Increasing Energy Efficiency in Buildings (IEEB) is a three-year (2010–2013) Nordic co-operative project, with the main funding coming from European Union Interreg 4A program called NORD. Lead by Oulu University of Applied Sciences Finland, the project consortium includes partners from Norway (NORUT Narvik, Norcem AS, Betong&Entrepreneursenteret AS), Sweden (Luleå Tekniska Universitet, Umeå University) and Finland (Oulu Building Supervision Office BSO, 8 construction companies). The total budget is 1,7 M€ and the project will continue until August 2013.

The focus and actions in the project will be related to energy saving and efficiency in family houses. Special emphasis is in wooden prefabricated buildings and construction with concrete material (Norway). How to guide one-time house-builders and also professional construction companies to achieve requirements of passive house or low energy house level is the key topic in the development work. Also comparing and streamlining methods and practices in measuring energy consumption and air tightness of buildings between Scandinavia countries is important and supported in IEEB –project. The developed new methods and practices will be delivered straight to prefabricated wooden house industry.

The key area of testing and experimenting these ambitious methods and goals will be Energy Efficiency Quarter in Ritaharju suburb in Oulu. In co-operation with the city of Oulu Building Supervision Office, the project will create an opportunity for participating prefabricated wooden house companies (Kastelli-talot Oy, Kannustalo Oy, Kontiotuote Oy, Lappli-Talot Oy, Puutuomela Oy, Avadium Oy, Lammi-Kivitalot Oy) a building site as a common platform to build a low-energy dwelling. The project will provide extensive set of measurement equipment (worth 15000 euros/house) in order to get extensive measurement data about their energy consumption, allocation between drains and air tightness. These building plots are available for companies with commercial terms, added with specific arrangements for experiment purposes by the project. The measurement information will be gathered during the first 2 years of living and results will be available for companies, planners, designers, architects and other professionals to learn more advanced ways of energy efficiency in their building design and construction processes.

Building in Energy Efficiency Quarter will be done during the summer–fall 2011. The minimum level of energy efficiency conforms to 2012 standards, but few companies have set up their goals even to passive house level. The IEEB project will equip dwellings with high-end measurement devices (appr. 70 sensors), which gather data continuously the first two years of living in the dwellings. Measurement topics include eg. these parameters:

• Air-tightness of dwellings (tightness measurement and infrared camera monitoring during the construction process)
• Building physical parameters in construction elements and buildings
  • Humidity in elements from side to side (profiles)
  • Temperature in elements from side to side (profiles)
  • Inside air pressure in various rooms, compared to outside air pressure
• Energy consumption and its allocation
  • Distribution of energy consumption between various sources (household equipment, heating etc.)
  • Water consumption (cold, warm)
  • Air circulation
  • Monitoring leak air flow with tracer method
• Local weather parameters (temperature, wind, air pressure, humidity etc.) measured by a weather station in the quarter
• The quality of inner air by detailed measurements
  • Temperature and humidity of inner air
  • Amount (percentage) of carbondioxide
  • Other measurements (contaminants, drains etc)

IEEB project will equip each dwelling with measuring devices worth appr. 15 000 €, so the total expenses for 7 houses will be in the range of 100 000 €. The project personnel will provide all installation of sensors as well as measurements actions (air tightness, infrared monitoring). As an addition, the project will analyze gathered data, make calculations about various factors and deliver new information and development trends from abroad and between Nordic partners, to support energy saving and low energy building. One important factor will be to make sure that the quality of indoor climate and living conditions will meet highest standards.

Measurements continue 1–2 years after completion of the dwelling construction. Measurements, results, analysis and experiences will be public information. Added to this Energy Quarter experiment, the IEEB project will provide measurements and analysis for more than 100 buildings (including multi-floor buildings), constructed by the participating companies.

The city of Oulu has a reputation to be one of the leaders in Finland to promote and support energy efficiency in buildings. IEEB project increases opportunities to work towards ambitious goals and building policy of the city. The project with Oulu BSO as the key player, the mentioned reputation and leading position could be extended to Nordic and even to international level.

More information

Oulu Building Supervision Office
Markku Hienonen, +358 44 703 2714

Oulu University of Applied Sciences
Kauko Tulla, +358 40 507 0750
Antti Haapalahti, +358 50 590 9689

Kiviharjunlenkki 1 B, 90220 OULU, postiosoite PL 222, 90101 OULU010 27 21030 [hinnat]