Department of Architecture and Urban Planning

Research Projects Building Physics

Research projects by the Building Physics research group (UGent): energy renovation, indoor air quality, circular construction, ventilation, overheating and hygrothermal building performance.

Air monitoring and remediation processes for healthier buildings
The CleanAirBouw project develops effective systems for treating indoor air in buildings and supports standard development in France and Belgium.
Air monitoring and remediation processes for healthier buildings
Peak Exposure-Based Assessment Method for Sustainable Indoor Air Quality Management
A dynamic model for fine particulate matter exposure in residential buildings to support health-based indoor air quality management.
Piekblootstellingsgerichte Beoordelingsmethode voor Duurzaam Binnenluchtkwaliteitsbeheer
ENLIGHT NB²E network: Natural Based solutions for the Built Environment
The Enlight NB²E network explores nature-based solutions for climate-resilient buildings and cities, uniting UGent with European partner universities.
ENLIGHT NB²E netwerk: Natuurgebaseerde oplossingen voor de gebouwde omgeving
ReCOver++: Improving resilience of buildings to overheating
Research on designing future-proof buildings resilient to overheating, heatwaves, and power blackouts, with metrics for thermal comfort and recovery.
ReCOver
Construction nodes in the EPB-regulation - EP-bridge & PAThB2010
Bouwknopen in de EPB 1
WoodStock
Horizon Europe project developing climate-smart solutions for underutilised wood in European construction, with 13 partners across 8 countries (2024-2028).
WoodStock
MI²B - Environmental Impact as an Engine for Sustainable Innovation at Construction Companies
Helping construction companies measure and reduce their environmental impact through knowledge tools, LCA strategies, and sustainable innovation pathways.
MI²B – Milieu-Impact als Motor voor duurzame Innovatie bij Bouwbedrijven
Reuse potential of building materials derived from existing dwellings
Research on urban mining: assessing the reuse potential of building materials from existing dwellings to reduce the ecological footprint of construction.
Hergebruikpotentieel van bouwmaterialen afkomstig van bestaande woningen
Research on impact climate change on built heritage (BELSPO)
BELSPO-funded CLIMPACTH project studying climate change impacts on built heritage and developing a decision framework for building practitioners.
Onderzoek naar impact klimaatverandering op erfgoedgebouwen (BELSPO)
The impact of climate change on building envelopes
Dealing with climate change has become inevitable when making long term decisions.
The impact of climate change on building envelopes
Thermal retrofits of Heritage buildings
The National Research Council (NRC) Canada is conducting a project on thermal retrofits of important heritage buildings in Ottawa. The Building Physics Group has been invited to collaborate in this project given its expertise in this research domain.
Stochastic hygrothermal performance assessment of heritage constructions in the middle east subjected to climate change effects
Flanders has around 1,4 million apartments, more than half of them must be renovated in the short or medium term.
Stochastische analyse van het hygrothermisch gedrag van erfgoed gebouwen in het midden oosten onder invloed van klimaatsverandering
Coupled Thermohydraulic and Biologic Modelling of Legionella Pneumophila Proliferation in Domestic Hot Water Systems
Doctoral dissertation Elisa Van Kenhove
Gekoppelde thermohydraulische en biologische modellering van Legionella pneumophila in residentiële warmwatersystemen
Transition to Sustainable Building Stock & Transport System for Achieving Energy Efficiency in Growing Cities: A Case Study of Lahore Pakistan
Study on how Lahore can achieve energy‑efficient buildings and a sustainable transport system by analysing BRT‑corridor energy use and emissions, offering strategies to reduce GHG impacts.
Overgang naar een duurzaam voorraad- en transportsysteem voor het bereiken van energie-efficiëntie in groeiende steden: een casestudy van Lahore, Pakistan
Holistic performance assessment of demand controlled ventilation concerning VOCs in the indoor environment
The new generation of residential ventilation systems, Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV) systems, are systems that do not supply the nominal airflow continuously but are controlled by CO2 or humidity sensors in order to save energy.
Holistische bepaling van de performantie van vraaggestuurde ventilatiesystemen met betrekking tot VOCs in de binnenlucht.
Circular building solutions: a quantification of their environmental and financial impact
Research developing a probabilistic LCA/LCC method to quantify environmental and financial impacts of circular building solutions, clarifying their real benefits and guiding stakeholders.
Circulaire bouwoplossingen: een kwantificering van de milieu- en financiële impact
Three Pathways towards a Sustainable Transition of Flemish Dwellings: What Are the Shifts in the Environmental Trade-Off?
The existing building stock is a major contributor to global energy use and greenhouse gas emissions ...
Figuur 3
Mobble On The Move
Ghent University took part in the Solar Decathlon Europe 2019 competition with the energy-efficient and sustainable concept 'The Mobble'.
Mobble
To bio or not to bio – Research into the characteristics and applications of insulation materials with a low environmental impact
TETRA project 'To bio or not to bio' researches bio-based insulation materials, comparing their performance and environmental impact with conventional materials through a practical knowledge tool.
To bio or not to bio
Circular construction: the Mobile unit
Bouwunie, Odisee university college, VDAB and Ghent University are working together to develop a mobile unit within the open call circular economy of Flanders Circular.
Circulair Bouwen: de Mobiele Unit
EURECA: Effectively Upscaling the Renovation of Envelopes with a Circular Approach
Flanders has around 1,4 million apartments, more than half of them must be renovated in the short or medium term.
EURECA: Effectively Upscaling the Renovation of Envelopes with a Circular Approach
Triple-A. Tailored energy renovation advice
Triple-A is an Interreg 2 Seas project under the programme priority “Low carbon technologies”.
Triple-A. Energierenovatie-advies op maat
Improving the predictive power of simplified residential space heating demand models : a field data and model driven study
Doctoral dissertation Marc Delghust
Doctoraatsproefschrift Marc Delghust (FWO-VITO PhD Fellowship)
Parametric atlas of construction nodes / thermal bridges
Thermal bridges can have an important impact on the energy performance of buildings. Therefore, in Belgium, a pragmatic approach was developed to take construction nodes into account in the official energy performance assessment of buildings.
Parametrische bouwknopen / koudebruggen-atlas
hybridGEOTABS
hybridGEOTABS is a four year European research and innovation project that brought together a transdisciplinary team of 12 partners including SMEs, large industry and research institutes from various EU countries.
hybridGEOTABS
ECO-Life
The ECO-Life project demonstrates the development of the zero-carbon social housing neighbourhood “Venning” in Kortrijk, from the conceptual phase to the first operational years. The Building Physics research group analyses the actual energy performance of the dwellings during construction works and during occupation.
ECO-Life Thumb
Research project on Retrofitting SME-buildings
Ghent University is part of the funded research project on retrofitting SME buildings. Within this project specific guidelines will be developed for the renovation of Industrial complexes and offices of SME’s.
TETRA-project Renovatie van KMO-gebouwen
IR Thermography: to a reliable evaluation for the building envelope
Infrared thermography (IRT) is a non-destructive evaluation technique for the building envelope. By the visualisation of surface temperatures, it is possible to detect construction deficiencies e.g. thermal bridges, moisture problems, incomplete insulation of cavity walls etc. in a fast way in-situ.
Thermografie als graadmeter van de gebouwschil
Renovation of Historical Facades: The Rescue or the Kiss of Death?
Doctoral dissertation Klaas Calle
Renovatie van historische gevels: redding of doodsteek
Development of a simulation tool for Duco Ventilation & Sun Control
In 2012 Duco Ventilation & Sun Control looked for support for the integration of its (new) ventilation components in an automatic natural/hybrid ventilation system.
Ontwikkeling van een simulatietool voor Duco Ventilation & Sun Control
Development of a framework for automatic dynamic building energy simulations
The research group building physics and Indoor Climate of HoGent and the research group of building physics of UGent started in 2012 the IWT-TETRA project “Optimisation and cost management of zero-energy social massive and passive houses”, funded by the Institute for the Promotion of Innovations through Science and Technology in Flanders.
Ontwikkeling van een framework voor automatische gebouwsimulaties
EPICOOL: revision EPB calculation method cooling and overheating
The EPICOOL-project, funded by the Brussels Institute for Environmental Protection, started in 2009. The project consortium took on the EPB calculation method for cooling and overheating.
EPICOOL: herziening EPB-berekeningsmethode koeling en oververhitting
Retrofit cavity wall insulation (IWT TETRA-project)
IWT TETRA project studying retrofit cavity wall insulation in Flemish houses: market analysis, material quality, energy savings potential and moisture risks
Na-isolatie van bestaande spouwmuren (IWT TETRA-project)
IWT Living Lab Renovation
Living Lab research on energy-efficient dwelling renovation in Flanders using innovative materials, dynamic simulations and real-life energy monitoring
IWT Proeftuinen Woningrenovatie
Convective heat transfer modelling in offices with night cooling
Doctoral dissertation Kim Goethals
Doctoraatsproefschrift Kim Goethals
Design Strategies for Residential Ventilation Systems
Doctoral dissertation Jelle Laverge
EPB versus real energy use in high-performance houses
How accurately do official energy performance calculations assess the real energy use in high-performance houses?
EPB versus werkelijk energiegebruik in hoogperformante woningen

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