scholarly journals Application of Rough Set Theory (RST) to Forecast Energy Consumption in Buildings Undergoing Thermal Modernization

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Szul ◽  
Stanisław Kokoszka
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Set Theory ◽  
Rough Set ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Rough Set Theory ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Simple Procedure ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency

In many regions, the heat used for space heating is a basic item in the energy balance of a building and significantly affects its operating costs. The accuracy of the assessment of heat consumption in an existing building and the determination of the main components of heat loss depends to a large extent on whether the energy efficiency improvement targets set in the thermal upgrading project are achieved. A frequent problem in the case of energy calculations is the lack of complete architectural and construction documentation of the analyzed objects. Therefore, there is a need to search for methods that will be suitable for a quick technical analysis of measures taken to improve energy efficiency in existing buildings. These methods should have satisfactory results in predicting energy consumption where the input is limited, inaccurate, or uncertain. Therefore, the aim of this work was to test the usefulness of a model based on Rough Set Theory (RST) for estimating the thermal energy consumption of buildings undergoing an energy renovation. The research was carried out on a group of 109 thermally improved residential buildings, for which energy performance was based on actual energy consumption before and after thermal modernization. Specific sets of important variables characterizing the examined buildings were distinguished. The groups of variables were used to estimate energy consumption in such a way as to obtain a compromise between the effort of obtaining them and the quality of the forecast. This has allowed the construction of a prediction model that allows the use of a fast, relatively simple procedure to estimate the final energy demand rate for heating buildings.

scholarly journals Application of the BORUTA Algorithm to Input Data Selection for a Model Based on Rough Set Theory (RST) to Prediction Energy Consumption for Building Heating

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (10) ◽  
pp. 2779
Author(s):  
Tomasz Szul ◽  
Sylwester Tabor ◽  
Krzysztof Pancerz
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Prediction Model ◽  
Set Theory ◽  
Rough Set ◽  
Input Data ◽  
Rough Set Theory ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Development Effort ◽  
Model Based ◽  
Boruta Algorithm

Energy prediction used for building heating has attracted particular attention because it is often required in the development of various strategies to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, especially those undergoing thermal improvements. The complexity, dynamics, uncertainty, and nonlinearity of existing building energy systems create a great need for modeling techniques. One of them is machine learning models, which are based on input data consisting of features that describe the objects under study. The data describing actual buildings used to build the model may be characterized by missing values, duplicate or inconsistent features, noise, and outliers. Therefore, an extremely important aspect of the prediction model development effort is the proper selection of features to simplify the prediction of energy consumption for heating. In this connection, the goal was to evaluate the usefulness of a model describing the final energy demand rate for building heating using groups of features describing actual residential buildings undergoing thermal retrofit. The model was created by combining two algorithms: the BORUTA feature selection algorithm, which prepares conditional variables corresponding to features for a prediction model based on rough set theory (RST). The research was conducted on a group of 109 multi-family buildings from the end of the last century (made in large-panel technology), thermomodernized at the beginning of the 21st century. Evaluation metrics such as MAPE, MBE, CV RMSE, and R2, which are adopted as statistical calibration standards by ASHRAE, were used to assess the quality of the developed prediction model. The analysis of the obtained results indicated that the model based on RST, based on the features selected by the BORUTA algorithm, gives a satisfactory prediction quality with a limited number of input variables, and thus allows to predict energy consumption (after thermal improvement) for this type of buildings with high accuracy.

scholarly journals The Strategy of Implementing Energy Efficiency Standards and Labels for Domestic Air Conditioners in Libya

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Salah M Alabani ◽  
Ibrahim H Tawil
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Savings ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Total Energy Consumption ◽  
Air Conditioners ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Reduce Energy Consumption ◽  
Two Stages ◽  
Energy Efficiency Standards

The residential sector in Libya has grown over the past decade in the construction of residential buildings due to the increase in the population. Moreover, the increase in the level of income has contributed to the increase in the purchase of household appliances, which leads to increased demand for energy. Energy consumption in the household sector accounted for 31% of total energy consumption during 2010, and the share of air conditioners in this sector consumed 18.35%. To reduce energy consumption and improve energy efficiency in this sector, policies should be considered to apply energy efficiency standards and markers to household electrical appliances, as they are considered one of the most successful programs used in the world. Countries are implementing such programs to reduce energy consumption in the domestic sector. This paper presents the possibility of implementing such programs to introduce the importance of energy efficiency standards and labeling programs for home appliances in Libya. The calculations required to design such programs show the energy savings that can be achieved during cooling loads in the summer period of 4 months July, August, September). A strategic plan has been developed during 10-year (2020-2030) to estimate the expected savings of energy consumed and to identify possible obstacles and difficulties by gradually increasing the energy efficiency ratio for comestic air conditioners in two stages, from EER10 to EER11 in the first stage is then raised to EER12 as the second stage.

scholarly journals Finding Alternative Methods for Controlling the Power Shortage in Kurdistan through Improving Buildings’ Energy Performance

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (4) ◽  
pp. 124
Author(s):  
Kawar T. Salih
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Developing Countries ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Research Approach ◽  
Building Sector

The power shortage is one of the major problems in developing countries. Kurdistan Region of Iraq suffers from this issue, like other developing countries. Especially, after the economy crises that has started in 2014. However, all its efforts for tackling this challenge has been in providing more energy supply stations and more fuel provision. Few studies have been found in the region that seek the relation between the quality of buildings and energy consumption. It is questioned if the building sector in Kurdistan is well managed and environmentally sufficient to consume minimum amount of energy since it is the largest energy consuming sector. This research will seek an alternative to decrease the energy demand in buildings instead of expanding the energy sector. This could be achieved by evaluating the quality of building sector environmentally and improving it. Providing guidelines for building’s thermal regulations, passive building design and increasing the energy efficiency of buildings by renewal means could be alternative strategies for lowering the energy consumption. Theoretical and numerical research approach have been taken in to account for finding the answer through a case study and comparative analysis. A variation of 21-29% of power consumption can be observed between buildings that have not considered energy efficiency criteria in their design and those who reflected them more in the design.

scholarly journals Application of a Thermal Performance-Based Model to Prediction Energy Consumption for Heating of Single-Family Residential Buildings

Energies ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 362
Author(s):  
Tomasz Szul
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Simple Procedure ◽  
National Level ◽  
Heat Consumption ◽  
Construction Technology ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Model Quality

Energy consumption for heating of single-family residential buildings is a basic item in energy balance and significantly affects their operating costs. Accuracy of heat consumption assessment in existing buildings to a large extent determines the decision on taking actions aimed at heat consumption rationalization, both at the level of a single building and at regional or national level. In the case of energy calculations for the existing buildings, a problem often arises in the form of lack of complete architectural and construction documentation of the analyzed objects. Therefore, there is a need to search for methods that will be suitable for rapid energy analysis in existing buildings. These methods should give satisfactory results in predicting energy consumption when there is limited access to data characterizing the building. Therefore, the aim of this study was to check the usefulness of a model based on thermal characteristics for estimating energy consumption for heating in single-family residential buildings. The research was conducted on a group of 84 buildings, for which the energy characteristics were determined based on the actual energy consumption. In addition, information was collected on variables describing these buildings in terms of construction technology and building geometry, from which the following were extracted for further calculations: cubic capacity, heated area, and year of construction. This made it possible to build a prediction model, which enables the application of a fast, relatively simple procedure of estimating the final energy demand index for heating buildings. The resulting calculations were compared with actual values (calculated from energy bills) and then evaluated according to the standards for evaluating model quality proposed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). In this way, it was possible to determine whether, in the absence of building documents, the indicative method gives good results when estimating the energy demand for heating single-family residential buildings.

scholarly journals Evaluating the potential energy savings of residential buildings and utilizing solar energy in the middle region of Saudi Arabia – Case study

2020 ◽  
pp. 014459872097514
Author(s):  
AbdulRahman S Almushaikah ◽  
Radwan A Almasri
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Economic Feasibility ◽  
Middle Region

Lately, with the growth in energy consumption worldwide to support global efforts to improve the climate, developing nations have to take significant measures. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) implemented meaningful policy actions towards promoting energy efficiency (EE) in several sectors, especially in the building sector, to be more sustainable. In this paper, various EE measures and solar energy prospects are investigated for the residential sector, in two locations in the middle region of the KSA. An energy performance analysis of pre-existing residential buildings with an overall design is performed using simulation programs. However, installing EE measures in the building envelope is important to achieve an efficient sector regarding its energy consumption. The findings showed that applying EE measures for the building envelope, walls, roof, and windows should be considered first that makes the energy conservation possible. In Riyadh, EE measures are responsible for reducing energy consumption by 27% for walls, 14% for roof, and 6% for window, and by 29%, 13%, and 6% for walls, roof, and windows, respectively, for Qassim. However, the most impactful EE solution was selecting a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system with a high energy efficiency rate (EER), which can minimize the energy consumption by 33% and 32% for Riyadh and Qassim, respectively. The study's feasibility showed that the number of years needed to offset the initial investment for a proposed roof PV system exceeds the project's life, if the energy produced is exported to the grid at the official export tariff of 0.019 $/kWh. However, the simple payback time was 13.42 years if the energy produced is exported to the grid at a rate of 0.048 $/kWh, reflecting the project's economic feasibility.

scholarly journals Use of Insulation Based on Nanomaterials to Improve Energy Efficiency of Residential Buildings in a Hot Desert Climate

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 5266
Author(s):  
Ahmed Abdelrady ◽  
Mohamed Hssan Hassan Abdelhafez ◽  
Ayman Ragab
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Efficient ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Effective Means ◽  
Polystyrene Foam ◽  
Improve Energy Efficiency ◽  
Building Insulation ◽  
Clear Glass ◽  
Desert Climate

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.

scholarly journals Window design selection and energy consumption implications for residential buildings in Ghana: A behavior-change analysis of Ga East and Awutu Senya East Municipalities

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 25-61
Author(s):  
Simon Bawakyillenuo ◽  
Innocent Sefadzi Komla Agbelie
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Natural Ventilation ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Demand Side ◽  
Change Analysis ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Air Conditioners ◽  
Efficiency Measures

The challenge of reducing carbon emissions for the purpose of climate change mitigation requires both supply-side and demand-side energy efficiency measures. On the demand side, buildings worldwide account for about 30-40% of the total energy demand, thereby forming the largest sectoral consumer of electricity. Hence, the building sector offers a great opportunity for energy conservation and efficiency drives if certain behavioural patterns were to change. An important element of the building, which often influences energy consumption, is the design of the window. This paper investigates the economic, energy efficiency and sociological dimensions of the shift from traditional window designs to alternative ones in Ghana. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses of the data gathered for the 2014 Energy Surveys in the Ga East and Awutu Senya East Municipalities in Ghana, most homeowners use new window designs predominantly for aesthetic reasons. While more wooden and louvre blades windows users depend heavily on natural ventilation systems, glazed windows users depend mostly on fans and air conditioners. Consequently, glazed windows users spend more money on electricity compared to users of other window types. These findings manifest the energy inefficiency of most recent architectural designs in Ghana and, therefore call for appropriate policy interventions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document