IDEA
Interactive Database for Energy-efficient Architecture
The best way to get an overview on the various methods of active or passive use of solar energy as well as on energy-efficient design is to look at realized building examples. For this reason the database IDEA presents 60 built objects with corresponding features. They include passive solar houses, low energy houses as well as so-called zero (conventional) energy houses.
Moreover, the very important topic of energy retrofit within the existing building stock is addressed and illustrated by examples.
Documentations of building examples are performed by carefully selected and qualitatively outstanding presentations of photos (outside/inside), plans (urban situation, façades in different directions, plan views) and detailed drawings for critical technical solutions. Additionally, concepts for heating and ventilation are explained for every example.
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Building examples
IDEA comprises 60 examples of buildings with detailed descriptions of passive and/or active solar conceptions, presented in plans, photos, drawings and completed by additional information.
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The toolbox of IDEA
IDEA provides eleven very useful tools for oftenly needed calculations which help planners during the predesign and design phase. These tools can be run separately and they are easy to handle. They include e.g. the determination of the heat energy of a building, of daylight factors, thermal comfort, of terms for economic analysis and much more.
Energy balance e.g. illustrates among other things the energy flows by means of a SANKEY diagram.
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Besides of its building examples, IDEA provides eleven very useful tools for calculations which are both, easy to understand and easy to apply. They enable users to deal quickly and quite accurately with own problems. Topics relate to heat
energy demand of buildings, the determination of U-values and water condensation in walls, thermal comfort, as well as to questions like position of the sun, shading of windows and daylight coefficient. They address economic aspects, environmental
assessment and more. As a support for using these tools, extensive databases exist with respect to climatic data and material properties. They are prepared for an Europe-wide application.
