Achieving zero-energy building performance with thermal and visual comfort enhancement through optimization of fenestration, envelope, shading device, and energy supply system

Mehrdad Rabani,Habtamu Bayera Madessa,Natasa Nord

doi:10.1016/j.seta.2021.101020

Abstract

Building retrofitting towards nearly zero energy building (nZEB) with comfortable visual and thermal conditions, requires a comprehensive parametric analysis of building retrofit measures. This paper presented an optimization method to automate the procedure of finding the best combination of measures minimizing the building energy use and achieving the nZEB target while enhancing both thermal and visual comfort conditions. The study was performed by coupling of an Indoor climate and energy simulation software (IDA-ICE) and a generic optimization tool (GenOpt) through a Graphical Script interface and the optimization was applied to a typical office building located in Norway. The adopted method allowed the concurrent optimization of building envelope, building energy supply, fenestration, and shading device material, and control methods. Two constraint functions including visual and thermal comfort criteria were considered. Afterwards, PV panels were integrated with the building site for on-site production of electricity towards ZEB level. Findings demonstrated that the inclusive optimization approach could significantly decrease the building energy use, up to 77%, and improve both the thermal and visual comfort simultaneously. Furthermore, the best performance for the optimal solution was achieved when the shading device and window opening control methods functioned with solar radiation and indoor air temperature setpoints.

Highlights

Buildings account for a large share of total energy use and signifi cantly contribute to global warming
The reason was that the improvement of lighting system and heat exchanger efficiency decreased the building energy use with trivial impact on the visual and thermal comfort conditions
A moderate value was selected for the minimum energy use and the maximum thermal comfort cases implying that this parameter was a conflicting factor for maximizing visual comfort and thermal comfort and minimizing energy use simultaneously

Summary

Introduction

Buildings account for a large share of total energy use and signifi cantly contribute to global warming. As the total energy use is expected to increase in the future, [3] energy efficiency measures should be considered in different areas such as building sector so that a widespread sustainable devel opment can be achieved. In this regard, the latest update of EPBD re quires all EU member states to develop a roadmap for the energy retrofitting of existing buildings [4]. While considering the energy efficiency in buildings, thermal com fort and well-being of occupants are aspects of great significance, especially in office buildings Improving both indoor climate and visual conditions may lead to increase in the energy use. How ever, optimization approaches adopt machine learning techniques and algorithms such as genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and sequential search to find the optimal set of building retrofit measures through an iterative process, [14] which was considered in this study

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion