Integration of passive energy conservation measures in a detached residential building design in warm humid climate

Abstract

Implementing appropriate passive design strategies at the early design stage of a building is a viable option for energy conservation in buildings. While literature is plenty on various passive solutions, a systematic approach for integrating all feasible options in a given building for a given location is lacking. As part of achieving energy-efficiency in residential buildings, the present study has analyzed the energy-saving potential and economic viability of adopting passive energy conservation measures (ECMs) on a detached family house in warm-humid climate of South India. Individual ECMs were assessed based on their energy-saving potential and cost-effectiveness, and the selected options were integrated in the building design. The modeling and simulations were performed by a reliable software (DesignBuilder, V.6) to estimate the annual energy consumption of the building with and without ECMs. The individual and combined contributions of ECMs in reducing the building's energy performance index (EPI) were quantified, and their economic viability was assessed in terms of discounted payback period (DPP). After finalizing all the viable passive design strategies, two options were proposed for the roof: cool roof painting and green roof. The results showed that about 34% reduction in EPI was possible by integrating the proposed ECMs with cool roof, while it was about 32% with green roof; the corresponding DPPs for the additional investment were estimated to be 4.3 years and 5.73 years. The present study provides a systematic approach for incorporating passive design options at the early design stage of air-conditioned residential buildings on the basis of energy performance and cost-effectiveness. This approach can be extended for different types of buildings in different climatic locations.