scholarly journals A simulated case study of a library in Brazil to improve energy efficiency

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 ◽  
pp. e47262
Author(s):  
Melanie Gissel Urdangarín Gamarra ◽  
Jair Antonio Cruz Siqueira ◽  
Fabyo Luiz Pereira

The aim of this study is to quantify the energy savings of a library in the city of Foz do Iguaçu/Brazil, through simulations in EnergyPlus. Due to the great participation of air conditioning in the electric consumption of the building under study, the following proposals were studied: the exchange of the current split air conditioning units by a Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) system; the application of solar control films on the glasses; and both options together. The methodology followed these steps: firstly, it was simulated the current electricity consumption and the results were validated with real measures; secondly, the retrofitting measures were sized and implemented in the program and the energy savings were quantified; finally, an economic analysis was performed in order to determine the feasibility of the proposals. As a result, the VRF system showed an annual saving in air-conditioning of 42.08% related to the mini-split system. The annual electricity savings were 32.01, 2.14 and 32.80% for the VRF, solar control films, and both options together, respectively. The feasibility analysis of the VRF, considering financing and for a scenario consistent with the historical average growth of the electricity prices and inflation rate, showed that the use of a VRF instead of the splits units recovers the initial investment in 14 years. The application of solar control films proved to be economically unfeasible.

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 41-56
Author(s):  
Anda Jekabsone ◽  
Agris Kamenders ◽  
Marika Rosa

AbstractThe European Union has taken the course to become climate neutral by 2050. To reach that target significant changes in all sectors are necessary, resulting in increasing regulatory pressure on energy producers, consumers and other sectors. Increasing legal requirements was also one of the reasons why the city of Daugavpils (population of 82 000) took a decision to implement an Energy management system (EnMS). In the boundaries of EnMS Daugavpils included more than 100 public buildings, public transportation and public lighting. This research paper presents results of the EnMS implementation, main drivers and barriers that Daugavpils has faced and overcome in the implementation process, and also assesses the benefits the city of Daugavpils has gained from EnMS. The success rate of EnMS in such an organisation as a municipality is based on the awareness and knowledge of the municipality’s employees and support from the municipality leaders. The case study of Daugavpils shows energy savings of 12 % in the public building sector after implementing EnMS.


2011 ◽  
Vol 2011.21 (0) ◽  
pp. 248-251
Author(s):  
Ari YOSHII ◽  
Yosuke UDAGAWA ◽  
Masahide YANAGI ◽  
Shisei WARAGAI ◽  
Keigo MATSUO ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 2069 (1) ◽  
pp. 012006
Author(s):  
A Kabore ◽  
W Maref ◽  
C O Plamondon

Abstract This document is a case study of hemp-based materials integrated into the building envelope for African and North American’s applications. The objective is to evaluate the energy performance of hemp concrete for construction in Montreal, Canada, where heating predominates and in Dori, Burkina Faso, where air conditioning predominates. The effect of thermal and hygrothermal comfort of hemp concrete, glass wool, cement block and compressed earth brick walls were simulated to quantify the benefits on overheating during the hottest months for the city of Dori and the risk of mould growth in the walls of the building in winter for the city of Montreal.


Author(s):  
G. Schmitz ◽  
A. Joos ◽  
W. Casas

During summer, the use of conventional electrically driven air conditioning systems often results in high electricity consumption. On the other hand, heat demand is very low, therefore heat from Combined Heat and Power plants (CHP) or from solar collectors can not be used. Thermal driven desiccant assisted air conditioning systems offer the possibility to shift energy requirements from electricity to heat. Furthermore, as sorptive pre-drying air doesn’t require cooling under dew point for dehumidifying nor any subsequent heating, cold sources at higher temperatures (e.g. 18°C) can be used for cooling. Within the scope of research projects, different demonstration plants for office buildings and a private bungalow were built, where the operations were evaluated by the Hamburg University of Technology. One plant combines a desiccant wheel with a small (5 kWel) gas driven co-generation plant. Instead of an electric chiller or a water evaporation system (desiccant evaporating cooling), borehole heat exchangers in combination with a radiant floor heating system were used for cooling in summer. In this paper, performance comparisons with conventional systems based on numerical simulations and measurement data are shown, including a cost analysis. It is found that the combination of desiccant wheels and earth energy systems offers considerable energy savings compared to conventional electric systems. The operation of such systems is also cost-effective. It can lead to a reduction of up to 28% of primary energy consumption in a whole year compared to a conventional A/C system.


SIMULATION ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 93 (11) ◽  
pp. 935-949 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Forgiarini Rupp ◽  
Enedir Ghisi

The aim of this study is to develop a method to assess window area based on electricity consumption in office buildings in southern Brazil. The method may be used in the preliminary building design process in order to help choose an adequate window area to minimize its impact on energy consumption, depending on climate, building size, solar orientation, and mode of operation. The method also considered thermal comfort and daylighting performance. Four cases were investigated: Case 1, building operating with artificial lighting and air-conditioning; Case 2, considering integration of daylight and artificial light with air-conditioning; Case 3, building operating with hybrid ventilation and artificial lighting; and Case 4, considering integration of daylight and artificial light with hybrid ventilation. EnergyPlus and Daysim simulation programs were used to estimate the electricity consumption for each model. The integration of daylighting with artificial light (Case 2) generates more potential for energy savings (PES) than hybrid ventilation (Case 3). Case 4 showed PES ranging from 4.2% to 64.9%, allowing larger window areas with lower consumption, resulting in the highest PES.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raúl Castaño-Rosa ◽  
Carlos Rodríguez-Jiménez ◽  
Carlos Rubio-Bellido

The design and construction of buildings is currently subject to a growing set of requirements concerning sustainability and energy efficiency. This paper shows a case study of the Torre Sevilla skyscraper, located in the city of Seville (in the south of Spain), which has high-tech energy-efficient features and which uses air-conditioning systems during most of its operating hours. The analysis carried out starts from a simulation in which occupants’ thermal comfort are obtained, based on the adaptive comfort model defined in the standard EN 15251:2007. With this approach, it is possible to determine the number of hours during operation in which the building has adequate comfort conditions only with the help of the envelope and natural ventilation. Consequently, the remaining useful hours require the use of air-conditioning systems. The results show that it is possible to improve the thermal performance of the building due to its location in the Mediterranean climate. To do this, advanced mixed mode (through manual-opening or mechanically-controlled opening windows) and active air-conditioning are suggested. This experimental proposal provides a reduction of the occupation hours which require the use of air-conditioning equipment by 28.57%, reducing the air-conditioning demand and, consequently, the energy consumption of the building.


2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 395-402
Author(s):  
Milan Perný ◽  
Vladimír Šály ◽  
Milan Andráš ◽  
Lukáš Valášek ◽  
Juraj Packa

Reducing the electricity consumption is a current trend which has an economic, social and environmental impact. Measures which are outlined to increase efficiency are also supported by legislation and could be funded from the national or European funds in EU countries. In Slovakia, there are many establishments, public buildings and households built in past decades where energy is being wasted. Approximately the share one third of the consumed energy in Slovakia belongs to industry. This statistic naturally legitimizes the effort to achieve energy savings in this segment. We choose a body which is in use partially as commercial offices and partially as production facility. The matter was to identify areas with excessive energy consumption and propose appropriate measures to avoid unnecessary losses. The paper presents more aspects of building operation regarding of energy consumption, especially in relation with old buildings with more structural and operational defects and propose some ways of the improvements the energy efficiency. The work also includes experimental data and simplified economy considerations related to the proposed measures. Finally the step model is presented in order to simplify the decision making process. The model is relevant and also applicable generally for the other engineering disciplines.


Author(s):  
Marwan Marwan ◽  
Pirman Pirman

The growing demand for air-conditioning is one of the largest contributors to Australia overall electricity consumption. This has started to create peak load supply problems for some electricity utilities particularly in Queensland. This research aimed to develop a consumer demand side response model to assist electricity consumers to mitigate peak demand on the electrical network. The proposed model allows consumers to independently and proactively manage air conditioning peak electricity demand. The main contribution of this research is how to show consumers can mitigate peak demands by optimizing energy costs for air conditioning in a several cases such as no spike and spike considering to the probability spike cases may only occur in the middle of the day for half hour, one hour and one and half hour spikes. This model also investigates how air conditioning applied a pre-cooling method when there is a substantial risk of a price spike. The results indicate the potential of the scheme to achieve energy savings and reducing electricity bills (costs) to the consumer. The model was tested with the Queensland electricity market data from Australian Energy Market Operator and Brisbane temperature data from Bureau statistic during hot days.


Author(s):  
Edzel Jair Casados-López ◽  
Alvaro Casados-Sánchez ◽  
Raúl Cruz-Vicencio ◽  
Alvaro Horst-Sánche

A methodology is proposed for calculating the cooling load and the energy consumption of air conditioning equipment in three scale models of buildings under study, using the ASHRAE CLTD / SCL / CLF method. The building in which the mentioned method is used are three scale models of buildings located in the city of Poza Rica, state of Veracruz, Mexico. This method is applied in order to obtain the cooling load as exact as possible and thus avoid oversizing in air conditioning equipment, and by using thermal insulation, achieve a decrease in energy consumption and thus contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions, to energy saving and therefore to sustainable development. The cooling load is calculated by applying the proposed methodology to three cases: model A, B and C. The results for the three test models, object of this study, are compared. Measurements of energy consumption are made to perform the error analysis of the actual energy consumption with respect to that calculated using the method. Finally, energy savings are quantified, in the cases mentioned.


2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-40 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nataša Šuman ◽  
Maja Žigart ◽  
Miroslav Premrov ◽  
Vesna Žegarac Leskovar

The refurbishment of educational buildings usually involves a variety of measures aiming at reducing energy demands and improving building functionality to achieve higher living comfort. This paper aims to develop an approach for determination of comprehensive refurbishment strategy upon existing preschool buildings in Slovenia from the aspects of energy and economic efficiency. The main idea of the approach is to separate and individually analyse the investments into those related to energy efficiency improvements and those related to improvements of building functional quality through the step-by-step evaluation of individual measures. The proposed approach was applied on the case study of the existing timber preschool building in the city of Maribor. Generally, the highest energy savings are detected only in the case of combination of multiple renovation measures. Moreover, the economic indicators show low efficiency for almost all measures if they are treated separately. Additionally, the analysis reveals that certain measures are totally inefficient in terms of energy, yet they are highly beneficial from the viewpoint of building functional quality, which indicates the importance of the multi-perspective assessment of renovation process. The conclusions of this study can be implemented to similar building types and construction ages in similar climatic and economic environments.


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