Passive control of indoor climate conditions in low energy buildings

A few features of building envelope that intensively affect summer internal microclimate in low energy building have been analyzed in presented paper. It was suggested to call those features "the passive means of protection against overheating". Adaptive comfort method was used as a criterion of internal conditions evaluation. Dynamic thermal simulations of building model were conducted in EnergyPlus software. The main aim of this study, closely related to European Energy Directives, is to identify ways and means how to avoid mechanical cooling of building, connected with increased demand on energy, and in the same time to safeguard comfortable indoor climate. The basic conclusions regarding passive measures of protection against overheating have been presented. (C) 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.