BEnchmarking Thermal-behaviour in Transitional spaces as an Energy Efficiency Resource (BETTER)

The coordinated project ROAD (ROM Optimization for Architecture and Design) aims to optimize the energy consumption of buildings by utilizing Reduced Order Modeling (ROM), a mathematical technique that provides significantly faster algorithms for solving complex heat and air flow problems compared to traditional methods. Within this framework, Subproject 3 (BETTER)—BEnchmarking Thermal-behaviour in Transitional spaces as an Energy Efficiency Resource—specifically focuses on analyzing the thermal performance of transitional spaces, such as courtyards, atriums, and patios, as strategic resources for building efficiency. 

The main objectives of the BETTER subproject include determining the energy efficiency and comfort potential of these spaces in the context of climate change adaptation. To achieve this, the subproject aims to develop a new simulation tool for assessing indoor thermal comfort in “free-running” buildings (those without mechanical cooling), integrating the microclimatic influence of transitional spaces into the official Spanish energy certification framework (HULC). Furthermore, BETTER seeks to optimize the geometry of these spaces to ensure minimum energy consumption while maintaining comfort levels, validating these numerical models through empirical monitoring campaigns and the analysis of constructive variables in existing buildings. Ultimately, the project develops a hybrid model that combines mathematical physics with real-world data to provide architects with a precise tool for energy-saving oriented design.