Integration of life cycle cost analysis and energy simulation for building energy-efficient strategies assessment

Abstract

The residential building sector is very energy-intensive. With population growth and a rise in the number of homeowners, the effect is bound to worsen. A wave of green and sustainable strategies is on the rise, hoping to moderate some of the adverse effects on the environment. The construction industry is continually evolving into becoming more energy conscious. However, one of the biggest obstacles is a lack of awareness and a fear of initial costs among contractors, homeowners, and clients alike. The purpose of this research is to explore the potential of current Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA) procedures as an evaluation tool for green building strategies by conducting energy simulations for different energy conservation measures (ECMs). This paper aims to establish the tradeoff between initial investment and long-term benefits for different energy conservation measures. Energy simulation models and life cycle cost models were developed. The developed models have been applied to a case of an apartment in a multi-family building. This research shows that a combination of passive and active energy conservation measures results in the lowest lifecycle cost. The results show a 13.5 % saving of the building cost employing a combination of passive design and active strategies.