In-use energy performance evaluation of a student accommodation in the UK

The main purpose of this paper is to present an evaluation of the in-use energy performance of the Richard Feilden House student accommodation at Queen Mary University, London, UK. The building was completed and occupied in October 2007 and the study was conducted over a 2-year period (January 2008–December 2009). Analysis of the energy audit carried out as part of the study is presented in this paper. The findings suggest that the energy performance of the Richard Feilden House student accommodation is in accordance with its design intent and better than the Good Practice Benchmarks. High levels of insulation, thermal mass, ventilation heat recovery, decentralised electric heating, a greater reliance on internal heat gains for space heating and a proactive building management approach have contributed to this success. However, strategies similar to those adopted by the Passivhaus Standards will be required if future targets of low-carbon buildings are to be met. Currently, there is limited knowledge on the in-use energy performance of student housing in the UK, and while the findings from this study can be helpful for benchmark comparison, more such studies of this building types in the UK are required.