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New research commissioned by the DTI analyses the impact of increasingly hot summers between now and 2080 on various types of UK buildings and identifies how residential, commercial and educational buildings can best be adapted to limit overheating.
The results and recommendations are contained in a new 52-page publication: Climate change and the indoor environment: impacts and adaptation.
There is compelling scientific evidence that the climate is changing and it is probable that average temperatures will increase by several degrees over the coming century. These increases in temperature are expected to have a major impact on the indoor environment, especially since even today, many buildings are unable cope with hot summer weather. The starting point for the research is the set of UKCIP02 Climate Change Scenarios for the United Kingdom, which provides the best currently available scientific projections for UK climate over the coming century.
Key questions are:
• To what extent will climate change increase the occurrence of summertime thermal discomfort and overheating in different types of UK buildings?
• To what extent will passive measures be able to improve summertime thermal comfort and ameliorate the increased tendency for overheating?
• How effective will different approaches to comfort cooling be under the changing climate?
• What are the energy use implications of the various strategies?
The research analyses these issues through dynamic thermal computer modelling of 13 case study buildings, chosen to provide a cross-section of UK building types, including dwellings, schools and offices, and to illustrate a range of different approaches to comfort cooling provision. Performance is assessed against tests for summertime thermal performance, energy and carbon emissions.
The new publication, TM36 Climate change and the indoor environment: impacts and adaptation, is co-published by CIBSE and RIBA and will be available from early February from CIBSE Publication Sales on 020 8772 3618 or online at www.cibse.org/publications. The cost is £28 (plus P&P) for CIBSE and RIBA members and £56 (plus P&P) for non-members.
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