Integrated energy efficient cooling solutions for large prefabricated panels collective dwellings from the 1970s

¹ Politehnica University Timisoara, Department of Civil Engineering and Building Services, 300223 Traian Lalescu 2A, Romania
² Politehnica University Timisoara, Department of Steel Structures and Building Mechanics, 300224 Ioan Curea 1, Romania
³ Politehnica University Timisoara, Department of Architecture, 300223 Traian Lalescu 2A, Romania
⁴ Romanian Academy, Timisoara Branch, 300223 Mihai Viteazu 24, Romania

^* Corresponding author: daniel.m.muntean@gmail.com

Abstract

The intense urbanization process Romania has known during the industrialization period of the 1960-70s led to an exponential shortage in urban housing. Similar to other countries, but more specifically to the former Eastern block, Romanian state-financed collective dwellings were erected starting from standardized projects of Reinforced Concrete Large Prefabricated Panels (RCLPP) blocks of flats, generating nowadays a particular built stock of identical buildings and several apartment types, widespread throughout the entire country. These buildings currently house 60% of the urban population of Romania that own 96% of the apartments, as opposed to the European trends regarding the number of owner-occupied barely reaching 60%. Even though at not even half of their intended lifespan, the collective dwellings do not satisfy basic comfort conditions such as cooling and ventilation, being in an urge of retrofitting and upgrading. Individually applicable cooling systems undertaken by the owners have proved to be acceptable, but did not, however, contribute to a decrease in the overall energy consumption of the buildings. The present paper analyses the individual cooling systems being currently applied in Romanian apartments as opposed to a global-holistic system on block level, in terms of energy consumption and efficiency, flexibility of owner controlled indoor microclimate. The results show the potential of introducing renewable energy sources as viable alternatives for the existing systems.