Block-Level Building Transformation Strategies for Energy Efficiency, Thermal Comfort, and Visibility Using Bayesian Multilevel Modeling

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 05021008
Author(s):  
Soowon Chang ◽  
Takahiro Yoshida ◽  
Daniel Castro-Lacouture ◽  
Yoshiki Yamagata
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Multilevel Modeling ◽  
Block Level ◽  
Level Building

scholarly journals Experimental Data and Simulations of Performance and Thermal Comfort in a Typical Mediterranean House

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 3311
Author(s):  
Víctor Pérez-Andreu ◽  
Carolina Aparicio-Fernández ◽  
José-Luis Vivancos ◽  
Javier Cárcel-Carrasco
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Thermal Characterization ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Energy Demands ◽  
Dwelling House ◽  
Account Standard

The number of buildings renovated following the introduction of European energy-efficiency policy represents a small number of buildings in Spain. So, the main Spanish building stock needs an urgent energy renovation. Using passive strategies is essential, and thermal characterization and predictive tests of the energy-efficiency improvements achieving acceptable levels of comfort for their users are urgently necessary. This study analyzes the energy performance and thermal comfort of the users in a typical Mediterranean dwelling house. A transient simulation has been used to acquire the scope of Spanish standards for its energy rehabilitation, taking into account standard comfort conditions. The work is based on thermal monitoring of the building and a numerical validated model developed in TRNSYS. Energy demands for different models have been calculated considering different passive constructive measures combined with real wind site conditions and the behavior of users related to natural ventilation. This methodology has given us the necessary information to decide the best solution in relation to energy demand and facility of implementation. The thermal comfort for different models is not directly related to energy demand and has allowed checking when and where the measures need to be done.

Comfort-energy nexus in naturally ventilated affordable mass housing with alternative constructions in the developing world

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roshmi Sen ◽  
Shankha Pratim Bhattacharya ◽  
Subrata Chattopadhyay
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Thermal Load ◽  
Mixed Mode ◽  
Developing World ◽  
Assessment Model ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation ◽  
Mass Housing ◽  
The Past ◽  
Comfort Indices

<p>There is a strong positive correlation between thermal comfort quality experienced inside a building and its energy efficiency. This is more obvious in case of mechanically ventilated spaces where the energy gains are directly related to the thermal load, as compared to free running or naturally ventilated spaces. Current state of arts assess the energy efficiency of building envelops in terms of the cumulative thermal load in the operating phase of the building that are catered by mechanical ventilations. Our study aims at addressing this gap of research in assessing the thermal comfort quality of naturally ventilated residential living spaces. Our study is designed in a warm-humid climate setting and in the context of affordable mass housing in the developing world where mechanical ventilation is unaffordable or affordable only for a definite period of the day and during peak summer seasons; such buildings are said to be operating in temporal mixed mode.</p><p>Affordable mass housing constitutes 95% housing demand in the residential sector in India. Various alternative materials and composite roofing and walling envelops have been envisioned in the past decade for such constructions, however, their effectiveness in terms of comfort quality has not been assessed for naturally ventilated envelops. Our study introduces a model to assess the thermal performance of naturally ventilated bedrooms constructed with alternate building envelop configurations. We attempt to review  and compare alternative walling technologies and the currently emerging mass housing construction systems in India with the base case housing envelop constructions commonly in practice in India that use ordinary burnt clay brick walls and reinforced concrete roofs. We compare the thermal comfort purveyed in the indoor bedroom spaces using the adaptive thermal comfort model in EN15251 as thermal neutrality temperature. We assess and compare alternative envelop performance using two measuring thermal comfort indices suited for naturally ventilated scenarios - the discomfort hours index and the cooling indoor degree hours index. Discomfort hours measures the number of hours of discomfort experienced during the summer solstice and spring equinox months whereas the cooling indoor degree hours measures the cumulative average temperature elevation from the comfort temperature in the hours marked as discomfort hours. In our study, light gauge steel framed structure with foam concrete filling records the minimum number of discomfort hours, however purveys maximum cooling indoor degree hours.</p><p>The above two comfort indices have not been compared in the past to assess the thermal comfort quality in naturally ventilated or temporal mixed mode buildings. Our study frames a thermal comfort assessment model for naturally ventilated envelops and thereby offers a paradigm shift from life cycle cooling load minimization models which are appropriate for mechanically conditioned spaces. Our observations are also important for mass housing envelop selection and in the context of the current policy frameworks in the developing world, aimed at minimizing the projected demand for residential space cooling and future energy footprints in the housing sector.</p>

BIOCLIMATIC OPTIMIZATION: SKYLIGHT GROUND FLOOR NEW BUILDING, UDLA PARK TORRE II

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Cepeda ◽  
Santiago Morales F. ◽  
Viviana Cabrera
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Air Flow ◽  
Internal Flow ◽  
Effective Area ◽  
Academic Environment ◽  
Minimum Area ◽  
Ground Floor ◽  
Beneficial Effects

When high thermal comfort and energy efficiency are provided in an academic environment many beneficial effects on student’s comfort, performance, productivity, and health are shown. The research provides a parametric airflow evaluation of a skylight in a ground floor of new educational building assuming a variation of 4 stages with eight scenarios for the admissions office. By means of the bioclimatic analysis, Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage of Dissatisfied (PPD) indices, the best internal airflow performance for the study area applying natural ventilation is achieved with the air flow optimization. A minimum area of 1.79 m has been established for extraction and movement of the internal flow, both with the natural extraction louvers system measuring 12 inches by 60 inches and the 18 inches by 60 inches, they work properly. However, the 18 inches by 60 inches system has better effectiveness as it has fewer louver units to be placed, is more homogeneous, avoids turbulence and provides better air extraction. In addition, by having fewer louver units distributed along the length of the skylight, it will allow the operation to be more controlled during the operation of the building. The use of 8 louvers of those proportions, with an individual effective area of 0.23 m and a total of 1.84 m was recommended in accordance with the results obtained.

A receptive-responsive tool for customizing occupant's thermal comfort and maximizing energy efficiency by blending BIM data with real-time information

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeynep Birgonul
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Significant Proportion ◽  
Information Modeling ◽  
Substantial Impact ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Data Platform ◽  
Real Time Information ◽  
Time Information

PurposeThe heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are responsible for a significant proportion of the energy consumption of the built environment, on which the occupant's pursuit of thermal comfort has a substantial impact. Regarding this concern, current software can assess and visualize the conditions. However; integration of existing technologies and real-time information could enhance the potential of the solution proposals. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore new possibilities of how to upgrade building information modeling (BIM) technology to be interactive; by using existing BIM data during the occupation phase. Moreover, the research discusses the potential of enhancing energy efficiency and comfort maximization together by using the existing BIM database and real-time information concomitantly.Design/methodology/approachThe platform is developed by designing and testing via prototyping method thanks to Internet of things technologies. The algorithm of the prototype uses real-time indoor thermal information and real-time weather information together with user's body temperature. Moreover, the platform processes the thermal values with specific material information from the existing BIM file. The final prototype is tested by a case study model.FindingsThe outcome of the study, “Symbiotic Data Platform” is an occupant-operated tool, that has a hardware, software and unique Revit-Dynamo definition that implies to all BIM files.Originality/valueThe paper explains the development of “Symbiotic Data Platform”, which presents an interactive phase for BIM, as creating a possibility to use the existing BIM database and real-time values during the occupation phase, which is operated by the occupants of the building; without requiring any prior knowledge upon any of the BIM software or IoT technology.

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