Indoor comfort and winter energy performance of lightweight steel-framed buildings in extreme climates: A case study in Barnaul (RU)

The growing challenges posed by climate change require a broader understanding of how buildings perform under extreme weather conditions. The potential of lightweight steel-frame (LSF) structures has been systematically investigated in laboratories, but there is few evidence of their actual behaviour on site. The paper presents a case study of a LSF building in Barnaul (RUS), focusing on its energy and indoor comfort performance during the cold season. Different simulation models, regarding building components as well as the whole construction, are compared to data collected from in-situ monitoring. The comparison between "as-designed" and "as-built" is complemented by a post-occupancy evaluation conducted through surveys. As a result: i) the actual building performance is in accordance with simulations, although an accurate calibration process is necessary; ii) the thermal bridges are confirmed as the main critical aspect of these structures: monitored performances are worse than expected; iii) thermal comfort perceived by the users is not in line with theoretical calculations: occupants behaviour and cultural values strongly affect the performance of the building; iv) the design of construction details is fundamental in this type of structures, especially when external climatic conditions are prohibitive.