The calculation method for the 2012 Thermal Regulations - Specific points

Successive French thermal regulations, from RT 88 to the current RT 2012, have seen a steady increase in the energy consumption requirements for new buildings. This increase in requirements is naturally accompanied by an increase in the complexity of the calculations needed to assess them.

The magnitude of the calculations, and hence the multiplication of parameters and input data, make it difficult to take an intuitive, even physical, approach to improving energy efficiency in the regulatory sense. This is why a good understanding of the intricacies of the calculations carried out can pave the way for further optimization of the regulatory study.

The general RT 2012 calculation process (see article [C 8 110] ) requires a certain amount of input data, which is then calculated according to the building's input data.

These processes can be likened to pre-processors that feed the main processor.

This article describes a number of these additional calculations, which are special features of the Th-BCE calculation method, so that everyone involved in the building design and construction process can find the information they need to understand the "spirit" and special features of the method. This will enable them to deal more effectively with tricky points and reduce bottlenecks.

Please note that you don't need to read the whole article to benefit from the explanations of each of them.

At the end of the article, readers will find a glossary of commonly used technical terms, acronyms and abbreviations.