Energy in Buildings Research Group

Head of research group
Per Heiselberg

The reserach group is associated with the Division of Architectural Engineering.

The research is based on the social needs for minimizing the energy use and environmental influences of the construction industry and at the same time maintain a satisfactory indoor climate. Pursuing this, the design process and the design of buildings is changing continuously as well as the role of buildings as part of the future renewable energy system.

The research objective is to minimize the influences on the environment through increased utilization of passive and natural energy technologies such as passive solar heating, passive cooling, natural and hybrid ventilation and daylight. In some areas the limit for optimizing single components has been reached so that further development requires system optimization with simultaneous participation of all players of the building sector. Apart from research in high energy-efficiency buildings, research in smart integration of existing buildings in the future integrated energy system in order to increase capacity of the existing distribution grids as well as to increase utilization of renewable energy resources is an important topic.

Energy conversion in buildings and the role of buildings in a smart energy system is due to the interaction of a number of factors such as building design, adaptation to the surroundings, outdoor climate, the use of buildings, building services, user behavior, the control strategies etc. Special focus is devoted to the interaction of natural energy technologies such as natural ventilation, passive solar heating, passive cooling and daylight and building design as well as optimization of the interaction between traditional building services and natural systems and how thermal building energy storage can benefit energy use flexibility.