Solar Technologies for Buildings
Chapter One
1 Solar energy use in buildings
1.1 Energy consumption of buildings
Buildings account today for about 40% of the final energy consumption of the European
Union, with a large energy saving potential of 22% in the short term (up to 2010). Under
the Kyoto protocol, the European Union has committed itself to reducing the emission of
greenhouse gases by 8% in 2012 compared to the level in 1990, and buildings have to play
a major role in achieving this goal. The European Directive for Energy Performance of
buildings adopted in 2002 (to be implemented by 2005) is an attempt to unify the diverse
national regulations, to define minimum common standards on buildings' energy performance
and to provide certification and inspection rules for heating and cooling plants.
While there are already extensive standards on limiting heating energy consumption
(EN832 and prEN 13790), cooling requirements and daylighting of buildings are not yet set
by any European standard. The reduction of energy consumption in buildings ... read full excerpt from Solar Technologies for Buildings ebook
