Ensuring thermal comfort in waiting areas is essential for visitor satisfaction and well-being. In the context of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs), these spaces—typically characterized by short-term occupancy, transient user behavior, and the need for rapid temperature adjustment—pose specific challenges for HVAC control in balancing comfort and energy demand. This study investigates the influence of a ceiling-mounted fan coil unit (FCU) operating in heating mode on thermal comfort conditions in an nZEB office waiting area. Measurements were conducted at multiple points within the space to assess microclimate parameters, followed by the calculation of the predicted mean vote (PMV) and predicted percentage of dissatisfied (PPD) indices, supported by occupant feedback collected through short interviews. The results showed that although the FCU effectively increased the average temperature, its intermittent operation and localized air jets during the heating phase caused temporary discomfort near the unit. Occupant feedback confirmed sensations of discomfort due to strong air movement during FCU operation but indicated slightly higher overall dissatisfaction and smaller variability compared to model-based PPD values, reflecting the averaging effect of occupant perception over time. These findings highlight the need for optimized FCU control strategies in waiting areas, such as operating at reduced fan speeds and preheating the heat exchanger, to enhance occupant comfort. This study contributes to improving HVAC control concepts for semi-transient spaces in nZEBs.

The building sector plays a key role in the transition toward climate neutrality, with national regulations across the EU requiring the construction of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs). However, while energy performance has been extensively studied, less attention has been given to the problem of ensuring user comfort—both indoors and in the surrounding outdoor areas—under nZEB design constraints. This gap raises two key research objectives: (1) to evaluate whether a well-designed nZEB with extensive glazing maintains acceptable indoor thermal comfort and (2) to assess whether residents experience greater outdoor thermal comfort and satisfaction in small, sun-exposed private gardens or in larger, shaded communal green spaces. To address these objectives, a newly built residential estate near Kraków (Poland) was analyzed. The investigation included simulation-based assessments during the design phase and in situ measurements during building operation, complemented by a user survey on spatial preferences. Indoor comfort was evaluated for rooms with large glazed façades, as well as rooms with standard-sized windows, while outdoor comfort was assessed in both private gardens and a shared green courtyard. Results show that shading the southwest-oriented glazed façade with an overhanging terrace provided slightly lower temperatures in ground-floor rooms compared to rooms with standard unshaded windows. Outdoors, users experienced lower thermal comfort in small, unshaded gardens than in the larger, vegetated communal area (pocket park), which demonstrated greater capacity for temperature moderation and thermal stress reduction. Survey responses further indicate that potential future residents prefer the inclusion of a shared green–blue infrastructure area, even at the expense of building some housing units in semi-detached form, instead of maximizing the number of detached units with unshaded individual gardens. These findings emphasize the importance of addressing both indoor and outdoor comfort in residential nZEB design, showing that technological efficiency must be complemented by user-centered design strategies. This integrated approach can improve the well-being of residents while supporting climate change adaptation in the built environment.

Obecnie coraz większy nacisk kładzie się na ekosystemw architekturze projektowanych obiektów. Koncepcja ochronyśrodowiska w branży budowlanej skupia się na ograniczeniu emisjigazów cieplarnianych, ponieważ mają one istotny wpływ na globalnezanieczyszczenie atmosfery. W tym kontekście Komisja Europejskaproponuje wprowadzenie wymogu Zero Emission Building(ZEB) już od 2030 roku. Jednak obliczanie śladu węglowego budynkui wartości potencjału tworzenia efektu cieplarnianego (GWP) jestskomplikowane i budzi kontrowersje. W opinii autora tak złożonąproblematyką w przyszłości zajmować będą się algorytmy uczeniamaszynowego. W artykule przeglądowo przedstawiono kilkaobecnie działających projektów wykorzystujących sztuczną inteligencję(AI) w celu minimalizacji śladu węglowego w budownictwie.Wnioskiem jest, że dalsze badania i rozwój metodologii oceny śladuwęglowego są niezbędne w celu osiągnięcia bardziej precyzyjnychi spójnych wyników, co przyczyni się do budowania bardziejekologicznych systemów zarządzania zasobami i środowiskiem

Artykuł opisuje koncepcję, realizację oraz działalnośćMałopolskiego Centrum Budownictwa Energooszczędnego(MCBE) Politechniki Krakowskiej. MCBE to unikatowe w skali krajucentrum badawcze poświęcone nowoczesnym technologiombudowlanym, umożliwiające interdyscyplinarne badania w obszaracharchitektury, fizyki budowli, systemów instalacyjnych orazautomatyzacji budynków niskoenergetycznych. Centrum wyposażonow zaawansowane systemy HVAC, oświetlenie LED, przesłonyzacieniające, systemy pomiarowe oraz urządzenia do analizyefektywności energetycznej i komfortu użytkowania. MCBEpełni funkcję kluczowej platformy badawczej, wspierając rozwójinnowacyjnych technologii budowlanych, współpracę z przemysłemoraz edukację młodych naukowców. Działania MCBE przyczyniająsię także do popularyzacji proekologicznych rozwiązańoraz wzmacniania pozycji Małopolski jako lidera innowacji technologicznychw Polsce.

Since 2021, the design and construction of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEBs) have been mandatory for European Union Member States. Subsequent requirements for the building sector, characterized by high energy demand and significant environmental impact, include the minimization of carbon footprint and the introduction of climate-neutral building standards. The carbon footprint comprises both embodied emissions related to materials and construction processes and operational emissions resulting from building use. This paper analyzes both types of carbon footprint using a residential building that is part of an experimental housing estate consisting of 44 semi-detached buildings as a case study. Analyses of energy consumption optimization and carbon footprint reduction were conducted at both the individual building scale and the scale of the entire housing complex. The estate was developed in two stages. In the first stage (completion of construction in 2024), the primary criterion for technology selection was investment cost while maintaining compliance with applicable technical and building regulations. Prior to the implementation of the second stage, the investor conducted a social participation process in the form of a survey among future users. The survey addressed environmental aspects of the newly designed buildings and enabled the selection of materials, technologies, and energy sources aligned with user preferences. The results indicate that environmental aspects are important to future users; however, investment decisions are strongly balanced against economic factors. At the same time, the energy analyses demonstrate that a substantial reduction in the operational carbon footprint can be achieved, enabling a significant progression toward climate neutrality, both at the level of individual buildings and across the entire housing estate. Social participation, therefore, becomes an important element in the pursuit of climate neutrality in buildings. However, it must be taken into account already at the design stage. The results of the analyses carried out in the article showed that, taking into account public participation in the design process and user recommendations, the selected optimal variant (W5) allows for a reduction in the EP index by over 90% compared to the variant based on standard low-cost solutions (W0) (EP (W0) = 243.64 kWh/(m² year); EP (W5) = 18.42 kWh/(m² year). In terms of the embodied carbon footprint, the optimal option W5 allows for a reduction of over 30% in the embodied carbon footprint of the building structure (W0—51,585.32 [kgCO₂e]; W5—35,537.87 [kgCO₂e]). The optimal variant indicated by users (W5) allows for a reduction in the operational carbon footprint by approximately 80% compared to the basic variant (W0): W0—604,189.50 [kgCO₂e/kWh]; W5—247,402.0 [kgCO₂e/kWh]. The results obtained indicate that public participation is not only a complementary element of the design process, but it can also be a key component of the decarbonisation strategy in residential construction. Involving future users in the decision-making process increases the likelihood of achieving long-term greenhouse gas emission reductions and supports the implementation of long-term climate policy goals.