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Population ageing, extreme weather, and high energy costs are the current and future global scenarios. The present study analyses the factors affecting the thermal comfort of older adults and evaluates their thermal perceptions and preferences in nursing homes in a Continental Mediterranean climate during winter, through environmental measurements and surveys on site. The sample consists of 1065 occupants. Results of this study revealed that the neutral temperature of older adults in nursing homes in cold winter climates is 24.9°C, 2.3°C higher than what PMV predicts. Results also highlight that older adults feel more comfortable in those spaces with higher CO2 concentrations than recommended by regulation. The analysis of factors affecting thermal comfort revealed that the most relevant factors affecting the thermal comfort of older adults in cold winter climates are (i) the type of room, which indirectly implies the metabolic rate of the occupants, the type of ventilation, and the CO2 level; (ii) the occupancy density; and (iii) the relative humidity of the room. These results will help to develop more accurate thermal comfort and indoor environmental quality regulations for older people that improve their health and quality of life. The modification of temperature setpoints in nursing homes based on the results of this study could influence energy use and should be carefully considered by policy makers and facility managers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate information on the actual thermal transmittance of walls is vital to select appropriate energy-saving measures in existing buildings to meet the commitments of the European Green Deal. To obtain accurate results using the heat flow meter (HFM) method, good thermal contact must be made between the heat flow meter plate and the wall surface. This paper aimed to assess the influence of the non-perfect thermal contact of heat flow meter plates on the accuracy of in situ measurement of the façades' U-value when a film was applied to avoid damage to the wall surface. Given the fact that to avoid harm to the wall surface, the laying of a film is a usual procedure in the installation of equipment during the building's operational stage. The findings show that deviations between measured U-values when an HFM was installed directly on the wall surface and when an HFM was installed with a PVC film were found to differ significantly from the theoretical effect of including a PVC film during the monitoring process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Façades play an important role in buildings' energy demand, and their state of conservation obviously influences thermal performance. The energy performance gap in existing residential buildings due to façade conservation status has not been analyzed in depth. In order to facilitate the systematic analysis of this influence, a system for classifying façades and their corresponding anomalies was developed for the first time. The classification system includes 23 types of façades and eight types of anomalies. It was verified by a panel of experts, and a case study was carried out with a sample of 154 buildings. An analysis of the results showed that the classification system is useful for a future analysis of the energy performance gap in existing residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]