Low-Energy House in Arctic Climate: Five Years of Experience

Abstract

The aim of this article is to present and discuss the experience gained from a low-energy house in Sisimiut, Greenland, over the 5 years of operation since its inauguration in April 2005. The house was designed to test and present new low-energy technologies in the Arctic climate and to improve sustainability in Greenlandic buildings. The article presents some measurements, analyses, and comparisons of theoretical simulations and some steps that were taken to improve the house with impacts on energy consumption. The results include energy consumption, temperatures, and solar heating production. Also presented are the results of several investigations carried out in the house, such as blower-door tests and inspection of the ventilation system. The initial target for the heating demand of the house was that it should be restricted to