As our climate warms, a home with air conditioning seems to many to be an essential comfort solution. What are the advantages? What regulations? What equipment? Maisons Sic builder of new houses in the South-West takes stock.
Anticipating global warming in the South West
As we know, the climate continues to warm. The consequences are particularly felt in the summer, with repeated heat waves like the ones we experienced this summer 2022. Scientists' forecasts for the future are not good, because extreme phenomena are expected to become the norm. The tool HD climate from Meteo France help you to visualize the evolution of the climate by region in order to anticipate your future needs.
Cool houses in summer
Since the thermal regulations 2012 (RT 2012), They new houses are very well insulated. They therefore consume very little energy for the heating of the House. Bioclimatic, they are designed to enhance the solar gains in the house in winter. However, these high-performance homes did not sufficiently take into account the summer comfort. Many new houses are now experiencing summer overheating. The reason may be a design flaw, in particular, the lack of sun protection, a poor understanding of the functioning of the house by the occupants, but also the multiplication of heat waves which limit the possibilities of refresh a building in a natural way. As a result, many owners of new house finally installed a air conditioning afterwards.
RE2020: the house with air conditioning is allowed
The new regulations governing construction, known as RE 2020, now requires the builder consideration of summer comfort. Sun protection, materials with high inertia, nocturnal overventilation, orientation, all natural solutions to keep a cool house in summer are now encouraged. The manufacturer thus simulates, using software, the behavior of the house in summer. The temperature must not exceed 1250 DH, i.e. the degree hours of discomfort which corresponds to more than 28°C during the day and 26°C at night.
Depending on the risk of discomfort, the regulations induce a fixed energy consumption linked to the air conditioning, whether it is installed or not. In other words, the air conditioning consumption no longer penalize new construction as was the case until now.
Use moderate cooling
But beware, this does not mean that the energy consumption excessively, of house with air conditioning are encouraged. The RE 2020 defines consumption ceilings not to be exceeded which impose a good house design. In theory, the AC should only be used when necessary, mainly during heat waves and not to have a house at 20°C all summer long. There air conditioning in a house RE2020 goes hand in hand with a bioclimatic design. While the house benefits from solar gains in winter, in summer, caps and roof overhangs will block the sun's rays. Similarly, solutions allowing nocturnal overventilation such as louvered shutters will be encouraged. There RE2020 also acclaims theroller shutter automation which facilitates solar protection of the house by following the course of the sun, limits the need for air conditioning.
On this subject, read our article Which shutters in a new house?
Air conditioners that make hot and cold
Equip the house with a refreshing heated floor
Today, 1 new house out of 3 is equipped with a underfloor heating/cooling low temperature, according to Cochebat 2018 figure, national association of manufacturers of components and integrated heating, cooling and sanitary systems. Placed on the ground, embedded in the screed, the underfloor heating/cooling circulates the water heating circuit for great comfort. There refresh function is allowed when this circuit is connected to a pompe à chaleur (CAP), usually air/water reversible. In summer, the latter recovers the calories in the circuit and rejects them to the outside. The water thus refreshed which circulates in the floor makes it possible tolower the temperature of the room from 4 to 6°C maximum. In winter, the operation of the heat pump reverses and the calories recovered in the outside air are transmitted to the underfloor heating which gently warms the room. Comfort is at the rendezvous since there is no inconvenience of cold drafts or excessive temperature differences.
On this subject read our article: Heated floor in a new house, 12 advantages and 2 disadvantages
Equip your new home with a Pac Air/air
La air to air heat pump dite aerothermal, now equips many homes. This thermal equipment ensures the heating as the home air conditioning. The cap is composed of a outdoor unit connected to one to many indoor units. The indoor unit can also be concealed in a false ceiling to diffuse heat and cold discreetly, we then speak of heating or ducted air conditioning. In summer, it blows cold air into the home and very quickly lowers the temperature of a room to keep it at the desired level of comfort.
Read the article 11 reasons to choose a heat pump for your new house in Gironde.
Energy efficient air conditioners
Contrary to popular belief, to air-condition or cooling the house is no longer as energy-intensive as it once was. THE heat pumps are electrical devices that offer very good performance. For heating, they are much less expensive than an electric convector. They transfer calories in a way, between the inside and the outside. The energy consumption related to this transfer is considerably reduced. THE Purpose provides information on the performance of the device in winter. A Scop of 4,50 means that on average, for 1 kW of electricity consumed, the CAP releases 4,5 kW of heat. Performances in summer are revealed by the SEER. The least energy-consuming appliances in summer are ranked A +++ and both have a SEER ≥ 8,5. This means that on average over the season, 8,5 kWh of cooling or air conditioning are produced for 1 kWh of electricity consumption.
The good air quality of the house with air conditioning
The AIR/Air heat pump continuously stir the air inside the dwelling. They are equipped with filters that trap dust and pollen continuously. The indoor air is thus freed from some of the allergens that generally circulate in the home. This obviously implies good maintenance of the devices and changing and cleaning the filters regularly.
See our article: How to ensure indoor air quality in an RT 2012 house?
Invisible and discreet devices
Un refreshing heated floor has the great advantage of being completely invisible. The walls are freed from unsightly appliances and there is total freedom of arrangement. The same is true for air conditioning.duct heating, where the distribution ducts of the Heating Air Conditioning are hidden in the false ceiling. Finally, if you prefer Air/Air heat pump classic, the devices are discreet and generally arise in height above the windows for a space-saving solution.
See our article on 12 advantages of duct heating in a new house in the South-West
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Installation of air conditioning in a new house: More economical from the construction stage
Install the reversible climate control during construction, is more economical than having to invest later in this type of solution. Indeed, changing your equipment after the fact leads to expensive work. In renovation, the installation of a ducted air conditioning can be complicated, as it is difficult to pass the sheaths discreetly after the fact. In the same way, it is complicated to envisage the installation of a refreshing heated floor a posteriori. There Pac Air/air will be easier to install in renovation, but it will then duplicate your existing heating installation.
House with air conditioning: comfort room by room
The installation of a system of air conditioning or new house refresh allows to treat the whole housing. This centralized system also makes it possible to individualize each room. This way, you can air-condition/cool the rooms to the desired temperature and at the desired time. no need to cool the rooms when you are not there. Regulation et programming help you choose the temperatures piece by piece. Another way to save energy.
See our article: Home automation in new homes reduces energy bills in the South West
