Influence of the methodology for evaluating energy performance of buildings over the energy needed for cooling

Abstract

The need to reduce energy bills and the need for protection for the user has made the government of Spain develop new regulations that reinforce thermal isolation requirements. The adopted methodology for evaluating energy performance in buildings is based on informatics tools, where it is difficult to check the measures for improving energy efficiency work. The objective of this paper is to compare the current methodology for evaluating energy needed for cooling in Spain with the methodologies of some European countries. The research is based on applying those methodologies over a case study conducted on the Mediterranean coast of Spain (warm conditions), applying different U-limits and evaluating the obtained energy needed for cooling from each method. The results show that improving constructive solutions and increasing thermal isolation thickness in some cases do not offer the expected results as the energy needed for cooling raises especially in methodologies belonging to cold countries. © 2014 WIT Press.