Blueprints for designing optimised energy consumption and sustainable energy generation in single-family homes in temperate climes

The ‘Blueprints for designing optimised energy consumption and sustainable energy generation in single-family homes in temperate climes’ project is funded under an industrial applied research sub-programme of the 2008 national applied research programme of Spain’s ministry of science and innovation.

The project involves monitoring energy consumption and comfort levels in various types of energy-efficient housing under real conditions of use, with the overarching aim of conducting a comparative study of the energy efficiency data and, based on these, to then develop design guidelines and strategies for integrating active solar energy systems and home automation systems.

The project aims to:

  • Identify, catalogue and analyse different types of housing and natural environment management techniques.
  • Monitor internal and external comfort-related parameters (temperature, humidity, air flows, etc) and energy consumption levels in each of the dwellings involved in the study.
  • Use these data to generate real and reasonably reliable energy-efficiency information based on the application of home automation systems and bioclimatic principles.
  • Establish blueprints for combining passive and active solar energy strategies with a series of parameters, such as weather conditions, types and systems.
  • Conduct a technical-economic study to ascertain the return on investment from installing home automation equipment.

This monitoring exercise has enabled us to understand and adapt various home construction models and equipment, ensuring that in each case the set-up met optimally the comfort needs of the residents, with minimal additional input.