High energy efficiency retrofit module development

Abstract

One of the main key sectors where it is vital to reduce the energy consumption, is the existent building stock. The European Union has recognized this issue in 2002 with the entrance into force of the Directive on Energy Performance of Buildings where important measures to limit the buildings primary energy consumption are foreseen. Within this context, it was initiated a new project focusing the development of a new retrofit solution – a prefabricated façade retrofit module. This solution is, to some extent, a by-product of the authors’ participation on the International Energy Agency project IEA ECBCS Annex50 and on the FCT funded project PTDC/ECM/67373/2006. In order to achieve a better support for the design of the solution and for the module thermal optimization, there were applied some computational tools like Google SketchUp® for 3D modelling to test the design options and eQuest® tool for energy performance prediction of several construction options and to assure their accordance with the applicable regulations. At the moment, a prototype is being developed and built in the Test Cells of University of Minho in order to carry out several “in-situ” thermal performance measurements.