Marles, as holder of the strategic partnership Dom24h, is proceeding with activities in relation to the Dom 24h pilot project. These activities are geared towards the development and construction of the building envelope from materials with minimal impact in terms of environmental footprint, and the energy optimisation of the Dom24h building. The research & development work in the second phase of activities related to the Dom24h project is being implemented in line with the existing knowledge of the company, which has been following the principles of sustainable construction and the selection of quality natural materials since its establishment. This all has the aim of providing optimal living conditions and sustainability for their buildings.

The energy optimisation study for the Dom24h building has been developed by the Slovenian Civil Engineering Institute (ZAG) and outlines different scenarios for building utilisation. When it comes to the energy optimisation of the Dom24h building, the principle and concept of energy-efficient construction has been applied. This is because it represents a step forward in state-of-the-art construction, with an emphasis on reducing consumption on the part of energy products. By incorporating phase-change materials that have the capability of accumulating latent heat, the Dom24h building is able to accumulate any excess thermal mass. In the study, the impact of materials on the overheating of rooms and on energy use was analysed; this confirmed ex-ante assumptions on the accumulation of additional heat in wooden prefabricated buildings.

The building’s energy optimisation was calculated with the aid of software presenting different scenarios of dynamic thermal response in the modelled buildings, or areas of a building, according to the principle of balance. In the energy balance calculations, three heat transfer modes for a building were taken into account: conduction, convection and radiation. Depending on end use and the orientation of glass surfaces, the researchers were subsequently able to identify individual heat zones and temperature profiles for these. To ensure input data accuracy, the researchers took into account all thermal gains in the form of solar radiation through glass surfaces, the presence of people, and the use of devices and other household appliances.

Based on a computer simulation, ZAG came to the conclusion that in the warmer summer months rooms tend to overheat, due to large external gains in the form of solar radiation across the extensive glass surfaces on the building’s façade. However, the building also overheats because of internal thermal gains. It was also found that it is possible to effectively regulate the temperature in all interior spaces by raising and lowering the blinds in a controlled manner. Providing shade during heat waves is often not enough: internal spaces, in addition, must also be cooled, with the help of ceiling cooling. A further analysis of the simulation revealed that it is possible to maintain temperature equilibrium in children’s rooms – thus affecting levels of comfort – by installing gypsum plasterboard with integrated phase-change materials. The well-designed envelope of the Dom24h building means very low year-round energy needs (i.e. the need for additional heating and cooling).

Through the development of the building envelope, the Dom24h building has also undergone energy optimisation, thus giving an indication of how the building will behave over the entire year. In the framework of the project activities, the envelope of the Dom24h building has been developed and confirmed to the point where the implementation of the next phase can begin – that is, the construction of the reinforced steel base plate and the Dom24h building itself.