Overview
The building fabric can be used as a medium for storing cooling and heating energy. This publication is based on the results of a sponsored research project conducted to provide published guidance for systems utilising fabric energy storage in conjunction with mechanical ventilation and air conditioning systems. The research included both site monitoring and simulation modelling. Concentrates on night cooling, where fans circulate cool ambient air through the building overnight to cool the building fabric. This stored cooling can then be utilised to offset heat gains during the following day. The guide describes the procedures used and presents the findings. It also, concludes that the work indicates that fabric energy storage systems can be effective in maintaining cool space temperatures. On the basis of the results obtained, the systems analysed should be capable of maintaining space temperatures below ambient with daily internal and external heat gains in the region of 600 Wh/2 at reasonable air supply rates of 8 AC/h. This equates to an average load of 60 W/m2 over an occupied period of 10 hours.