On the next generation of low energy buildings

Knowledge accumulated in the past from observed construction failures has formed the basis for a predictive capability. More recently, it has been observed that interactions between energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality and moisture management are important and should be considered simultaneously. As a result, the term ‘indoor environmental control’ has become a focus of the building-science community. Forty years ago, in Canada, 10 passive houses were built, but broad public acceptance of this new technology waited for almost 20 years. Now, 40 years later, we are coming to the stage of implementing low energy-use technologies, and questions about how to accelerate public acceptance remains a challenge. We believe that the role of the academic community must be broadened to include active collaboration with authorities that control construction through codes and standards. As an example, a new compact design package called ‘environmental quality management’ (EQM) that is applicable to different climates with modifications of some hygrothermal properties is proposed. In this position paper, the concept of EQM follows from an examination of the history of building science with projection into the future. Building science (physics) is needed to provide direction for the transition to the ‘sustainable built environment’.