PhD Programme in Sustainable Development - Biodiversity and Climate Change

Energy Efficient Build and District

TrinityHaus has a strong research track record in the area of energy efficient buildings and districts with 8 academic staff and 15 PhD researchers. The group is funded through national research grants and industry funding and is continuing to make considerable advancements in this exciting research area.

The construction sector accounts for 30% of industrial employment in the European Union, contributing about 10.4% of the Gross Domestic Product, with 3 million enterprises, 95% of which being SMEs3. At the same time, primary energy use in the built environment accounts for about 40% of total EU energy consumption. In residential buildings most of the energy used is required for domestic hot water and space heating, ventilation, lighting and cooling. Non-building-related appliances account for about one-third of electricity consumption in housing. In comparison commercial buildings are an electricity-demand-based environment (accounting for over 33% of primary energy use) with cooling being one of the main energy consumers alongside lighting. The electricity demand is expected to continue to rise, in particular owing to increasing use of appliances and demand for cooling.

In partnership with Energy Efficient Building Association E2BA, several research priorities have been identified to develop a sustainable strategy for energy-efficient buildings. These include:

Refurbishment to transform existing buildings into energy-efficient buildings, with more efficient solutions for insulation or low carbon integrated systems with low renovation cost (50% of a new building) providing a wide improvement in energy demand is possible, moving from more than 300 kWh/m² to 50 kWh/m² per year.
Energy-efficient districts/communities to enable new methods of addressing the difference in dynamics of energy supply and demand, in the diversity in energy demands (magnitude and type: heat, cold, electricity), in the energy losses in distribution of thermal energy; with the creation of a system that can adjust to the needs of the user by analysing behaviour patterns will raise the overall performance of buildings and districts.
New materials, products and components for insulation systems specifically designed for the energy efficient retrofitting of existing and occupied buildings, with multifunctionality, including energy production, distribution and storage technologies for integration into the envelope system for building retrofitting.
Solutions for historic buildings and cultural heritage (including diagnostics) that provide novel sustainable strategies, concepts, methodologies and techniques to improve the energy efficiency of cultural heritage buildings.
Systems and equipment for energy use (for existing buildings) with new methodologies to integrate comfort systems, energy management systems and local energy generation. This includes new flexible and efficient equipment to be operated in existing buildings is needed, fully exploiting the potential of renewable energy sources, including PV. In addition passive systems are to be developed that enable replacement of conventional ventilation and cooling systems, used both in office and residential buildings.
Development of accurate predicative model using a suitable algorithm(s) with feedback loops to take account of building response during periods of cooling and heating when occupied and unoccupied.

Additionally TrinityHaus in conducting research into:

The embodied energy and life cycle assessment for energy efficient retrofitting and operations of modern buildings.
The contradictions between air tightness and indoor environment.
The remapping of existing urban neighbourhoods to identify underutilised resources that could be used to transform the area towards sustainability.