Building Energy Efficiency Research Articles

Predicting indoor temperature and humidity in a naturally ventilated office room using long short-term memory networks model in a tropical climate

ABSTRACT This study evaluates the efficacy of long short-term memory (LSTM) neural networks in predicting indoor temperature and humidity dynamics for naturally ventilated office environments in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam (10.8231°N, 106.6297°E). The tropical climate of this location, characterized by consistently warm temperatures year-round, provides a specific context for the model's performance and applicability. A simulated office room model with diverse window opening scenarios was developed using EnergyPlus simulations, generating a synthetic dataset of hourly indoor-outdoor conditions across varying seasons. An LSTM neural network, trained on 70% of the data and tested on the remaining 30%, was employed to forecast indoor temperature and humidity at multiple time horizons. Results indicate that the LSTM achieves near-perfect short-term (1–30 min) predictions, with performance degrading at longer horizons (60–120 min) while remaining competitive with existing approaches. The model effectively captured the strong influence of window opening area and solar irradiance on indoor conditions. A comparison of different window configurations revealed their significant impact on predicted thermal dynamics. Model accuracy was assessed using the coefficient of determination, root mean square error, and mean absolute error metrics. The study demonstrates that LSTM networks can effectively learn complex non-linear building physics to forecast climate in naturally ventilated spaces. With sub-second response times, this approach shows potential for supporting real-time control and optimization of natural ventilation strategies based on probabilistic forecasts, ultimately enhancing occupant comfort and energy efficiency in buildings.

Optimizing Thermal Efficiency of Building Envelopes with Sustainable Composite Materials

The growing global energy demand, particularly in India, calls for innovative strategies to improve building energy efficiency. With buildings contributing significantly to energy consumption, especially in cooling-dominated climates, sustainable insulation materials are essential in minimizing energy usage. This study explores the potential of bamboo biochar, fly ash, and lime as sustainable insulation materials for building envelopes. This study also addresses the critical issue of energy efficiency in building construction, specifically focusing on the comparative analysis of three materials for their thermal performance, environmental impact, and economic viability. This research aims to identify the most sustainable material choice by assessing each material’s life cycle energy consumption, thermal resistance, and associated costs. The research methodology involves an extensive review of 125 relevant studies to assess the thermal performance of these materials. U-values were computed from the reported thermal conductivity data and systematically arranged in chronological order to evaluate and compare their insulation effectiveness over time. Additionally, these materials were analyzed under sustainability criteria, incorporating life cycle analysis and a carbon footprint assessment. This study identifies existing research gaps and offers recommendations for future research, creating structure for the development of sustainable insulation system.

Energy efficient green building design utlilising renewable energy and low-carbon development technologies

The core issue these days is to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emission and prevent the hole in the ozone layer. Numerous emerging environmental crises successfully tackled by coordinated global efforts in the past few years. Despite this, the present climate emergency is a much more serious threat than anything we have ever encountered and requires much more action consequently. Today, more attention is paid on green buildings in the society, which will make the use of sustainable buildings for the entire life cycle a necessity for future generations. Hence, this paper proposes a novel design model of an energy-efficient residential green building with low carbon emissions to maintain the health and enhances the productivity and living standards of inhabitants. Green building technology is utilized to enhance energy efficiency and lower carbon emissions. This design considers green, recyclable, and eco-friendly building materials, which are beneficial for human health and comply with relevant Indian standards and building codes. This building design proposes renewable energy sources (RES) integrated with the power grid, although RES powers most of the load of the green building. The proposed green building design shows effective results, i.e., building energy consumption has reduced by 50.54%, total energy consumption cost has reduced by 57.41%, and CO2 emission per month has reduced by 50.54%. In addition, stormwater-harvesting system is proposed to collect 54322.23 litres of rainwater annually, which helps in water conservation and contributes to improving the groundwater level. The proposed solid waste management plan has contributed to the achievement of regional and national Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Finally, there are some suggestions to promote the use of green buildings for sustainable development.

Application and Analysis of Renewable Energy in Building Energy Efficiency

With the severe challenge of global climate change and the increasing energy crisis, the construction industry, as one of the main sources of global energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, has become particularly critical. Therefore, exploring how to achieve building energy savings through renewable energy has become an urgent and far-reaching research topic. This study aims to discuss the current state, challenges, and potential applications of renewable energy in the building field, by reviewing existing literature and case studies. Additionally, it explores strategies to promote the application of renewable energy in building energy conservation through technological innovation and policy support. After analyzing the existing literature and cases, it is found that the application of renewable energy technologies such as solar, wind, and geothermal energy in buildings can significantly save energy, reduce dependence on fossil fuels, and reduce carbon emissions. Optimizing buildings, including passive design and active system integration, is critical to improving energy efficiency without compromising residential comfort. The intelligent energy management system further improves energy efficiency through real-time monitoring and automatic regulation. Policy and economic incentives have played a key role in promoting the use of renewable energy technologies in buildings.

In-Depth Analysis of Photovoltaic-Integrated Shading Systems’ Performance in Residential Buildings: A Prospective of Numerical Techniques Toward Net-Zero Energy Buildings

The three categories of energy scarcity, population growth and environmental concerns explain the need for new energy sources. Saudi Arabia has become one of the regions capable of using solar energy, particularly through the use of photovoltaic systems, thanks to Saudi Arabia’s excellent ability to effectively utilize the sunlight. This study examines the performance of photovoltaic-integrated shading systems (PVIS) in enhancing energy efficiency for residential buildings under the extreme climatic conditions of Riyadh and Abha in Saudi Arabia. The study advances the knowledge of PVIS applications by addressing the dual challenges of energy efficiency and sustainability in urban residential settings. Leveraging numerical simulations conducted with EnergyPlus, the research evaluates various shading configurations, including louvers, horizontal and sidefin canopies, to quantify their impact on cooling, heating, lighting demands and energy production. The annual efficiency of the proposed integrated systems to achieve sustainable and net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs) is a key metric evaluated in this study. The key findings highlight the effectiveness of horizontal PVIS in achieving the highest energy efficiency, with up to 27.19% in Abha and 24.72% in Riyadh, based on the ratio of annual available solar energy to PV energy production. The integration of PVIS not only reduces the cooling loads by optimizing shading but also contributes significantly to renewable energy production toward NZEBs. The lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA) identifies horizontal canopies as the most cost-effective configuration, with a payback period of 8.6 years in Abha and 10.2 years in Riyadh.

The profound impact of the greenhouse effect on urban environments based on mechanisms and mitigation strategies

As the city of Xi'an expands rapidly, the urban heat island (UHI) effect and the greenhouse effect are becoming more and more pronounced in terms of the city's temperature impact. The dense population in the urban core, coupled with the expanding suburbs, makes the city's climate change particularly dramatic. This study examines how the greenhouse effect is further exacerbating the urban heat island effect in Xi'an, with a particular focus on the impacts on the city's energy demand, public health, and the quality of life of its residents. Based on long-term climate data, pollutant levels and satellite remote sensing analysis, the study shows that urban sprawl and the accumulation of greenhouse gases are clearly leading to an increase in the temperature difference between the city centre and the surrounding areas. These findings not only reveal the causes of localized climate anomalies, but also show increased health risks and energy demand for residents. Through these observations, this paper highlights the strong link between urban planning and climate, and suggests that the necessary measures to address these challenges are to increase green space and promote energy-efficient buildings, measures that are essential to alleviate the problems in Xi'an's urban environment.

Side-Gated Iontronic Memtransistor: A Fast and Energy-Efficient Neuromorphic Building Block.

Iontronic memtransistors have emerged as technologically superior to conventional memristors for neuromorphic applications due to their low operating voltage, additional gate control, and enhanced energy efficiency. In this study, a side-gated iontronic organic memtransistor (SG-IOMT) device is explored as a potential energy-efficient hardware building block for fast neuromorphic computing. Its operational flexibility, which encompasses the complex integration of redox activities, ion dynamics, and polaron generation, makes this device intriguing for simultaneous information storage and processing, as it effectively overcomes the von Neumann bottleneck of conventional computing. The SG-IOMT device achieves linear channel conductance performance metrics with switching speeds in the microsecond range and energy efficiency down to a few femtojoules, comparable to those of the brain. This finding demonstrates robustness, supporting the Atkinson-Shiffrin memorization model, and the four most common Hebbian learning rules. Overall, this SG-IOMT device architecture offers significant advantages over conventional architectures, as it yields remarkable image classification performance in convolutional neural network simulations.

System Design of an Online Marketplace Towards the Standardisation of Sustainable Energy Efficiency Investments in Buildings

Nowadays, the increase in sustainable investments, especially when it comes to energy efficiency in buildings, has been recognised as an important pillar towards reductions in energy consumption. In this context, there is a need for efficient and user-friendly digital tools that can support decision-making procedures for all involved parties in the energy efficiency value chain. The scope of this paper is to present a high-level architecture and system design of the energy efficiency marketplace developed within the framework of the ENERGATE project, an EU-funded initiative aiming to assist Building Owners, Project Implementors, and Financial Institutions to collaborate and execute energy-efficient building renovations. To this end, structured data through predefined information entries will be collected. This will facilitate the interactions between heterogenous stakeholders and contribute to the standardisation of processes. The paper focuses on the functional description of the system design of the ENERGATE platform by defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and structured data, as well as highlighting the requirements of potential platform users and design principles to meet the necessary requirements while ensuring security, reliability, and effectiveness.

Integrating Energy Efficiency in Residential Buildings: A User-Centric Web Interface Approach

In the global mission to achieve a net-zero carbon footprint, the contribution of buildings is substantial, accounting for over one-third of the world's carbon footprint. To re-engineer the built environment in the direction of decarbonization, the building sector's operational energy needs our special imagination. The principal aim of the following research paper is to enhance building energy management by creating a digital platform that records design stage energy performance and benchmarks annual occupant consumption. The present study attempts to evaluate Kolkata’s residential high rises for their design stage energy consumption though whole building energy simulation by using design builder version 7.0.2.006. Envelope energy efficiency measures like wall, roof, and glass material changes show an annual energy performance improvement of 28.55% compared with a standard as built construction practice base case energy performance index value of 125.93 kWh/m2/year. The web-based energy profiling and benchmarking applications has been developed using Python’s Django framework. The website has been hosted on Python Anywhere. The portal features a home page, a page to add building details, and a personalised user dashboard with a building digital profile. The study shows that implementation of envelope interventions in the redesign have resulted in demonstrated improvements in annual energy performance. Integration with the web-based portal with initial design stage improvements serves to document and visualize tangible benefits in electricity bills and operational carbon emissions for the end-user, thus serving as the missing link of building operational energy performance.

Changing pattern of urban landscape and its impact on thermal environment of Lahore; Implications for climate change and sustainable development.

Rapid urbanization in Lahore has dramatically transformed land use and land cover (LULC), significantly impacting the city's thermal environment and intensifying climate change and sustainable development challenges.This study aims to examine the changes in the urban landscape of Lahore and their impacton the Urban thermal environment between 1990 and 2020. The previous studies conducted on Lahore lack the application ofGeospatial artificial intelligence (GeoAI) to quantify land use and land cover, which is successfully covered in this study. This study analyzes how urban sprawl has driven LULC shifts and assesses their direct impact on Land Surface Temperature (LST) using Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing techniques. Landsat imagery, processed using Google Earth Engine (GEE), was employed for LULC classification and LST calculation, ensuring high accuracy through multi-level change detection and a thorough accuracy assessment. Pearson's correlation was also calculated in this study to assess the impact of decreased green cover on LST. The findings highlight a substantial decrease in green cover, from 1,292.8 km2 in 1990 to 754 km2 in 2020, alongside a marked increase in built-up areas, expanding from 262 km2 to over 550 km2. Additionally, barren land showed significant growth, while water bodies diminished. The spatiotemporal analysis of LST indicates a considerable rise in high-temperature zones, specifically the industrial zones, with areas exceeding 40°C expanding from 2 km2 to 1,075 km2 over the study period. A strong positive correlation between increased urbanization and rising LST, particularly in areas within a 10 to 40km radius of the Central Business District (CBD), is evident. The overall accuracy of LULC classification surpassed 94%, with the kappa coefficient above 92%, ensuring the robustness of the results. Future research should focus on evaluating the long-term socioeconomic impacts of urban sprawl and LST increment while developing heat mitigation strategies. Recommendations include adopting sustainable urban planning practices prioritizing green infrastructure, energy-efficient building designs, and policies promoting environmental preservation. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers and underscores the urgency of balancing urban growth with strategies that mitigate thermal stress, combat climate change, and foster sustainable development in Lahore.

Electrochromic glazing with nanocoating integration impact on building energy efficiency: Bibliometric analysis (1983–2023)

Electrochromic glazing with nanocoating integration impact on building energy efficiency: Bibliometric analysis (1983–2023)

PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS (PCMs) FOR BUILDINGS AND AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS: A REVIEW STUDY

Phase change materials (PCMs) play a pivotal role in various sectors, particularly in automotive engineering, electric vehicles, and building construction. In the automotive sector, phase change materials are crucial for thermal management systems, aiding in temperature regulation of components such as batteries and engines. In electric vehicles, phase change materials are instrumental in enhancing battery performance and lifespan by effectively managing thermal loads during charging and discharging cycles, thus ensuring optimal operating conditions. These materials offer significant energy efficiency benefits by absorbing and releasing large amounts of latent heat during phase transitions, which helps in maintaining stable temperatures and reducing the load on heating and cooling systems. Additionally, PCMs contribute to sustainable building practices by enhancing thermal regulation, thereby lowering energy consumption and associated costs. This study explores the diverse applications and properties of phase change materials for improving thermal management and energy efficiency in vehicles, residences, and buildings. This research provides a comprehensive review of innovative solutions, including PCM-based heat pumps, PCM-integrated cementitious composites, and hybrid active-passive battery thermal management systems.

Crucial impact of spectrum calculation on energy and daylighting performance of glazing windows

The rapid advancement of spectrally selective materials has enabled the development of smart windows that can regulate different bands of solar radiation. However, existing methods for calculating spectral properties vary, leading to inconsistent results when evaluating their light-electricity-heat-color performance. Therefore, this paper presents five methods for calculating window spectral properties, intending to compare and identify the most effective approach for assessing building thermal performance, energy efficiency, and daylighting. The methods focus primarily on the solar spectrum input and the glazing spectrum response. The solar spectrum inputs include the Beijing local solar spectrum, ASTM G173-03, and ISO 9845 (methods S1 to S3), and the glazing spectrum response methods differ based on whether they account for spectral selectivity and the choice of spectral weighting functions (methods S3 to S5). The findings reveal that variations in solar spectrum input have a minimal effect on window performance, while differences in glazing spectral response calculations significantly impact results. It is particularly evident in thermochromic windows, where discrepancies in energy efficiency, specifically in lighting load, can reach up to 67.21 %, and variations in dynamic daylighting performance, specifically in Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) below 500 lx, can be as high as 28.27 %. To provide more accurate assessment results of glazing windows, this study recommends using the spectral calculation method S1, which incorporates the local solar spectrum and applies the standard luminous efficiency function to the glazing spectrum response. This paper highlights that further refinement of spectral calculation methods will enhance their utility for performance evaluation and guide the reverse design of innovative window features.

Comparison of mechanical and thermal characteristics of PVC and recycled PVC used in window frames

Improving the energy efficiency of buildings is a major challenge for reducing energy consumption and mitigating environmental impact. As key elements of building envelopes, windows play a crucial role in thermal management, capturing natural light and maintaining interior comfort. However, they also contribute significantly to heat loss from buildings. This article focuses on recent advances in the field of windows, with particular emphasis on the mechanical and thermal characterization of PVC and recycled PVC profiles. The results obtained show that PVC and recycled PVC profiles offer notable mechanical strength and good heat resistance, as evidenced by a softening temperature of 80.55°C and heat reversion percentages in line with standards. Recycled PVC boasts superior dimensional stability with a thermal reversion of 0.5%, suggesting robust performance even in environments subject to temperature fluctuations. However, to achieve optimum performance, particularly in terms of mechanical strength, it is essential to further optimize the formulation and production process, especially for recycled PVC.

CityEL: A web-based platform to support city-scale building energy efficiency based on AutoBPS

CityEL: A web-based platform to support city-scale building energy efficiency based on AutoBPS

Optimizing Building Energy Efficiency: A Novel BIM-Based Approach to Quantification of Thermal Bridges

Optimizing Building Energy Efficiency: A Novel BIM-Based Approach to Quantification of Thermal Bridges

Application of hybrid machine learning algorithm in multi-objective optimization of green building energy efficiency

Application of hybrid machine learning algorithm in multi-objective optimization of green building energy efficiency

Statistical and machine learning approaches for energy efficient buildings

Statistical and machine learning approaches for energy efficient buildings

Advancing energy efficiency: innovative technologies and strategic measures for achieving net zero emissions

To evaluate the essential role of energy efficiency in achieving net-zero emissions and combating climate change, this comprehensive review was conducted based on a thorough analysis of academic literature, diverse case studies, and industry reports, focusing on key energy efficiency sectors and technological advancements. It begins by outlining global efforts, including the Paris Agreement and the Sustainable Development Goals, which have driven initiatives to enhance energy efficiency across various sectors. The review examines key technological innovations, such as advanced manufacturing, energy-efficient building designs, transportation electrification, and smart grid integration contributing to energy savings and decarbonization. It also discusses policy frameworks, regulatory incentives, and financial mechanisms that encourage energy efficiency. The study provides the detailed outcomes of the different strategies and initiatives, showcasing successful case studies from different regions in transportation, urban planning, power generation, and industry. It illustrates how countries have effectively implemented energy efficiency measures to reduce emissions and meet climate goals. Additionally, the review explores the potential of emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence, big data, and blockchain, to optimize energy management, enhance grid flexibility, and promote further efficiencies. Despite these advancements, the review identifies several key barriers - financial, technological, and behavioral challenges that impede the widespread adoption of energy-efficient practices. Finally, it offers strategies to overcome these obstacles, emphasizing the need for tailored policies, innovative business models, and greater consumer engagement. This review underscores the importance of energy efficiency in achieving a sustainable, net-zero future by synthesizing successful case studies and highlighting emerging solutions.

COMPARATIVE STUDY OF SUPERMARKET BUILDING PERFORMANCE UNDER CURRENT AND FUTURE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN ABUJA MUNICIPAL COUNCIL (AMAC), ABUJA-NIGERIA

This study investigates the energy performance and carbon emissions of LIDL supermarket buildings in Abuja, Nigeria, under current and future climate conditions. Using a multi-methodological approach, the research evaluates three construction models—Model P1 (steel columns with cladding panels), Model P2 (Poroton blocks), and Model P3 (precast concrete columns with glulam beams)—to understand the impacts of construction techniques and materials on building energy efficiency and sustainability. The study employs Thermal Analysis Software (TAS) v9.5.0 to simulate energy consumption and emissions under different scenarios, utilizing dynamic weather data from the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) for both present and future climate projections (2050s and 2080s). The methodology integrates critical building elements, including floor area, thermal properties, and heating, cooling, and lighting systems, and incorporates site-specific data from Jabi, Abuja, to analyze regional climate effects. Key simulation assumptions include construction details, U-values, and infiltration rates, while databases from ASHRAE are used to model thermal properties and heat transfer. Results highlight the energy demand changes and carbon emissions associated with heating and cooling across seasonal extremes. This research provides actionable insights into optimizing supermarket energy performance and sustainability in response to climate change, offering valuable guidance for building designs in urbanizing and climate-vulnerable regions like Nigeria.