The energy consumed by space cooling in buildings has increased significantly over the years and it is predicted to be one of the main drivers of global electricity demand in the coming decades. Passive cooling measures, which are relatively straightforward to implement, have been shown to reduce energy demand for space cooling when considering individual buildings or regional scales. However, the energy-saving potential of these measures at a national level is not properly understood yet, especially in Europe. Lukas Kranzl and colleagues across Austria and Germany examine the changes in the space cooling demand for the entire Austrian building stock in the next three decades and the potential of passive cooling approaches.
In line with the literature, the researchers find that residential buildings, particularly single-family homes, will account for the largest proportion of energy demand for space cooling, up to 64%. Kranzl and team show that shading of windows such as external blinds or internal solar reflection is particularly effective in mitigating cooling demand. By implementing shading on 80% of windows — which is considered ambitious but nevertheless realistic — and combining it with other passive cooling measures like increased air circulation at night, they suggest savings in the energy consumed for cooling of over 68% in 2050. The results stress the significance of residential buildings in future energy planning and the potential of shading in both new building construction and renovation measures.
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