The impact of the shape factor on final energy demand in residential buildings in nordic climates

• The shape factor of a building is the ratio between its envelope area and its volume. Buildings with a higher shape factor have a larger surface area in proportion to their volume, which results in larger heat losses in cold climates. This study analyzes the impact of the shape factor on the final energy demand by using five existing apartment buildings with different values of shape factor. Each building was simulated for twelve different scenarios: three thermal envelope scenarios and four climate zones. The differences in shape factor between the buildings were found to have a large impact and accounted for 10%-20% of their final energy demand. The impact of the shape factor was reduced with warmer climates and ceased with average outdoor temperature 11ºC-14ºC depending on the thermal envelope performance of the buildings.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Husbyggnad (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Building Technologies (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Arkitekturteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Architectural Engineering (hsv//eng)

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Naturresursteknik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Environmental Engineering (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Apartment buildings; Cold climate; Final energy; Outdoor temperature; Residential building; Shape factor; Surface area

Publication and Content Type

vet (subject category)

kon (subject category)