Energy efficient buildings

Architect Jean Frendo presented two papers on energy efficiency in buildings at a conference on "Energy efficient and healthy buildings in sustainable cities" held in Lyon.

The papers were selected for presentation by the scientific committee of the third European Conference on Energy Performance and Indoor Climate and the 23rd conference of the Air Infiltration and Ventilation Centre.

The first paper focused on the transformation of the Conservatorio San Giuseppe into the Cospicua residential home for the elderly. It described the various features of the building and how the building's original internal courtyard was retained and terraces included at higher levels to allow natural light into the home.

The courtyard was roofed over by a glazed canopy to form an atrium, which serves as an extended living space. This makes the most of solar gain while improving the internal environment. The central part of the canopy opens up in summer to cool the building and allow cross ventilation. Daylight was given prime consideration in the design concept and features such as light-shelves were incorporated in the balcony openings.

In the second paper Ms Frendo discussed the subject "An energy conscious house for Malta." The proposed design had won first prize in the second Commonwealth inter-school design competition organised by the Commonwealth Association of Architects in 1991.

The winning design, a pair of houses with wind towers, took energy efficiency into consideration by recognising local conditions. A direct gain system was adopted, each space having a thermal mass for the storage of solar heat, while preventing the internal air temperature from rising too much when the sun was allowed to penetrate through the windows. This required choosing the optimum shape, location and orientation of the building.

The location of indoor spaces and the openings of those spaces are also critical for the protection of the building from summer heat and from cold and rain in the winter.

The papers, the only Maltese contribution, were well received at the conference.

Ms Frendo is an architect in the Building and Engineering Department of the Works Division within the Ministry for Resources and Infrastructure.