Analysing natural ventilation to reduce the cooling energy consumption and the fuel poverty of social dwellings in coastal zones

In southern European countries, summer temperatures could contribute to a high cooling energy consumption. Family units with fewer economic resources living in social dwellings could suffer from fuel poverty if they want to use air conditioning systems. Otherwise, they could face discomfort hours because of a natural ventilation without clear control criteria. This study analyses quantitatively and qualitatively the possibilities of natural ventilation through mixed-mode and the possibility of reducing fuel poverty for family units living in social dwellings. For this purpose, the application of a natural ventilation approach was analysed through an adaptive behaviour based on EN 16798-1: 2019. A case study of 51 social dwellings was analysed by using various operation hypothesis between 2015 and 2019. The results showed the potential of using mixed-mode approaches to achieve savings in the energy consumption and to remove cases of fuel poverty in low-income families.

Authors: David Bienvenido-Huertas, Daniel Sánchez-García, Carlos Rubio-Bellido