Minimal renovation strategies for low-temperature heating with optimal comfort

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Abstract

To prepare the housing stock for the transition to collective, low-temperature heating, minimal renovation strategies for the integration of low-temperature heating and optimal comfort are studied within this research for various single-family housing typologies. Renovation measures on the building and installation scale were considered for the different typologies, which vary in terms of the construction period and building type. The simulations are performed in the software DesignBuilder, on a case study dwelling located in the Netherlands. The low-temperature readiness is assessed based on heat balance and air temperature simulations. Computational Fluid Design within the software is used to determine the effect of the renovation measures on the draught rate and radiant temperature, as these aspects are critically affected by the lowering of the radiator's supply temperature. Additionally, the effect on radiant asymmetry is measured in the software program Stralingsverloop. The outcomes of the study regarding low-temperature readiness indicate the differences in effectiveness of the measures for the different typologies. The study on thermal comfort shows the posibilities for optimizing the thermal comfort through the integration of renovation measures, in particular through the installation of balance ventilation and high performance glazing. Based on the outcomes of both the studies, a individual recommendation is given for each typology.