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The current interest in energy efficient design has led to a demand for methods of predicting daylight availability in buildings. However, basic daylight data, which are the basis of these prediction methods, are not available for most regions of Greece, as well as for many areas worldwide. For that purpose luminous efficacy can be used in order to generate daylight illuminance from solar radiation data, which are much more widely recorded.This paper concentrates on the analysis of global luminous efficacy in Greece under clear sky conditions. The study involves the evaluation of existing models with respect to daylight data recorded in Athens, Greece, as well as the development of new luminous efficacy models for global radiation.The study was based on climatic data provided by the National Observatory of Athens during the years 1996–2000 and tested according to CIE. recommendations. The proposed luminous efficacy models were derived by the analysis, correlation and linear regression of the accepted values of measured data. Statistical analysis techniques were used for the assessment of their performance, as well as for the evaluation of the accuracy in predicting global illumination provided by the proposed and the existing models.The new proposed models can offer engineers and researchers a more reliable and accurate approach for estimating the global illumination levels under clear skies. Nowadays, the knowledge of daylight levels is considered highly important in local architecture, the energy conservation and environmental policies in general, particularly in the case of Mediterranean regions, where clear sky conditions dominate. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Despite the multiple advantages of prefabricated compared to conventional buildings, such as significant reductions in cost and time, improved quality and accuracy in manufacture, easy dismantling and reuse of components, reduction in environmental degradation, increase of productivity gains, etc., they still share a small part of the European building stock, mainly in the Mediterranean. This paper attempts to highlight the potential of prefabricated buildings to achieve advanced levels of performance, particularly as regards their thermal and energy behavior. More specifically, in this paper the energy needs of a single-family building constructed with prefabricated elements is analyzed, considering different climate contexts. The prefabricated elements comprising the building envelope were developed in order to address specific requirements with respect to their structural, hygrothermal, energy, fire, acoustical, and environmental performance, within the research project SUPRIM (sustainable preconstructed innovative module). The new multifunctional building element, also incorporating phase change materials for increased latent thermal heat storage, has been proven to be beneficial in all the examined climate zones. The results of the relevant studies will highlight the contribution of the new prefabricated element to the sustainability of the overall construction, as well as its advantages when compared with conventional constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The oil substitution with biomass residues for heating buildings is examined. [•] Primary energy consumption from biomass results increased by 3–4% as compared to diesel oil. [•] CO2 and SO2 emissions are significantly higher with biomass than with diesel oil. [•] The examined substitution is economically attractive for the final consumers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]