Use of genetic algorithms for the optimum selection of the fenestration openings in buildings

The objective of this work is to find the optimum window-to-wall area ratio that minimizes the energy cost for cooling, heating and daylighting. Both heating and cooling load are affected by the U-value and the solar heat gain coefficient (SHGC) of the glass whereas the amount of daylighting is affected by the coefficient of visual transmittance of the glass. For this purpose a genetic algorithm is used which is an optimum search technique based on the concepts of natural selection and survival of the fittest.

Two energy efficient projects in Athens

The scope of the current paper is to present two buildingprojects that have been designed within 2006 by Gavalas Architects & Associates. On both of them, the main target was to produce a result of high functionality and innovative aesthetics while resulting a low-energy building, using mainly simple passive systems, providingthe best possible environment for the occupants. From a sustainability point of view, the main targets are: To reduce the energy consumption for heating during winter season and for cooling during summer season.

TRNDB: A Web Database and Web Site for Storage and Process of Building EnergyAnalysis Data

In this paper, the design and development of a web databasefor the purpose of storing and processing data produced by a complete building energy analysis is presented. Additionally, a web site that provides access to the database as well as a set of processing functions is outlined.

To restate traditional sustainable solution, Iranian tradiditional natural ventilation

Traditional architecture while energy consumption has not been defined as today, have utilized some passive design methods by attending to the potentials of the regionand made them highlight. At hot climate such as Iran, one of the outstanding technical solution for providingventilation, both for body and structural cooling, were already used in ancient times. Furthermore, other techniques had been applied for achieving comfort and controlling it, as main target, at night, day and each season.A fundamental idea of this approach is focusing on providing zero-condition.

Thermal insulation of buildings and cooling demand

Thermal insulation in the warm climate can reduce the energy demand for cooling in residential buildings up to 70%.To define the gap in between the actual applied thermal requirements and what would be todays economic optimum,Eurima ordered a study to Ecofys which also quantified the impact of thermal insulation in reducing the cooling demand in residential buildings.

The use of phase change material (PCM) to improve the coefficient of performanceof a chiller for meeting domestic cooling in Wales

This paper investigates the possibility of integrating thermal energy storage to the hot side of LiBr/H2O absorptioncooling system to cover 100% of peak cooling load for a three bedroom house on the hottest summer day in Cardiff, Wales. A shell and tube experimental systemwas designed to conduct charging and discharging experiments using Erythritol (melting point 117.7C) as a phase change material, considered to have the highestenergy density in the temperature range investigated (90C to 120C). The results show that ?

The spatial variability of air temperature in the urban canopy layer

This paper presents the results of a monitoring study carried out in the city of Adelaide, Australia, whose primaryaim was to calibrate a model capable of predicting air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods in a variety of weather conditions, on the basis of meteorological time series recorded at an open site exposed to the same meso-scale conditions (Erell and Williamson, 2006).

The impact of moisture on the thermal conductivity value of stone wool based insulating materials

One of the significant threats for buildings is the possibility of changes in the building materials’ properties because of the penetration and residence of moisture it them. In the case of insulating materials such damages may initially have an energy co

The impact of colored glazing and spectral response of photosensors in the estimationof daylighting energy savings

Daylighting control systems have quite high potential to reduce building’s energy consumption and peak demand. Despite this potential, reported poor performance, didn’t allow substantial increase in their installation rates. Thus during design stage, is e

The environmental and ecological semeiology in architecture

In idyllic Athens of the 5th century B.C.

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