Guidance on subsidy strategies for optimum life cycle cost in government-owned and -operated assembly occupancy buildings in Kuwait

Abstract

The challenging problem of energy subsidies and tariff policy is compounded in regions with hot climates, heavily subsidized energy, and lax energy regulations. Across the MENA region, mosques are the quintessential specimen of government-owned and -operated buildings. Their distinct intermittent operation presents an additional challenge. The objective is to determine configurations that result in optimum energy-savings and life-cycle cost, and propose subsidy strategies that maximize the former and minimize the latter, under a range of realistic tariffs. Three models for system initial costs (linear, exponential, and empirical) were explored. A hybrid workflow across EnergyPlus simulation engine and MATLAB subroutines were utilized to investigate interactions between all energy-related parameters for brute-force life-cycle cost optimization. Forty possible tariffs were considered for 6000 envelope-system combinations, with 11 different system cost increase scenario, totaling 2.64 million cases. When low tariffs were considered, the optimum structures that gave the highest energy savings were marked by low systems COPs. Meanwhile, high tariffs with high systems COPs resulted in twice the savings. Savings could be extended to both manufacturers and consumers, especially in the case of government-owned and operated buildings. These findings could carry a potential for broader insight into other building sectors, typologies and usages.