Building an urban energy performance framework: integrating spatial analysis and building simulation tools for campus planning

The tools that currently benchmark energy consumption beyond the building level are limited. This paper describes a framework utilizing simulation and spatial analysis tools to identify a credible set of campus energy performance indicators integrating both the building and site levels and taking into account the spatial arrangement surrounding each building. The research method propose a series of simulation experiments for a predefined group of building and site performance metrics classified under three categories: form, orientation and location.

Towards a digital representation of physical phenomena to assess comfort in future environments

This paper presents the concept and a test implementation of a digital representation of the physical world designed to assess comfort quality in future environments. An integrated set of physical phenomena is modeled three-dimensionally to investigate the dynamic behavior of design objects holistically. The formulation supports the integration of computational simulation in the performance-based design process. It employs the principles of geometrical and physical selfcontainedness to avoid that complex geometrical and physical circumstances have to be specified at design time.

An integrated adaptive model for overheating risk prediction

Based on results from a field survey campaign, this paper describes three new developments which have been integrated to provide for a comprehensive basis for the evaluation of overheating risk in offices. Firstly, a set of logistic regression equations have been derived to predict the probability of office occupants’ adaptation of personal and environmental characteristics. Secondly, empirical adaptive increments (offsets in comfort temperature) have been derived for each of these modes of adaptation.

Thermal performance simulation from an architectural design viewpoint

The present paper is an attempt to bridge the gap between building designers and simulationists by proposing a common framework for discussion. It is a positional paper written from a building designer’s viewpoint that basically agrees with the proposition that design is no longer dominated by physical structure thinking but by performance and system based concerns.

Optimization of night-time ventilation parameters to reduce building energy consumption by integrating DOE2 and Matlab

The nighttime ventilation strategy uses the outdoor cold air during the night to cool the building mass. The cooled building mass then is used as a heat sink during the next hot day. Mechanical nighttime ventilation requires a fan for the outside air ventilation. The energy use by the fan reduces the potential cooling energy savings. Higher nighttime ventilation flow rate and its duration decrease required cooling energy during next hot day in the building, also they increase fan energy consumption.

Façade-integrated ventilation systems in nordic climate

The work evaluates the applicability of façade-integrated ventilation systems in a Nordic climate. For this purpose the state of the art of façade-integrated ventilation (FIV) and demands for ventilation system in Norway and criteria for an comprehensive evaluation are identified. In this framework agreements between national requirements and system-specific performance are assessed. The evaluation investigates indoor environment and comfort with focus on aspects of indoor air quality.

DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS LOW-EX SYSTEM COMPONENTS AND THEIR INTEGRATION

The present paper deals with modeling of various low-exergy system components and their integrationinto the energy system for buildings and small communities. The exergy content of a certain amount ofenergy is defined as the part of this energy that can be used to produce mechanical energy. The qualityof a certain amount of energy is defined as the relative exergy content of this energy. Most of ourbuildings with their heating and cooling systems today are built for conversion of high quality energysources to low quality use with a huge destruction of the available exergy as a result.