Comparing overheating risk and mitigation strategies for two Canadian schools by using building simulation calibrated with measured data

Abstract

This paper compares the indoor overheating risk of two schools by considering the effect of selected building parameters, under extreme current and future climates, and proposes mitigation strategies. The indoor air temperature measurements were conducted in seven classrooms in two schools constructed in 1960 and 1990. These measurements are used to calibrate the building simulation models of these schools. The study's results show that, in the current extreme year, classrooms on upper floors with larger window-wall ratios WWR (60%) and lower thermal building envelope properties are at a higher risk of overheating. Conversely, in classrooms located on lower floors, or featuring a small WWR (10%), or better thermal properties, no other Climate-resilient measures are needed. Under extreme future years the external roller blind shading, night cooling, and cool roof measures will be necessary for both schools, particularly for last-floor classrooms with south orientation and a 60% WWR in 1960 building.

KEYWORDS:

• Building simulation
• Overheating assessment
• existing Canadian school
• field measurements
• Future climate
• Climate-resilient strategies

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data is openly available in a public repository that issues datasets with DOIs: https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/LCBTNX

Additional information

Funding

We acknowledge the financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada through the Advancing Climate Change Science in Canada Program [grant number ACCPJ 535986-18], the NSERC Discovery Grant [grant number RGPIN/6994-2001], and the Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science of Concordia University.