Sensitivity Analysis for Carbon Emissions of Prefabricated Residential Buildings with Window Design Elements

Simeng Li,Chunlu Liu,Yanqiu Cui,Mark B. Luther,Nerija Banaitienė

doi:10.3390/en14196436

Simeng Li, Chunlu Liu + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/en14196436

Copy DOI

Abstract

Owing to the advantages of high construction efficiency, prefabricated residential buildings have been of increasing interest in recent years. Against the background of global heating, designing low-carbon facades for prefabricated residential buildings has become a focus. The main challenge for this research is in designing windows for prefabricated residential buildings that can lead to the best performance in carbon emissions. The purpose of this paper is to summarize window design advice for prefabricated residential building facades with low-carbon goals. This paper adopts the single control variable research method. Building energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions under different conditions comprise the primary data used in the study. In the process of achieving the research aim, this study firstly extracts the window design elements of prefabricated residential facades. Secondly, objective function formulas are established and a basic model is built for obtaining data. Thirdly, data results are analyzed and window design advice is put forward under the condition of a low-carbon goal. This paper discusses that the optimal window-to-wall ratio (WWR) with a low-carbon orientation is around 0.15, and compares it innovatively with the optimal WWR under an energy-saving orientation at around 0.38. The research results of this paper can deepen the understanding of architectural low-carbon design and play a guiding role for architects.

Highlights

As an architectural component in contact with the outside world, building facades have a significant impact on indoor physical environments and energy consumption [1].architects tend to pay more attention to the esthetic features of building facades, the “name card of buildings”
The objective function in this paper is composed of three factors with energy saving at the goal of design
This study has found that the window shape and position almost do not affect the optimal window-to-wall ratio (WWR)

Summary

Introduction

Architects tend to pay more attention to the esthetic features of building facades, the “name card of buildings”. They often ignore the need for carbon reduction when designing or changing facade design elements because of a lack of low-carbon and energysaving design methods. The exterior wall panels of prefabricated buildings have openings according to their window designs. They are prefabricated in factories and transported to construction sites for assembly. Window design cannot change after entering the production process for prefabricated residential wall panels and, as a result, problems cannot be addressed after the initial design stage.

Methods

Results

Conclusion