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

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.

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomasz Szul ◽  
Stanisław Kokoszka

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.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 ◽  
pp. 00044
Author(s):  
Piotr Lis

The communal and living sector, to the extent that it is the sub-sector of buildings with a majority share of residential buildings, on average, account for approximately 41% of total energy consumption in the European Union. Due to a large share in the total energy consumption, the buildings sector has a significant potential to improve the energy efficiency of existing buildings and thus significantly reduce emission of air pollutants. One way is through thermal modernization. The article presents the expected energy and environmental effects of measures which adjust the existing residential buildings to the requirements in force in Poland since 2021. It has been assumed that the energy demand for heating buildings will be limited to the level of 55 kWh/(m2year) for multi-family residential buildings and 60 kWh/(m2year) for single-family residential buildings. The calculations show that it is possible to reduce energy consumption for heating of residential buildings by over 70%, which will result in a reduction of the total air pollutant emissions from housing heating, in relation to the situation in 2011. The article indicates existing reserves in thermal modernization activities and related problems based on the analysis of selected parameters of residential buildings.


Author(s):  
Marcin Koniorczyk ◽  
Witold Grymin ◽  
Marcin Zygmunt ◽  
Dalia Bednarska ◽  
Alicja Wieczorek ◽  
...  

AbstractIn the analyses of the uncertainty propagation of buildings’ energy-demand, the Monte Carlo method is commonly used. In this study we present two alternative approaches: the stochastic perturbation method and the transformed random variable method. The energy-demand analysis is performed for the representative single-family house in Poland. The investigation is focused on two independent variables, considered as uncertain, the expanded polystyrene thermal conductivity and external temperature; however the generalization on any countable number of parameters is possible. Afterwards, the propagation of the uncertainty in the calculations of the energy consumption has been investigated using two aforementioned approaches. The stochastic perturbation method is used to determine the expected value and central moments of the energy consumption, while the transformed random variable method allows to obtain the explicit form of energy consumption probability density function and further characteristic parameters like quantiles of energy consumption. The calculated data evinces a high accordance with the results obtained by means of the Monte Carlo method. The most important conclusions are related to the computational cost reduction, simplicity of the application and the appropriateness of the proposed approaches for the buildings’ energy-demand calculations.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 65
Author(s):  
Muhammad Usman ◽  
Georg Frey

The comprehensive approach for a building envelope design involves building performance simulations, which are time-consuming and require knowledge of complicated processes. In addition, climate variation makes the selection of these parameters more complex. The paper aims to establish guidelines for determining a single-family household’s unique optimal passive design in various climate zones worldwide. For this purpose, a bi-objective optimization is performed for twenty-four locations in twenty climates by coupling TRNSYS and a non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-III) using the Python program. The optimization process generates Pareto fronts of thermal load and investment cost to identify the optimum design options for the insulation level of the envelope, window aperture for passive cooling, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), shading fraction, radiation-based shading control, and building orientation. The goal is to find a feasible trade-off between thermal energy demand and the cost of thermal insulation. This is achieved using multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) through criteria importance using intercriteria correlation (CRITIC) and the technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). The results demonstrate that an optimal envelope design remarkably improves the thermal load compared to the base case of previous envelope design practices. However, the weather conditions strongly influence the design parameters. The research findings set a benchmark for energy-efficient household envelopes in the investigated climates. The optimal solution sets also provide a criterion for selecting the ranges of envelope design parameters according to the space heating and cooling demands of the climate zone.


2020 ◽  
pp. 1420326X2096115
Author(s):  
Jaime Resende ◽  
Marta Monzón-Chavarrías ◽  
Helena Corvacho

Buildings account for 34% of world energy consumption and about half of electricity consumption. The nearly/Net Zero Energy Building (nZEB/NZEB) concepts are regarded as solutions for minimizing this problem. The countries of Southern Europe, which included the nZEB concept recently in their regulatory requirements, have both heating and cooling needs, which adds complexity to the problem. Brazil may benefit from their experience since most of the Brazilian climate zones present significant similarities to the Southern European climate. Brazil recently presented a household energy consumption increase, and a growing trend in the use of air conditioning is predicted for the coming decades. Simulations with various wall and roof solutions following the Brazilian Performance Standard were carried out in a low standard single-family house in three different climate zones in order to evaluate thermal comfort conditions and energy needs. Results show that in milder climate zones, achieving thermal comfort with a low energy consumption is possible, and there is a great potential to achieve a net zero-energy balance. In the extreme hot climate zone, a high cooling energy consumption is needed to provide thermal comfort, and the implementation of a nearly zero-energy balance may be more feasible.


2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Qian Xia ◽  
Wen-jun Qu ◽  
Yi-qing Li ◽  
Jin Zhao

In order to explore the impact of traffic environmental microvibration on buildings, this paper studies indoor vibration isolation, a method applicable to existing buildings. The vibration isolation scheme is designed based on the residential buildings adjacent to metro lines in Shanghai. By using the dynamic theory, the effective range of vibration isolation stiffness is analyzed. The effectiveness of the indoor vibration isolation method is verified through theoretical calculations and comparison of field measurements before and after isolation. A detailed numerical model is established to analyze the indoor isolation and the effect after parameter optimization from the slab thickness, filling material, and isolator stiffness. The results show that the isolation effect is proportional to the thickness of the total slab thickness of the isolation system and inversely proportional to the stiffness of the isolator. And when concrete is used as the filling material, the isolation effect is best. The isolation effect of the midspan position is better than that of the wall-floor junction. The vibration isolation effect is more obvious after the parameters are optimized. With its convenient construction technology, short cycle, and low cost, this method is worth promoting.


2016 ◽  
Vol 824 ◽  
pp. 347-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rastislav Ingeli ◽  
Miroslav Čekon

The trend in the components of residential buildings is low energy demand buildings in relation to the minimum costs spent by users for their operation. The main aim of their construction is to improve the energy economy of buildings, to reduce the environmental load in energy consumption, to improve the quality of the interior, to ensure the minimum cost level in the operation of buildings and their maintenance in the life cycle. The consequence of increased energy prices and the possible implementation of tax policies in the countries of Europe is more frequently designing and implementing energy self-contained buildings. This means that energy necessary for the general use of a building can be produced in it to certain extent. The concept of such buildings is not only in high quality heat insulating properties, but also in suitable installed devices utilizing alternative sources. The objective indicator of saving and proof of the required level of a building is an analysis of its real energy consumption. The paper analyzes the energy consumption in a specific house which, in the design phase, met the criteria for designing a nearly zero energy building. The analyzed building has a high thermal protection and uses photovoltaic energy as an alternative source. The main aim is to evaluate the concept of the designed nearly zero energy building and to assess it in relation to the really consumed energy.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (3 Part B) ◽  
pp. 2071-2084 ◽  
Author(s):  
Norbert Harmathy ◽  
Danijela Urbancl ◽  
Darko Goricanec ◽  
Zoltán Magyar

The research elaborates various solutions using detailed economic evaluation and energy efficiency calculation and simulation technology for formulating applicable, energy and cost-efficient retrofit solutions of single-family residential buildings located in temperate climate areas. Primarily the annual energy demand for a reference existing single-family residential building was determined. The economic analysis was performed for six formulated refurbishment scenarios in order to determine which of the scenarios will demonstrate optimal performance both in energy and cost efficiency. A feasibility study was performed for the most efficient scenario, which included an economic evaluation of low temperature radiant heating systems were three energy suppliers (oil, natural gas and electricity for air to water heat pump) were compared. According to financial analyses the optimal scenario includes the replacement of windows, installation of 15 cm expanded polystyrene thermal insulation, low temperature radiant floor heating, with a payback period of ten years.


2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (Suppl. 5) ◽  
pp. 1695-1705
Author(s):  
Dimitrije Manic ◽  
Mirko Komatina ◽  
Biljana Vucicevic ◽  
Marina Jovanovic

Energy certification of buildings in Serbia was introduced in 2011 and energy label depends on energy need for heating per unit floor area of heated space, calculated by the fully prescribed monthly quasi-steady-state method defined by ISO 13790. In the Republic of Serbia, most of families live in single-family houses built before the energy certification of buildings was introduced. Therefore, the estimation of energy performance of the existing buildings is important for labeling, and evaluation of energy saving measures and energy strategies to be implemented. This paper examines the applicability of monthly method defined by National legislation on the existing buildings stock in Serbia, by comparing it to the more accurate dynamic simulation method. Typical single-family houses are taken as a test case, since they are responsible for about 76% of energy consumption for heating. The results show that the dynamic simulation method estimates 21% to 54% higher energy need for heating, compared to the monthly method. Also, the monthly method estimates up to 13% higher savings by typical building envelope energy saving measures, compared to the dynamic simulation. This paper recommends improvement in procedures for calculation of building energy performance index to better assess energy consumption, effects of energy saving measures, and create solid background for developing and implementing of energy saving strategies.


Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 2581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xu Liu ◽  
Jiang Lin ◽  
Junfeng Hu ◽  
Hongyou Lu ◽  
Jiaru Cai

This paper conducts panel analysis to evaluate the effects of a structural economic shift from the industrial to the tertiary sector, a reduction in industrial overcapacity, and improvements in energy efficiency on energy consumption using data for 30 Chinese provinces from 1995 to 2015. We find that, at the national level, the structural shift to the tertiary sector, the reduction in cement and steel production, and the increase in energy efficiency in the industrial sector all have statistically significantly negative effects. We also divide the sample into three geographic and economic regions to evaluate regional differences. We find that the gross domestic product (GDP) share of the tertiary sector shows its greatest impact on reducing energy consumption in the eastern region, a decline in heavy industry production would reduce energy demand more in the central region, and improvement in industrial electricity efficiency would also help reduce energy consumption the most in eastern China. We also forecast energy consumption in China will reach 4.8–4.9 billion tonnes of coal equivalent (tce) in 2020 and further grow to 5.0–5.4 billion tce in 2030.


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