Effective use of building mass

Recent research by BRE under the DoE Construction Sponsorship Directorate's Energy-Related Environmental Issues (EnREI) Programme has clearly shown that the dominant factor in the successful design of low energy buildings is the minimisation or avoidance of air conditioning. That is not to say that it is not possible to design a very energy efficient air conditioned building; it simply reflects the fact that if, by judicial design, a naturally ventilated building can create a comfortable working environment, there will be a significant reduction in energy use compared to a solution based on active systems.