A heat/health warning system (HHWS) was established in Germany as a climate change adaptation measure and as a direct consequence of the heat wave in 2003. The system used by the German weather service currently only provides information about outdoor conditions, i.e. no data on indoor climate - which may differ significantly from ambient conditions - are provided. This article describes an extension of the existing heat/health warning system based on a thermal building simulation model. It enables internal heat loads to be estimated based on predicted meteorological conditions. While the prediction model is limited to a worst-case scenario for practicability reasons, the information derived from the load values can nevertheless be very useful. The technique was used during summer 2007 in parallel with the conventional system, illustrating the added value.
Pfafferott, J; Becker, P
Extending the existing heat/health warning system with indoor heat load predictions
Bauphysik