scholarly journals Automated classification metrics for energy modelling of residential buildings in the UK with open algorithms

2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony Beck ◽  
Gavin Long ◽  
Doreen S Boyd ◽  
Julian F Rosser ◽  
Jeremy Morley ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Automated Classification ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Ordnance Survey ◽  
Built Form ◽  
Energy Modelling ◽  
The City

Estimating residential building energy use across large spatial extents is vital for identifying and testing effective strategies to reduce carbon emissions and improve urban sustainability. This task is underpinned by the availability of accurate models of building stock from which appropriate parameters may be extracted. For example, the form of a building, such as whether it is detached, semi-detached, terraced etc. and its shape may be used as part of a typology for defining its likely energy use. When these details are combined with information on building construction materials or glazing ratio, it can be used to infer the heat transfer characteristics of different properties. However, these data are not readily available for energy modelling or urban simulation. Although this is not a problem when the geographic scope corresponds to a small area and can be hand-collected, such manual approaches cannot be easily applied at the city or national scale. In this article, we demonstrate an approach that can automatically extract this information at the city scale using off-the-shelf products supplied by a National Mapping Agency. We present two novel techniques to create this knowledge directly from input geometry. The first technique is used to identify built form based upon the physical relationships between buildings. The second technique is used to determine a more refined internal/external wall measurement and ratio. The second technique has greater metric accuracy and can also be used to address problems identified in extracting the built form. A case study is presented for the City of Nottingham in the United Kingdom using two data products provided by the Ordnance Survey of Great Britain: MasterMap and AddressBase. This is followed by a discussion of a new categorisation approach for housing form for urban energy assessment.

scholarly journals The Effect Of Balcony Enclosure Retrofits On The Performance of Murbs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alanna Sheehan
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Structure ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Weak Point ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
The City

The City of Toronto has been undertaking retrofit projects to refurbish an aging building stock and increase performance in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). These retrofit considerations include solutions proposed for balconies, a common weak point in the building structure. A balcony enclosure retrofit was one such solution, using overcladding to insulate the exposed balcony slab and parapet, enclosing the open portion of the balcony with glazing. The effect of the balcony enclosure differed depending on the balcony type, varying with characteristics such as balcony to façade ratio, orientation and the projection type of the balcony, whether inset or projecting. When models were retrofit with balcony enclosures, results showed an overall decrease in energy use as the enclosures raised internal air temperatures, lowering demand for heating. The balcony characteristics which showed the largest decrease in energy use when retrofit with balcony enclosures were inset balconies with high balcony to façade ratio.

scholarly journals The Effect Of Balcony Enclosure Retrofits On The Performance of Murbs

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alanna Sheehan
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Structure ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Weak Point ◽  
Air Temperatures ◽  
The City

The City of Toronto has been undertaking retrofit projects to refurbish an aging building stock and increase performance in multi-unit residential buildings (MURBs). These retrofit considerations include solutions proposed for balconies, a common weak point in the building structure. A balcony enclosure retrofit was one such solution, using overcladding to insulate the exposed balcony slab and parapet, enclosing the open portion of the balcony with glazing. The effect of the balcony enclosure differed depending on the balcony type, varying with characteristics such as balcony to façade ratio, orientation and the projection type of the balcony, whether inset or projecting. When models were retrofit with balcony enclosures, results showed an overall decrease in energy use as the enclosures raised internal air temperatures, lowering demand for heating. The balcony characteristics which showed the largest decrease in energy use when retrofit with balcony enclosures were inset balconies with high balcony to façade ratio.

scholarly journals Effects of glazing design and infiltration rate on energy consumption and thermal comfort in residential buildings

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (5 Part B) ◽  
pp. 2951-2960 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Almarzouq ◽  
Ahmad Sakhrieh
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Thermal Comfort ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Design Alternatives ◽  
Energy Modelling ◽  
Proper Design

The building envelope is the most affecting part in the energy interaction between the buildings and the surrounding. Proper design of the envelope components not only can save the required energy for the building but also can improve the thermal comfort of its occupants. In this research, energy modelling and simulation for a residential building in Amman, Jordan is performed to investigate the effects of glazing design and infiltration rate on energy consumption and thermal comfort. Different design alternatives have been investigated to find the best alternative design to reduce energy use and improve indoor environment. The results showed that replacing single glazing window with double glazing window argon-filled with low emissivity coating can save the consumed energy by 24.7% while degrade the thermal comfort by 1%. Reducing the infiltration rate by 50% can save 19.4% of the energy consumed and improves the thermal comfort by 10%.

scholarly journals MAPPING AN URBAN CITY CENTRE FOR SEISMIC RISK ASSESSMENT: APPLICATION TO VALENCIA (SPAIN)

2020 ◽  
Vol XLIV-M-1-2020 ◽  
pp. 817-824
Author(s):  
L. Basset-Salom ◽  
A. Guardiola-Víllora
Keyword(s):  
Seismic Risk ◽  
Seismic Vulnerability ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Urban City ◽  
Historical Archive ◽  
The City

Abstract. Seismic risk in urban city centres may be high, even when the city is in low to moderate seismic areas, due to the vulnerability of the residential buildings. To assess the seismic vulnerability and estimate the expected damage in case of occurrence of an earthquake, an up-to-date detailed and comprehensive information of the residential building stock, such as number of dwellings, location, age, geometry, stiffness irregularities, structure, constructive system and practices, among others, is needed. This paper presents the authors experience, describing the step by step procedure followed to obtain the required information to classify and catalogue the residential buildings of the historical neighbourhoods of the city of Valencia into a database. Official sources, like the Cadastral Database, the website of the Urban Planning Service of the city of Valencia, the Municipal Historical Archive of Valencia, and the Historical Archive of the Valencian Architects Society, but also unexpected references are shared, pointing out the information that has been retrieved and its reliability. Additionally, relevant information must be obtained with an on-site data collection. This field work is essential not only to prove the accuracy of the abovementioned data but also to define some of the parameters related to the building vulnerability.The built database, included in a GIS system, has been used by the authors for seismic risk studies. This procedure can be implemented in future assessments at an urban scale.

scholarly journals Carbon Footprint Reduction through Residential Building Stock Retrofit: A Metro Melbourne Suburb Case Study

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (20) ◽  
pp. 6550
Author(s):  
Seongwon Seo ◽  
Greg Foliente
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Footprint ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Ghg Emissions ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Environmental Benefits ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Building Sector ◽  
Building Stock

Since existing residential buildings are a significant global contributor to energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, any serious effort to reduce the actual energy and carbon emissions of the building sector should explicitly address the carbon mitigation challenges and opportunities in the building stock. This research investigates environmentally and economically sustainable retrofit methods to reduce the carbon footprint of existing residential buildings in the City of Greater Dandenong as a case study in Metropolitan Melbourne, Australia. By categorizing energy use into various building age brackets and dwelling types that align with changes in energy regulations, we identified various retrofit prototypes to achieve a targeted 6.5-star and 8-star energy efficiency rating (out of a maximum 10-star rating system). The corresponding operational energy savings through different retrofit options are examined while also considering the quantity of materials required for each option, along with their embodied energy and GHG emissions, thus allowing a more comprehensive lifecycle carbon analysis and exploration of their financial and environmental payback times. Results show that when buildings are upgraded with a combination of insulation and double-glazed windows, the environmental benefits rise faster than the financial benefits over a dwelling’s lifecycle. The size or percentage of a particular dwelling type within the building stock and the remaining lifecycle period are found to be the most important factors influencing the payback periods. Retrofitting the older single detached dwellings shows the greatest potential for lifecycle energy and carbon savings in the case suburb. These findings provide households, industry and governments some guidance on how to contribute most effectively to reduce the carbon footprint of the residential building sector.

scholarly journals Optimal Control Strategies for Switchable Transparent Insulation Systems Applied to Smart Windows for US Residential Buildings

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2917
Author(s):  
Mohammad Dabbagh ◽  
Moncef Krarti
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Optimization Approach ◽  
Optimal Controls ◽  
Peak Demand ◽  
Smart Windows ◽  
Insulation Systems ◽  
Rule Set

This paper evaluates the potential energy use and peak demand savings associated with optimal controls of switchable transparent insulation systems (STIS) applied to smart windows for US residential buildings. The optimal controls are developed based on Genetic Algorithm (GA) to identify the automatic settings of the dynamic shades. First, switchable insulation systems and their operation mechanisms are briefly described when combined with smart windows. Then, the GA-based optimization approach is outlined to operate switchable insulation systems applied to windows for a prototypical US residential building. The optimized controls are implemented to reduce heating and cooling energy end-uses for a house located four US locations, during three representative days of swing, summer, and winter seasons. The performance of optimal controller is compared to that obtained using simplified rule-based control sets to operate the dynamic insulation systems. The analysis results indicate that optimized controls of STISs can save up to 81.8% in daily thermal loads compared to the simplified rule-set especially when dwellings are located in hot climates such as that of Phoenix, AZ. Moreover, optimally controlled STISs can reduce electrical peak demand by up to 49.8% compared to the simplified rule-set, indicating significant energy efficiency and demand response potentials of the SIS technology when applied to US residential buildings.

scholarly journals Towards Sustainable Energy Retrofitting, a Simulation for Potential Energy Use Reduction in Residential Buildings in Palestine

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 3876
Author(s):  
Sameh Monna ◽  
Adel Juaidi ◽  
Ramez Abdallah ◽  
Aiman Albatayneh ◽  
Patrick Dutournie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Water Heating ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Space Cooling ◽  
Cooling Loads

Since buildings are one of the major contributors to global warming, efforts should be intensified to make them more energy-efficient, particularly existing buildings. This research intends to analyze the energy savings from a suggested retrofitting program using energy simulation for typical existing residential buildings. For the assessment of the energy retrofitting program using computer simulation, the most commonly utilized residential building types were selected. The energy consumption of those selected residential buildings was assessed, and a baseline for evaluating energy retrofitting was established. Three levels of retrofitting programs were implemented. These levels were ordered by cost, with the first level being the least costly and the third level is the most expensive. The simulation models were created for two different types of buildings in three different climatic zones in Palestine. The findings suggest that water heating, space heating, space cooling, and electric lighting are the highest energy consumers in ordinary houses. Level one measures resulted in a 19–24 percent decrease in energy consumption due to reduced heating and cooling loads. The use of a combination of levels one and two resulted in a decrease of energy consumption for heating, cooling, and lighting by 50–57%. The use of the three levels resulted in a decrease of 71–80% in total energy usage for heating, cooling, lighting, water heating, and air conditioning.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Urban-Scale Building Energy-Use Models and Tools—Application for the City of Fribourg, Switzerland

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1595
Author(s):  
Valeria Todeschi ◽  
Roberto Boghetti ◽  
Jérôme H. Kämpf ◽  
Guglielmina Mutani
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Building Energy ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Space Heating ◽  
Engineering Model ◽  
Building Energy Use ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Building energy-use models and tools can simulate and represent the distribution of energy consumption of buildings located in an urban area. The aim of these models is to simulate the energy performance of buildings at multiple temporal and spatial scales, taking into account both the building shape and the surrounding urban context. This paper investigates existing models by simulating the hourly space heating consumption of residential buildings in an urban environment. Existing bottom-up urban-energy models were applied to the city of Fribourg in order to evaluate the accuracy and flexibility of energy simulations. Two common energy-use models—a machine learning model and a GIS-based engineering model—were compared and evaluated against anonymized monitoring data. The study shows that the simulations were quite precise with an annual mean absolute percentage error of 12.8 and 19.3% for the machine learning and the GIS-based engineering model, respectively, on residential buildings built in different periods of construction. Moreover, a sensitivity analysis using the Morris method was carried out on the GIS-based engineering model in order to assess the impact of input variables on space heating consumption and to identify possible optimization opportunities of the existing model.

scholarly journals TOPOI RESOURCES: Quantification and Assessment of Global Warming Potential and Land-Uptake of Residential Buildings in Settlement Types along the Urban–Rural Gradient—Opportunities for Sustainable Development

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4099
Author(s):  
Ann-Kristin Mühlbach ◽  
Olaf Mumm ◽  
Ryan Zeringue ◽  
Oskars Redbergs ◽  
Elisabeth Endres ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Global Warming Potential ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
Residential Building Stock ◽  
Urban Rural

The METAPOLIS as the polycentric network of urban–rural settlement is undergoing constant transformation and urbanization processes. In particular, the associated imbalance of the shrinkage and growth of different settlement types in relative geographical proximity causes negative effects, such as urban sprawl and the divergence of urban–rural lifestyles with their related resource, land and energy consumption. Implicitly related to these developments, national and global sustainable development goals for the building sector lead to the question of how a region can be assessed without detailed research and surveys to identify critical areas with high potential for sustainable development. In this study, the TOPOI method is used. It classifies settlement units and their interconnections along the urban–rural gradient, in order to quantify and assess the land-uptake and global warming potential driven by residential developments. Applying standard planning parameters in combination with key data from a comprehensive life cycle assessment of the residential building stock, a detailed understanding of different settlement types and their associated resource and energy consumption is achieved.

scholarly journals Implementation of BIM Modelling and Simulation Tools in Reducing Annual Energy Consumption of Multifamily Dwellings

2020 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 01002
Author(s):  
Subbarao Yarramsetty ◽  
MVN Siva Kumar ◽  
P Anand Raj
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Energy Simulation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Rotational Angle ◽  
Existing Building ◽  
Simulation Tools ◽  
Efficient Option

In current research, building modelling and energy simulation tools were used to analyse and estimate the energy use of dwellings in order to reduce the annual energy use in multifamily dwellings. A three-story residential building located in Kabul city was modelled in Revit and all required parameters for running energy simulation were set. A Total of 126 experiments were conducted to estimate annual energy loads of the building. Different combinations from various components such as walls, roofs, floors, doors, and windows were created and simulated. Ultimately, the most energy efficient option in the context of Afghan dwellings was figured out. The building components consist of different locally available construction materials currently used in buildings in Afghanistan. Furthermore, the best energy efficient option was simulated by varying, building orientation in 15-degree increments and glazing area from 10% to 60% to find the most energy efficient combination. It was found that combination No. 48 was best option from energy conservation point of view and 120-degree rotational angle from north to east, of the existing building was the most energy-efficient option. Also, it was observed that 60% glazing area model consumed 24549 kWh more electricity compared to the one with 10% glazing area.

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