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Indoor Thermal Environment Challenges of Light Steel Framing in the Southern European Context

Author

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  • Eduardo Roque

    (RISCO—Aveiro Research Centre of Risks and Sustainability in Construction, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Romeu Vicente

    (RISCO—Aveiro Research Centre of Risks and Sustainability in Construction, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal)

  • Ricardo M. S. F. Almeida

    (Polytechnic Institute of Viseu, School of Technology and Management, Department of Civil Engineering, Campus Politécnico de Repeses, 3504-510 Viseu, Portugal
    CONSTRUCT-LFC, Faculty of Engineering (FEUP), University of Porto, Rua Dr. Roberto Frias s/n, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal)

Abstract

Over the past decades, Southern European residential architecture has been typically associated with heavyweight hollow brick masonry and reinforced concrete construction systems; however, more industrialised alternative systems have been gaining a significant market share, such as the light steel framing (LSF). Regardless of the proliferation of LSF buildings, a lack of experimental research studies have been performed on this construction system in terms of the indoor thermal environment and thermal comfort in the Southern European climate context. Moreover, a research gap also exists regarding experimental comparisons with typical brick masonry buildings. The present study focused on this research gap by characterising and comparing the performance of these two construction systems. A long-term experimental campaign was carried out, involving the construction and monitoring of two identical test cells, differing only by construction system. The test cells were located in Portugal and were monitored over an entire year. The results revealed that the LSF experimental test cell presented higher daily indoor air temperature fluctuations, leading to more extreme maximum and minimum values, closely following the outdoor dry bulb temperature variations. The more responsive behaviour was also reflected in the indoor thermal comfort analysis, with the LSF cell presenting slightly worse performance; however, some advantages were also observed regarding the LSF construction system, which could provide benefits during intermittent residential occupation, especially in mild climates, in which overheating is not a major concern.

Suggested Citation

  • Eduardo Roque & Romeu Vicente & Ricardo M. S. F. Almeida, 2021. "Indoor Thermal Environment Challenges of Light Steel Framing in the Southern European Context," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-23, October.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:21:p:7025-:d:665528
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. João M. P. Q. Delgado & Ana S. Guimarães & João Poças Martins & Diogo F. R. Parracho & Sara S. Freitas & António G. B. Lima & Leonardo Rodrigues, 2023. "BIM and BEM Interoperability–Evaluation of a Case Study in Modular Wooden Housing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-21, February.
    2. Eduardo Roque & Romeu Vicente & Ricardo M. S. F. Almeida & Victor M. Ferreira, 2022. "The Impact of Thermal Inertia on the Indoor Thermal Environment of Light Steel Framing Constructions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-17, April.
    3. Domagoj Tkalčić & Bojan Milovanović & Mergim Gaši & Marija Jelčić Rukavina & Ivana Banjad Pečur, 2023. "Optimization of Thermal Bridges Effect of Composite Lightweight Panels with Integrated Steel Load-Bearing Structure," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(18), pages 1-24, September.

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