The potential and need for energy saving in standard family detached and semi-detached wooden houses in arctic Greenland

The paper gives an account of the potential and need for energy saving in standard family detached and semi-detached wooden houses in Greenland. It is based on studies of house construction compared with Building Regulation requirements and the spread of buildings over time. In the climatic conditions of Greenland, there is considerable potential for energy saving in houses due to their construction, shape and condition.

To estimate the total potential for energy saving and thus reducing CO2 emissions, we carried out a detailed investigation of three typical standard semi-detached family houses (type 18D). Temperature, relative humidity and air tightness were measured, and thermal bridges were determined from drawings, visual inspection, and by using a thermal camera.

The findings show a current energy consumption of up to 378 kWh/(m²•a) for heating, poor air tightness, a large number of thermal bridges, and high indoor temperatures. We demonstrate a potential for a reduction in CO2 emission by a factor of 10. Finally, the paper describes a practical way of reducing thermal bridges significantly, increasing air tightness, upgrading insulation and adding mechanical ventilation to approximately half of the housing stock without changing the architectural expression or having to relocate the occupants during the renovation.