Building Integrated Shading and Building Applied Photovoltaic System Assessment in the Energy Performance and Thermal Comfort of Office Buildings

Georgios Martinopoulos,Anna Serasidou,Agis M Papadopoulos,Panagiota Antoniadou

doi:10.3390/su10124670

Georgios Martinopoulos, Anna Serasidou + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124670

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Abstract

Non-residential and more specifically office buildings are, nowadays, an integral part of the building stock and milestones of urban areas in most of the developed and developing countries all over the world. Compared to other building types, office buildings present some of the highest specific energy consumption rates. In the present study, a typical nine-story office is assessed for a number of different building integrated retrofitting measures. Measurements of indoor environmental conditions were used in order to validate the developed simulation model of the building in EnergyPlus. Then, a number of different building integration options for photovoltaic systems and shading options are examined, in order to evaluate the best option in terms of indoor air quality, thermal comfort and energy consumption. The amount of electricity produced can meet 65% of the building’s annual electricity requirements, while the shading options can reduce energy requirements by as much as 33%. Although this in not a value that can be dismissed easily, it becomes clear that further—and more deeply aiming—measures are needed, if the building is to achieve near zero energy status.

Highlights

The building sector is responsible for nearly 40% of the annual final energy consumption [1]
The existing non-residential buildings are noted among its main consumers, with office buildings accounting for almost 23% of the total [2]
It is estimated that the annual consumption in office buildings in the European Union (EU) ranges between 100 and 1000 kWh/m2 [3]

Summary

Introduction

The building sector is responsible for nearly 40% of the annual final energy consumption [1]. The exact consumption depends mainly on the building’s location, on its envelope design, on the quality and efficiency of Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and lighting, on office equipment and, eventually, on operational schedules and modes, along with the energy and environmental attitude of the building’s occupants In order for this type of buildings in the EU to comply with the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and 2020 targets [4,5], apart from the construction of new, Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB), there is a great need for refurbishment of the building stock, including the extended use of renewable energy technologies for covering their energy demand. A number of different building integration shading systems and options for photovoltaic system applications are examined, in order to evaluate the best option in terms of indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and energy consumption

Office Building Description

Modelling of the Building

3.. Results and Discussion