Transforming 1920-1940s housing to minimise energy use and optimise comfort

Arslan, Dilek, Perisoglou, Emmanouil ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7295-6058, Shea, Andrew and Patterson, Joanne ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4440-159X 2026. Transforming 1920-1940s housing to minimise energy use and optimise comfort. Presented at: CIBSE Technical Symposium 2026, Loughborough, UK, 26-27 March 2026. CIBSE Technical Symposium 2026, March 2026. CIBSE,

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Abstract

This research examined the performance characterisation, evaluation and optimisation of the 1920s-1940 era of council housing, with a focus on minimising energy consumption and maximising occupant thermal comfort. A deep retrofit approach was explored by improving of the thermal performance of the external walls and windows, enhancing airtightness and ventilation, and upgrading the heating system. A semi-detached house in Swansea, Wales, was used as a case study, where a combination of dynamic energy simulation and multi-objective optimisation techniques was employed. The optimisation was conducted using the NSGA-II generic algorithm implemented in DesignBuilder software. Results show that fabric-first measures, when paired with renewable heating, can reduce energy demand by up to 84%. In addition, integrated dynamic controls can achieve near-zero discomfort without incurring excessive energy consumption. The findings highlight the value of combining static and dynamic optimisation strategies, providing a scalable, replicable framework for decarbonising social housing in line with UK carbon reduction targets.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item - unpublished
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Architecture
Publisher:	CIBSE
Related URLs:	Publisher
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	15 May 2026
Last Modified:	21 May 2026 07:09
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/187012

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