scholarly journals How Often Do You Open Your House Windows When Heating is ON? An Investigation of the Impact of Occupants’ Behaviour on Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings

Author(s):  
Sherna Salim ◽  
Amin Al-Habaibeh

AbstractCurrently, there are many initiatives to thermally insulate buildings on the assumption that the more insulated the building is, the more efficient in terms of energy conservation it will perform. Many assessment systems assume a linear relationship between building insulation and energy conservation. The drawback of such hypotheses is that they ignore the effect of occupants’ behaviour in their conclusions. In this study, the authors will examine the effect of people’s behaviour, particularly windows’ opening, as a behavioural pattern of occupants. It aims to study the impact of occupant’s behaviour on energy consumption of residential buildings and to identify the key factors that influence occupants’ behaviour; thus, providing ideas for improving energy efficiency by suggesting enhanced policies, approaches and techniques. The findings suggest that occupants’ behaviour could have a greater influence on the energy efficiency of buildings in some cases when compared with their thermal insulation due to opening of windows in cold weather which causes air infiltration.

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4397
Author(s):  
Dan Yu ◽  
Bart Dewancker ◽  
Fanyue Qian

The equipment energy efficiency improvement policy (EEEIP) is one of the important measures of energy conservation and emission reduction in various countries. However, due to the simultaneous implementation of variety policies, the effect of the single policy cannot be clearly reflected. In this paper, a method of identification and evaluation of EEEIP was proposed, and the application was verified by analyzing the example of EEEIP in Japan (Top Runner policy, TRP). Firstly, through the factor decomposition model, this paper studied the energy conservation and emission reduction potential of this policy area in Japan. Then, the TRP was identified by using moving windows and correlation analysis, and the impact of specific equipment in TRP was analyzed. Finally, through the calculation of the rebound effect of the carbon footprint (REC), this paper analyzed the energy consumption and emission reduction effects of TRP in the short-term and whole life cycle. It showed that the policy has a good effect in tertiary industry and transportation, while the effect in residential is poor. For life cycle, the TRP of air conditioning and passenger car can bring better CO2 emission reduction effect, but the emission reduction effect of lighting is basically offset.


2014 ◽  
Vol 587-589 ◽  
pp. 239-242
Author(s):  
Bai Ling Zhou ◽  
En Tian Qie

In this paper, energy-saving ideas based on the “actual conditions” were proposed and the “actual condition” access method was presented. It provided reasonable reference for energy efficiency analysis and retrofit design for this kind of building of Urban Village in Wuhan.


2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 1644-1653 ◽  
Author(s):  
Milorad Bojić ◽  
Milan Despotović ◽  
Jovan Malešević ◽  
Dušan Soković

1979 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Budnitz ◽  
J.V. Berk ◽  
C.D. Hollowell ◽  
W.W. Nazaroff ◽  
A.V. Nero ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 61 (3) ◽  
pp. 167-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Mansoury ◽  
H. R. Tabatabaiefar

Abstract This study investigates the effectiveness of different energy retrofitting techniques and examines the impact of employing those methods on energy consumption of existing residential buildings. Based on the research findings, the most effective and practical method of retrofitting has been proposed in order to improve energy efficiency of existing buildings. In order to achieve this goal, an existing residential building has been simulated in FirstRate 5 software so as to determine the existing thermal performance of the building. Afterwards, considering sustainable design principles, different insulation layers, glazing, and construction materials have been employed to conduct a comprehensive thermal performance study. Based on the research outcomes, the best technique for increasing energy efficiency of existing buildings and reducing their environmental impact and footprint has been identified and proposed for practical purposes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5266
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdelrady ◽  
Mohamed Hssan Hassan Abdelhafez ◽  
Ayman Ragab

Building insulation based on nanomaterials is considered one of the most effective means of reducing energy consumption in the hot desert climate. The application of an energy-efficient insulation system can significantly decrease the energy consumed via a building’s air-conditioning system during the summer. Hence, building insulation has become an interesting research topic, especially with regards to the use of insulation based on nanomaterials due to their low U-values. In the present study, the use of nano vacuum insulation panels (VIPs) or polystyrene foam in the walls enabled a significant reduction in the annual energy consumption, a savings of 23% compared to the uninsulated wall in a study in New Aswan City. The application of nanogel glazing to the windows (two layers of clear glass filled with the nanogel) achieved approximately 11% savings in annual energy. This savings, twice that obtained by using double-glazed windows, could be due to the low U-value of nanogel compared to the U-values of argon or air. The embedded nanogel layer between two layers of argon and two layers of single clear glass showed a significant reduction in annual energy consumption, saving 26% compared to the use of a single layer of glass. Moreover, the integration between this window and embedded walls with 50 mm of polystyrene foam exhibited a significant improvement of energy efficiency by 47.6% while presenting the lowest value of simple payback period (SPP). This research provides a way for buildings to be insulated to make them more energy efficient as well as attractive from the economic standpoint.


Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1260
Author(s):  
Ce Huang ◽  
Jiefang Ma ◽  
Kun Song

In China, energy efficiency retrofit of residential buildings is entering a new stage in which homeowners are the main subject. In order to investigate homeowners’ willingness to invest and to analyze its influencing factors, interviews and a questionnaire survey were conducted in central Tianjin, China. The results show that homeowners have a certain willingness to invest in energy efficiency retrofit but that their willingness to pay (WTP) is far from enough to cover the total cost. Among the influencing factors, the homeowner’s age, education level, and retrofit experience as well as the age and floor area of their home are significantly related to their WTP. The reasons for the impact of these factors are further discussed, including the influences of China’s previous housing policies and retrofit policies. Policy recommendations to promote investment by homeowners are suggested based on the findings.


Author(s):  
Myroslava Schevchuk ◽  
Svitlana Verkalets ◽  
Serhiy Schevchuk ◽  
Mykola Danylyshyn

Purpose. The purpose of the work is analysis of violations of natural lighting conditions (insolation) in residential buildings, because in the modern conditions of construction the role of direct sunlight as a natural health factor has increased significantly, multi-storied buildings in cities are becoming increasingly detached from natural conditions. Method. The methodology is based on a comprehensive and objective analysis of the SSTC-R B normative document R.2.2-27: 2010 “Guidance on the Calculation of Civilian Object Insolation”. Results. It has been investigated during the process of analysis that the regulation and calculation of insolation is the most acute economic and social-legal problem. With the transition of land usage and construction to the market basis, building insulation rates have become a major factor in holding back investors, landlords and tenants from seeking to redevelop urban development in order to maximize profits. Scientific novelty. Imperfect normalization was found under the current conditions in the course of the research, which can lead to serious errors in the design and evaluation of the insulation regime of the apartment and the house as a whole. The maximum shade mask of a new home shall correspond to the maximum possible height of the projected house or to the combination of the maximum heights of each individual section at which the insolation regime in the premises of the existing house or in the surrounding area shall meet the regulatory requirements or shall not deteriorate during the normalized period of insolation. If the insolation is interrupted more than once, then for the estimated duration of the insolation, the sum of the duration of the two largest insolation periods should be taken. Practical meaning. The results of the study may be useful in further studies of violation of natural light conditions, as well as the impact of residential development on insolation processes.


India, a developing country has targeted 9% growth rate, its yearly power generation has increased to 6.5% per year from 2011 to 2017. It is due to the fast urbanization and increase in building occupied area. However, India is experiencing energy scarcity nowadays. The power generation can’t able to satisfy the demand to withstand its growth rate in future. Therefore, this study investigates some technologies for connecting residential buildings to the Smart Grid, to minimize electricity consumption. It can be achieved by optimizing consumer’s devices through interface with Home Area Networks (HANs), Smart Grid-connected home machines diagnostics, and enhanced capability to aim and adopt energy efficiency agendas. These tactics create impacts on energy conservation that influencing the initial investment on new generation.


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