Analysis of some Portuguese thermal regulation parameters

Due to the high energy consumption associated with the building sector, several legal documents with the aim of promoting energy efficiency have emerged in recent years, e.g. the Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings (EPBD) and its recast on 19 May 2010, Directive 2010/31/EU. The EPBD led many countries to adjust their own building energy-related regulations. The Portuguese thermal regulation for residential buildings, “Regulamento das Características do Comportamento Térmico de Edifícios (RCCTE)”, is a part of the transposition of the EPBD to Portuguese law.The main objective of this paper is to analyse the RCCTE in order to study the influence of some parameters considered important to the energy efficiency of buildings on energy performance and on the final energy certification rating.

► It was presented a parametric analysis to the Portuguese thermal regulation regarding a detached single family house located in the North of Portugal.
► The influence of each parameter in each energy index was studied.
► The envelope related parameters have a high influence concerning heating needs and cooling needs.
► The envelope related parameters have a relatively low influence on the final energy rating.
► The most influent parameters on the final energy rating are those concerning DHW heating system and heating systems.