situ)
3. Air Tightness
4. Orientation/ Solar/ Shadings
5. Thermal mass and transient heat transfer
6. Natural ventilation (building pressure profile)
7. Passive cooling
8. And
a) Subsoil heat exchangers
b) Heat recovery system
c) Building shape

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U-values
 R-value is the resistance to heat flow for a single building element
 U-value is more tha the reciprocal of R-value:
 It accounts for the whole envelope
 It accounts for contact resistances between elements
 It accounts for boundary conditions

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 Infrared and
visible light
images

Ground
floor not
insulated

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Thermal mass
Heat stored during the day is released by night

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Relevance of thermal mass in PassivHaus design
Thermal mass, coupled to the interior of the building, can be of considerable advantage both
in the summer and winter:
• In summer: limits the upper daytime temperature and thereby reduces the need for
cooling. This effect can be enhanced by coupling the high capacitance material with
night time convection to pre-cool the thermal mass for the following day.
• In winter: mass can absorb heat gains which build up during the day, for release into
the space at night, thus potentially reducing heating demand.

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Natural ventilation
One sided Cross ventilation

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jaormes@cst.upv.es

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