Thermal Energy and Building Performance

Our key concepts
Energy and environment
Smart energy management

Description

Our group aims to investigate and develop an integrated and systemic approach towards zero energy communities. Globally speaking, the building sector is responsible for 40% of primary energy consumption. Our vision is to investigate in solutions and strategies that accelerate the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions through human-centred design, energy efficiency measures, integration and management of energy systems, particularly distributed renewable sources in the built environment as part of urban communities.

In order to develop solutions for reducing energy consumption, we take an approach that is not only technological, but also holistic in that it considers aspects that are crucial for buildings, offices and cities, such as air quality, indoor environment and socio-economic impacts, including benefits on occupants’ health. Buildings should be considered as nodes of the overall energy system that fight against climate change challenges, being so important to consider the integration with the energy infrastructures: the electrical grid or district heating and cooling networks.

The key research lines that define our activity are:

  • Zero energy and flexible energy buildings and communities
  • Energy infrastructures for low energy cities
  • Green IT

SEILAB provides advanced expertise to assess the development and integration of renewable energy solutions and innovative thermal and electrical equipment that are designed to improve energy efficiency in buildings and energy systems.

The equipment images of Thermal Energy and Building Performance research group are available in Multimedia Gallery.