A recent paper, published in the scientific journal Building Research & Information, sheds light on the issue of overheating in today’s low-energy homes and investigates what’s causing this problem. The research focused on four low-energy homes in England—three of which were newly constructed, while one had been retrofitted. Over an 11-month period, these homes were closely monitored for environmental conditions, and feedback was collected from the residents.

The findings revealed that overheating was mainly linked to design issues concerning ventilation—both mechanical and natural—as well as inadequate solar control due to low G-values and specific architectural features like roof pods and sunspaces. Although most residents tried various strategies to manage the high indoor temperatures, these efforts were not enough to prevent overheating in three out of the four homes.

"The paper provides an account of overheating in low-energy homes. Combining environmental monitoring with detailed occupant interviews, the study revealed a complex interplay of factors contributing to this issue. The study highlights critical gap in the (first ever) building regulations introduced to prevent overheating. In addition, the study proves that strategies for adaptive behaviour provided in such homes were insufficient in preventing overheating in three out of four cases" explains Linda Toledo Eurac Research, first author of the study.

Link to the original article