This book elaborates on different aspects of the decision making process concerning the management of climate risk in museums and historic houses. The goal of this publication is to assist collection managers and caretakers by providing information that will allow responsible decisions about the museum indoor climate to be made. The focus is not only on the outcome, but also on the equally important process that leads to that outcome. The different steps contribute significantly to the understanding of the needs of movable and immovable heritage. The decision making process to determine the requirements for the museum indoor climate includes nine steps: Step 1. The process to make a balanced decision starts by clarifying the decision context and evaluating what is important to the decision maker by developing clear objectives. In Step 2 the value of all heritage assets that are affected by the decision are evaluated and the significance of the building and the movable collection is made explicit. Step 3. The climate risks to the moveable collection are assessed. Step 4: Those parts of the building that are considered valuable and susceptible to certain climate conditions are identified. Step 5. The human comfort needs for visitors and staff are expressed. Step 6: To understand the indoor climate, the building physics are explored. Step 7. The climate specifications derived from step 3 to 5 are weighed and for each climate zone the optimal climate conditions are specified. Step 8: Within the value framework established in Step 1, the options to optimize the indoor climate are considered and selected. Step 9: All options to reduce the climate collection risks are evaluated by the objectives established in Step 1.

HVAC systems, load shifting, indoor climate, and energy and ventilation performance analyses are the key topics when improving energy performance in new and renovated buildings. This development has been boosted by the recently established nearly zero energy building requirements that will soon be in use in all EU Member States, as well as similar long-term zero energy building targets in Japan, the US, and other countries. The research covered in this Special Issue provides evidence of how new technical solutions have worked, in practice, in new or renovated buildings, and also discusses problems and how solutions should be further developed. Another focus is on the more detailed calculation methods needed for the correct design and sizing of dedicated systems, and for accurate quantification of energy savings. Occupant behavior and building operation is also examined, in order to avoid common performance gaps between calculated and measured performance. These topics demonstrate the challenge of high performance buildings as, in the end, comfortable buildings with good indoor climate which are easy and cheap to operate and maintain are expected by end customers. Ventilation performance, heating and cooling, sizing, energy predictions and optimization, load shifting, and field studies are some of the key topics in this Special Issue, contributing to the future of high performance buildings with reliable operation.

There is a need to reduce energy consumption for space cooling and heating via energy efficient solutions/technologies for implementation in the buildings. Thermal energy storage regulates indoor temperature, shifting the peak load to the off-peak hours and reducing the energy need for space cooling and heating. This book presents the most recent advances related to the thermal energy storage system design and integration in buildings. Additionally, modelling, application, synthetization, and characterization of energy efficient building materials are also considered. Features: Provides a deep understanding of thermal energy storage technology and summarizes its utility and feasibility that can be commercially implemented worldwide Covers recent advancements related to thermal energy storage system design and integration in buildings Discusses modelling, application, synthetization, and characterization of energy-efficient building materials Details novel and emerging heat storage materials and their application to energy and environmental processes Highlights the need for future research on building comfort in cooling, heating, and ventilation through a green energy perspective This book is aimed at researchers and graduate students in mechanical, renewable energy, and HVAC engineering.

The indoor environment affects occupants' health and comfort. Poor environmental conditions and indoor contaminants are estimated to cost the U.S. economy tens of billions of dollars a year in exacerbation of illnesses like asthma, allergic symptoms, and subsequent lost productivity. Climate change has the potential to affect the indoor environment because conditions inside buildings are influenced by conditions outside them. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health addresses the impacts that climate change may have on the indoor environment and the resulting health effects. It finds that steps taken to mitigate climate change may cause or exacerbate harmful indoor environmental conditions. The book discusses the role the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should take in informing the public, health professionals, and those in the building industry about potential risks and what can be done to address them. The study also recommends that building codes account for climate change projections; that federal agencies join to develop or refine protocols and testing standards for evaluating emissions from materials, furnishings, and appliances used in buildings; and that building weatherization efforts include consideration of health effects. Climate Change, the Indoor Environment, and Health is written primarily for the EPA and other federal agencies, organizations, and researchers with interests in public health; the environment; building design, construction, and operation; and climate issues.

Textiles and Human Thermophysiological Comfort in the Indoor Environment delivers a methodical assessment of textile structures for various applications in the indoor environment with respect to the thermophysiological comfort of the inhabitants. The book begins by offering an overview of the role of indoor textiles and clothing as a barrier betwee