| Abstract | In cold climates having temperate summers, over the past decades overheating has not been an issue in respect to older and leakier buildings. However, with the ever-increasing threat of global warming and aggressive measures to reduce winter heating energy use to improve the energy efficiency of homes, overheating has become a real concern to the comfort and health of building occupants. Overheating is the result of excessive heat accumulation in building interiors combined with limited means to effectively dissipate this heat to the outdoor. The outdoor environment is the principle cause for this excessive heat, particularly during extreme heat events as occur in the summertime. However, buildings can exacerbate the situation by generating additional internal heat from equipment, lighting, occupants (density) and as well, from the trapping of heat given high levels of insulation, more effective airtightness of envelopes and inadequate space ventilation. |
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