Driving a sustainable future in space cooling

The CoolLIFE project aims to address the need for sustainable solutions to the EU’s rising demand for space cooling in buildings. The project will develop open-source tools which encourage the consideration of green cooling solutions in public and private decision-making, planning, design, and implementation processes.

About this Project

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Together to reduce the space cooling demand

Due to the impact of climate change, we are all looking for new solutions to cool our living spaces and ensure thermal comfort in our homes, offices, schools and public buildings.
Space cooling solutions aim to lower the temperature of the air to reach a habitable indoor temperature of between 20 and 30°C, and to reduce energy emissions.

Existing space cooling solutions

01

Active

Shading systems, automation and control systems, etc.

02

Passive
Window shades, blinds, building insulation, and nature-based solutions (green roofs, walls, etc.).

03

Lifestyle & user behaviour
Comfort-responsive control strategies, recommendation for adaptive behaviour, etc.

These techniques can be powered by renewable resources and require little to no energy expenditure; they are available in the EU, but have not yet been widely implemented.
The CoolLIFE project is aiming to promote these techniques by providing open access to resources and analysis tools that will help to make decisions about their use, and give perspective on different areas in need of cooling.

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About the Analysis Tool

The tool will allow the mapping of space cooling demand in the EU27’s buildings from the hectare to continent level, providing indications for how to best meet actual and future demand while promoting the implementation of innovative, efficient space cooling solutions.

The tool will also provide comfort, lifestyle, and user behaviour indications for different territories, demand-side management/demand response measures, as well as economic, policy, and legal/regulatory conditions.

The tool will propose different ways of analysing space cooling demand, including:

Mapping models
Calculation models
Building stock distribution data
Climate data

Ideal tool for...

About the Knowledge Hub

Due to the lack of data on space cooling, the knowledge hub – created according to the FAIR* data principle – will work as an online repository of quality-controlled sources, including a review of available funding options.
CoolLIFE will focus on two aspects:

Buildings in the residential sector, because of the important rise in energy demand for space cooling in this sector.
Comfort, lifestyle and user behaviour, due to the potential to considerably reduce energy consumption by addressing occupant behaviour.

*Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable. More info here.