Evaluation of a Single Family Low Energy Building in Cold Climate

Abstract

Verification of energy performance and indoor climate by detailed field measurements in buildings is of great importance and promotes an assurance in the process of constructing low energy buildings and enables to utilize the full potential of energy efficiency measures.In the present work a single family building with a heated living space area of 175 m2 has been monitored. The heating system has a wood pellet stove for space heating (SH) and domestic hot water (DHW) and on the roof there are solar collectors in a southerly direction contributing to SH and DHW. SH is distributed by the ventilation system and an under floor heating system which is connected to a heat storage water tank. The incoming outdoor air is pre-heated in an earth-to-air heat exchanger and the building has a measured specific energy usage of 54 kWh/m2year which is far lower than today’s regulation at 130 kWh/m2year in the actual climate zone. The low energy use in the building are due to thick thermal insulation (average Um = 0.18 W/°C m2), an air tight envelope (q50 = 0.165 l/sm2), heat recovery of exhaust air (average 74 % efficiency) and free heat from the ground pre-heating of supply air which is above 2°C even for outdoor temperatures down to -27°C. An essential factor was the low rate of air changes during the heating season about 40 % of the regulated requirement. Measurements of indoor air quality like carbon dioxide occasionally indicated insufficient ventilation.