English

This paper presents a new approach to calibrate air handling unit models. This approach studies every heat exchanger component separately based on the inverse problem framework, the Preisach model of hysteresis and machine learning techniques. For each component model, the first step is to solve the inverse problem in order to calculate the optimal control signal that generates the output values expected from real data.

In this paper, four different data-driven algorithms including AutoRegressive with eXternal inputs (ARX), State Space (SS), Subspace state space (N4S) and Bayesian Network (BN) are evaluated and compared using a case study of predictions of Air Handler Unit (AHU) thermal energy consumption. Training and testing data are generated from a dynamic Modelica-based AHU model.

This paper presents a methodology of simultaneous sizing of building envelope and heating system integrating management strategies in sketch phase. This method uses a global optimization approach taking into consideration a lot of parameters and constraints. Our goal is to implement it in performance software tools, which allow architects and designers to analyze and quickly compare design solutions taking into account the cost over the building life cycle (including the envelope investment, heating system investment and operating cost) with respect to the need of comfort and budget.

Ceiling fans recirculate air within a space and affects the comfort of the occupant. It is widely used in India. It reduces the perceived temperatures by assisting cooling by evaporation through skin. Many mathematical models and studies are available which show the variation of comfort temperatures subsequent calculation of discomfort hours with varying ceiling fan air speed.Studies have also shown deviations of local comfort surveys with the PMV/PPD and ASHRAE adaptive standards in predicting human comfort.

Attic spaces belong among the most popular forms of housing or working. The most common reasons why people prefer this form of living are for example the efficient utilization of the land, lower costs of utility connection, better contact with environment and that it has a very positive impact on the human well-being. Thanks to the sloped window plane the daylight distribution inside of these spaces is very specific. In addition, they are critical regarding to overheating during summer period, so it is also necessary to analyse them in terms of thermal comfort.

The scientific literature offers a number of methods for assessing the likelihood of overheating in buildings. The paper calculates eight welldocumented indices for four representative family houses, from moderate and temperate climates, under different renovation processes (66 variants), with the use of multi-zone energy software. In two out of four cases, the calculation included passive cooling measures for optimization purposes (shading, ventilative cooling).

In the absence of thermal comfort standards in India, architects and designers have no choice, except to provide air conditioning to meet thermal comfort criteria for achieving green building rating for their projects and thus end up using more energy eventually. Significant Energy saving can be brought about by promoting naturally ventilated buildings as thermally comfortable building by retrofitting them with energy conserving measures for improving thermal performance.

This paper evaluates the influence of underground piping on the performance of using increased thermal capacitance (ITC) as a passive energy management system on an office building. The building’s cooling load will be decreased by circulating water from a storage tank through underground piping then through a piping system located in the building’s ceiling. The cooling load of an ITC enhanced building with underground piping is compared to the cooling load of an ITC enhanced building without underground piping and a reference building without ITC at all.

The paper presents an application of a new method to simplify models of heat sources in CFD simulations of large spaces exposed to variable occupancy patterns. The previously developed approach is applied in a real scenario of a recently refurbished former church built in 14th century, now used as a concert and conference hall with up to 350 visitors staying for different period during each day.

Appropriate building design for natural ventilation can reduce discomfort, while saving energy on airconditioning. Parametric building simulation analysis for natural ventilation typically consists of several design variables and input parameters with uncertainty, making it computationally intensive. For optimizing the building design within a reasonable timeframe, design of experiment techniques based methodology is proposed. Firstly, the significant design variables and input parameters are identified.