Low Carbon Future for Buildings

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Low Carbon Future for Buildings Phil
Jones Welsh School of Architecture
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Move to zero carbon buildings 3
Steps 2010 25 better 2013 44
better 2016 zero carbon (2006 25 better than
2002) Emphasis on housing uses 27 of UK carbon
emissions
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What is a zero carbon building?

• Zero carbon from heating lighting, appliances,
  cooking
• Offsetting embodied energy through lifetime
• Zero carbon lifestyle, transport, food, products,
  etc
• All imply, low energy design and use of renewable
  energy systems

BowZed Bill Dunster
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EU COST C23 Low Carbon Urban Built
Environments 19 Countries signed up
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EMPA zero carbon office
External shading - G-value 0.1 to 0.14 High
levels insulation - windows 0.5 -
walls/roof 0.12
Ground cooling Night cooling PV Waste heat
recovery
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But!
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3 Decades of low energy housing
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The Abertridwr Better Insulated Housing
Project 39 houses 20 better insulated 19
Control U-values for the control house were 1.0,
0.5 and 0.6 W/m2/oC U-values for the test house
were 0,5, 0.3 and 0.45 W/m2/oC (walls, roof and
floor)
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Energy savings 37 Incidental heat gains (solar
and internal) 20 to 30 Boiler efficiency test
80 control 75 (low load 50-60) Annual
heating load test 137 control - 236 kWh/m2
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Thermographic surveys Workmanship Poorly
installed insulation Design Missing insulation
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• Air leakage measurements
• air leakage rates of 5.6 to 8.5 m3/h/m2 on
  completion of construction
• rising to 8.6 to 14 m3/h/m2 two years later.
• Compare to current requirements of 10 m3/h/m2

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• Other tests
• Trickle ventilators
• Reduction in condensation in houses with trickle
  ventilators.
• Air leakage measurement showed that infiltration
  rates were about 0.5ac/h with vents and windows
  closed.
• The trickle ventilators increased the air
  leakage at 50PA by about 10.
• Pilkingtons low emissivity double glazing units
• Energy savings of about 14 were achieved,
  thermal comfort was slightly improved and
  condensation at window reveals eliminated.

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• 3 Decades of low energy housing
• Housing has been the key to energy efficiency.
• Improvements in new build more insulation, more
  efficient systems, less air leakage.
• Driven by Building regulations minimum standards.

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• Concept House
• To achieve near zero carbon performance.
• Innovation in construction and the use of
  materials.
• Alternative and renewable sources of energy.
• Healthy comfortable living conditions

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Code for Sustainable Homes
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Code for Sustainable Homes
3 Steps 2010 25 better (level 3) 2013 44
better (level 4) 2016 zero carbon (level 6)
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Although there are some good examples of
sustainable design and evidence that low to zero
carbon buildings can be constructed. .there is
also evidence that the carbon footprint of our
cities in continuing to increase.
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The most influential factors affecting the
eco-efficiency of the housing environment belong
to the following four groups 1) increase in
average housing standard as a result of rising
general living standard (amount of space per
inhabitant increases the consumption and
emissions per inhabitant) 2) extension of urban
areas and urban sprawl (increasing the demand for
infrastructure and travel distances), could be
managed by urban planning and design as well land
policy 3) speed of the increase in popularity of
urban town house concepts (high density and
low-rise, lower demand for infrastructure and
travel) 4) spreading of innovative and
eco-efficient technologies and living habits (eg.
low energy passive buildings, bio-energy,
dematerialisation or immaterialisation,
telepresence etc.)
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So what can Wales do? It needs to decide what is
a zero carbon sustainable building and what
skills and knowledge is needed. What to do about
Building Regulations and Codes? Think about
designing and constructing some WAG needs to
take a lead! Also need to think wider than
buildings Cardiff are aiming to become a Carbon
Lite City
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Proposal for a Wales Centre for Sustainable
Construction to help deliver a more sustainable
built environment for Wales to support and guide
the private and public sector on how to deliver
sustainable construction through information,
technical assistance and skills development