Evaluation of the Indoor Environment in the Comfort Houses: Qualitative and Quantitative Approaches

Today the build environment accounts for about 40 % of the energy consumption in the EU and it is continuing to increase. It is a result of an effort to give the building users an optimum indoor environment. New buildings and renovation projects need to improve the energy performance and in a process of doing so, it is important to maintain a good and healthy indoor environment and not on the expense of it. One way of saving energy is to build passive houses. This paper presents the result of a case study of some of the first certified passive houses in Denmark, called the Comfort Houses. The paper evaluates the indoor environment through both quantitative measurements in the houses and qualitative interviews with the occupants about their experiences of the indoor environment. Two set of knowledge which together gives a more complete and holistic picture of the indoor environment. The study shows that we need an accentuated focus on the goal to aim for in the design process, the documentation of the designs and on the occupant’s life and behaviour. Finally it is important to “educate” the occupants to live “correct” to achieve comfortable indoor environment.