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Scenario Testing Of The Energy And Environmental Performance Of The ‘Glasgow House’

This paper describes the results from a 12-month study of a prototype low energy dwelling built for Glasgow Housing Association. The dwelling is intended for mainstream and social housing within Glasgow and includes a range of energy reducing features including a thermally heavy clay block wall, sunspaces, MVHR, solar thermal system and low energy lighting. The dwellings have been subject to an innovative monitoring strategy by MEARU, whereby test occupants (students recruited from the School of Architecture) have been asked to inhabit the buildings for six two-week periods using occupancy ‘scripts’ that determine their internal behaviour. The scenarios thus simulate varying patterns of occupancy in both houses simultaneously and the performance of the houses can then been compared. Indications are that although the clay block house had a poorer thermal performance, it did have other qualitative advantages. The performance of the active systems, including the MVHR system was found to be problematic, and specific scenarios were undertaken to explore the implications of this.

It was funded through feasibility funding from CICStart online LUPS/ERDF/2008/2/1/0237 (£959k) 2009 - 2012. The project further exploited innovative methodology developed by MEARU in previous funded research (Development of Post Occupancy Evaluation for evaluation of innovative low carbon social housing projects, CICStart feasibility Study £5k), and the development of this expertise led to successful bids to the Technology Strategy Board for 6 domestic Building Performance Evaluation projects with over £470k, in which MEARU is now recognised as an international centre. The programme is influencing UK government policy through DECC and DCLG. The methodology developed here is also being used on a Knowledge Transfer Partnership with Cartwright Pickard Architects in London (£139k). This paper has been selected as one of seven chosen for inclusion in a Special Issue of the journal ‘Buildings’ http://www.mdpi.com/journal/buildings.