Cooling load analysis in educational building using building thermal dynamic simulation in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Abstract

Indonesia's economic and population growth is predicted to increase energy needs by 4.1 GW each year until the year 2030. This increase in energy needs will be supplied by fossil fuels. Most of the energy consumption is in the household and commercial sector, taking up 61.5% of the total electrical consumption. Hence, reducing energy consumption in this sector is critical. A method known as Building Performance Simulation enables to simulate a building energy consumption, given the climate condition, building envelope properties, occupants activity pattern, lighting system and other components of the building cooling load. Strategies can be applied in the simulation to improve building energy performance. Simulation of a building that serves as a learning center in Universitas Gadjah Mada was conducted utilizing the IES-VE software. The LC-FEB is an eight-story building consists of rooms that functionalize as a library, audiovisual room, modern learning activity room, and instructional development service. This research is conducted to analyze the cooling load components that have the most impact, particularly for hot humid climate and a learning center building. A systematical method for cooling load calculation is proposed. From this study, it can be concluded that the largest heat gain comes from people heat gain (46%), followed by solar heat gain (18%), lighting heat gain (14%), natural ventilation heat gain (12%), and equipment heat gain (10%). It is shown that people's heat gain contributes the most to the overall cooling load. However, given the building function as a learning center, this particular load is considered already fixed for scenarios defined by the number of people and the type of activity. A passive design strategy that variates the building envelope by carefully taking into account the Yogyakarta's climate condition, can be considered potential to reduce the solar heat gain component and therefore, reduces the total cooling load. It can conclude that for a learning center building, activity inside the building should be designed carefully. For a hot humid climate, the design of the building envelope should respond to the climate condition. This research shows that building thermal dynamics simulations will provide the opportunity for researchers to know directly what components need more attention in designing efficient buildings.