The ComfortTool – Assessing perceived indoor environmental comfort improvements in four deep energy home renovations

Abstract

This paper discusses the use of the ComfortTool to check the hypothesis that deep energy renovations lead to higher perceived indoor environmental comfort in four recently renovated homes. The resident-centered tool has been developed in response to shortcomings of several tools that aim to promote and assess energy efficiency and lifelong living measures in home renovations. The study results suggest that although deep energy renovations do indeed result in higher perceived comfort, there is a point beyond which more efficiency measures do not increase comfort. The study also indicates that the ComfortTool is successful in both broadening and deepening the residents’ awareness and understanding of the implemented renovation measures and their impact on comfort.