| The building sector generates about 30% of Canada's CO 2 emissions, of which 60% can be attributed to space conditioning systems. In a carbon constrained world, "green building" technologies should reduce energy use in buildings (and the associated emissions), while maintaining health and comfort. Underfloor air distribution (UFAD) systems are gaining popularity because they are believed to improve thermal comfort and air quality while using less energy than overhead ventilation systems. However, the only prior field study reported poorer results than expected.;This study reports a field study of a UFAD system in terms of ventilation performance and temperature stratification (one of the sources of energy use reductions). Overall, the performance of UFAD was substantially better than would be expected for an overhead mixing ventilation system, however this study identified some problematic space configurations that preclude realization of the full benefits. |
