The efficacy of a highly insulated building in KwaZulu-Natal

Abstract

The CSIR undertook an energy and thermal performance research project in 2011 on a house constructed with the Imison 3 Building System. The purpose was to analyse the energy and thermal performance of a highly insulated house in Pretoria. The scope was to take actual temperature measurements inside the house and to model the energy and thermal performance for Pretoria. Following the completion of the experiments the same house was modelled for the different climatic zones of South Africa, including KwaZulu Natal. The results indicate that the house will require very little heating in winter but effective ventilation is required in summer to maintain a comfortable indoor environment. The research has demonstrated that a highly insulated house improves thermal performance but that an appropriate design approach is required for each climatic zone in South Africa. The research also demonstrates that reducing heating loads results in significant financial savings to the occupier, and significant reductions in carbon dioxide emissions and water usage at a national scale.