| Project Detail |
Buildings for an energy-efficient future
Buildings are the EU’s biggest energy consumers. They are collectively responsible for more than 40 % of our energy consumption and 36 % of greenhouse gas emissions. As such, innovative building designs and operation are required. Moreover, the quality of the indoor environment is essential since poor ventilation is associated with health risks, and obtaining thermally comfortable conditions is a prerequisite. However, when designing new and retrofitting old buildings, energy efficiency is often a priority, and indoor environment quality requirements are neglected. The EU-funded FaceINQ project proposes complex glass façade systems, which are now a common feature in large-scale non-residential buildings, to address the need for innovation in the design and operation of naturally ventilated buildings, taking into account the indoor environment quality.
Buildings are the single largest energy consumer in Europe and addressing the challenges of climate change require innovative approaches to building design and operation that reduce energy consumption. Furthermore, people spend most of their lives in buildings; thus, the quality of indoor environments, and indeed indoor air, is vital. The recent Covid-19 pandemic has shown some of the health risks associated with poor ventilation and demonstrated that improving indoor air quality requires urgent attention and next-generation thinking. However, with energy efficiency being a priority when designing new and retrofitting old buildings, there is a challenge to balance this with ensuring indoor environment does not impair the health, comfort, wellbeing and productivity of building occupants.
FaceINQ is an exciting project that addresses the need for innovation in the design and operation of naturally ventilated buildings with complex glass façade systems, which are now a common feature in large-scale non-residential buildings. FaceINQ’s innovative approach utilises advanced computational models validated with measured data and qualitative feedback from building occupants to consider not only the building energy consumption, but also the impact of indoor environment on building occupants, and the impact of occupants’ behaviour on the operation of façade systems. Through an interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach (i) combining architecture, engineering, building physics, health and social science, (ii) utilising a ‘living laboratory’ to collect extensive data, and (iii) enabling non-academic short visits and a placement to enhance the transfer of knowledge between industry and academia; this novel research will provide a paradigm shift in the design, assessment and operation of naturally ventilated buildings. The results will enable society meet urgent challenge of providing climate-friendly buildings that are healthy, comfortable and productive places for people. |
