ABSTRACT
Low-energy buildings, incorporating high levels of thermal insulation, are very sensitive to climate variations (solar gains) and occupants’ behaviour (internal gains). They therefore require refined management to satisfy greater requirements of comfort and every savings. Buildings represent 60% of total electricity consumption and incur very high seasonal variations in demand, in particular for electric heating (peaks of over 100,000MW in winter in France, compared to around 40,000MW in summer). Reducing these peaks would diminish the environmental impacts corresponding to carbon-intense production.
