New Development in Calculation Methods, in Basic Characteristics of low-cost houses in order to reduce the energy consumption for heating - Link programme - Coordination and consequences for the architectural design (synthesis)

A previous research work developed within the frame of the first European R-D Energy Programme has led to the production of a manual design method mainly oriented to the design of low cost, low energy houses. From the beginning, we know that this method remains uncompleted but its lacunas became particulary obvious and combersome when trying to apply it to the real design of 25 houses on a real ground. Therefore we devoted some research efforts to improve the manual method specially in calculation methods. These efforts do not intend to be definite answers to the difficult points we put in light. Some are a first proposal for solving specific problems like intergrating dynamic-thermal behaviour in the design of buildings. Others are particular issues of a continuous work developed in the Building Physics Laboratory for years like equivalent degree-day methods. The last group contents more specific points like shading factor calculation. Some has already been introduced in the new issue of the design methodology. Others have been used during the design of the houses but they need more work to become practical tools that can be introduced in the methodology. And some are kept for further development. In appearance, the present book is just the gathering of disjoined chapters, but the work is not as incoherent as it seems. All the methods have at least one thing in common: the desing orientation of their use.