Time-averaged single sided ventilation rates and thermal environment in cooling mode for a low energy retrofit envelope

Abstract

Non-invasive, scalable, building retrofit solutions are very attractive deep renovation techniques to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings; this includes natural ventilation for cooling due to the low impact nature of the installation. However, a number of criteria that are important to natural ventilative cooling strategies can be substantially altered as a result of an external retrofit solution. This paper investigates this experimentally; it presents ventilation rate and internal thermal environment results from full scale testing of a modular, scalable, external low energy retrofit envelope solution applied to an existing 1970s precast concrete building in Ireland. Experimental results of time averaged single sided ventilation rates for three different ventilation opening configurations in a retrofitted office space during a warm and low wind summer period are analysed and compared to a single configuration control space. Results show that the highest time averaged ventilation rates were measured in the control space although a similar distribution was present in one retrofit opening configuration. Analysis of tracer concentration decay fluctuation profiles during tests suggest increased unsteady flow effects in the control space compared to all retrofit configurations. This is likely due to the different responses to turbulent diffusion processes and wind pressure fluctuations at the window opening compared to the louvred retrofit design. Zone thermal stratification and diurnal temperature variation within the control and retrofit spaces were measured during each ventilation rate test and also continuously for an extended period. Results show that vertical temperature differences have been substantially reduced following the retrofit works with all δTs values within recommended acceptable limits.