Assessment of cooling demand for buildings in Europe

The data provided by the authorities highlight that the greenhouse gases emissions associated to the building sector are nowadays a crucial issue in many countries. The global warming effect could have a strong impact, as the increase of the temperatures could take to a rise in the energy needs for space cooling. If this energy is not obtained from technologies using RES, it could become a strong issue to face in the future. In this context, the assessment of the actual cooling demand and the possibility of making projections for the future energy trends, can help in making adequate policies aimed at keeping high indoor comfort standards in summer considering sustainability as a fundamental point. This study aims at contributing to this issue by calculating the cooling demand of buildings in Europe, considering the diverse characteristics of the European building stock and their final uses. The methodology is based on dynamic simulation data for various buildings and climatic zones, providing a realistic estimate of potential cooling needs. The actual demand is then estimated by incorporating updated statistics on the penetration level of cooling systems across different countries. Future projections are also made, taking into account climatic, demographic, technological, and social factors. This comprehensive approach aims to provide a more accurate and detailed understanding of the current and future cooling needs in the European building sector.