Summer overheating of a passive sports hall building

Abstract

Reported measurements were intended as a preliminary check of a free run of a sports hall passive building in summer conditions. Indoor microclimate measurements lasted for three hot summer days and were carried out at the time when there was no building occupancy. In adverse conditions of high ambient air temperature and switched off ventilation acute overheating was observed. Night cooling, easily available measure of overheating protection was not applied, so there was no chance for discharge of high internal capacity of this building. A specific mode of building management had a critical impact on its internal microclimate and would raise user dissatisfaction. In close perspective of widespread implementation of near zero energy building standard, often reported overheating problem becomes an important issue. It was also shown that thermal comfort measurements may be unexpectedly and substantially affected by window location and solar radiation geometry.