Low energy cooling technologies - a review

Concerns over global warming and ozone depletion and the escalating costs of fossil fuels over the last few years, have forced governments, professional bodies and engineers to re-examine the whole approach to building design and control. There are considerable pressures on architects to design less energy dependent buildings whilst maintaining or even improving thermal comfort. Low energy cooling technologies that have been used for centuries in various parts of the world are now being re-examined and re-engineered to fit within modem building forms. This paper provides a brief review of low energy cooling technologies including advantages, disadvantages, applications, control requirements and costs compared to conventional cooling systems. The paper draws on published information, case studies and reports on buildings completed in the UK and Northern Europe. The paper highlights the difficulties associated with the design and control of buildings employing low energy cooling technologies and the opportunities and challenges facing architects and building services engineers in the application of advanced modeling and control techniques to ensure thermal comfort and maximum energy efficiency.