Towards “Zero-Carbon Homes” – Issues of Thermal Comfort

Buildings consume energy for space heating and cooling in order to maintain thermal comfort. Almost half of the UK’s carbon emissions come from buildings, and the domestic sector accounts for more than 30% of final energy consumption. In 2010, 27% of carbon dioxide emissions from energy consumption were due to end users in the residential sector [1]. Space heating and hot water alone accounted for 23% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions and accounted for around 80% of UK household carbon emissions. Climate change, depletion of fossil fuels and energy security has become international concerns. From an environmental perspective, governments of many major countries in the world have formulated policies with a common aim to reduce energy