Development and Application of the KLT Method for the Energy Performance Evaluation of Non-residential Buildings in the Early Design Stage

Abstract

AbstrctThere is a growing interest in sustainable design in the building industry to reduce energy consumption and minimize adverse environmental impacts of buildings. The strategies for sustainable design are as follows: 1) reducing the size of the building′s equipment system and saving energy through an optimal design; 2) maximizing natural energy use through a passive solar heating system; and 3) utilizing an active system through applications of high-performance heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems, installation of new and renewable energy facilities, and so on. It is vital to evaluate and compare the energy efficiencies of design alternatives at an early design stage, and hence, to improve the energy performance of the final building, as design elements determined at an early phase in the architectural design process greatly influence the energy performance of the building itself. Further, costs increase over time with the number of design changes made. In the course of this research, the KLT (Korean lighting and thermal energy) method was revised and developed based on the lighting and thermal energy (LT) method, adjusting for South Korea′s climate and architectural regulations, which can be used to assess the energy performance of buildings. This study was conducted to determine the process of selecting optimal design alternatives to maximize building energy performance at an early stage in the process.