Use In Residential Buildings Research Articles

Re-investigating the linkage between buildings’ energy efficiency and mortgage rates

ABSTRACT The energy use in residential buildings is one of the deciding factors in the transition to a carbon-neutral economy. Using data on Dutch residential mortgages from 2013 to 2022, we re-investigate the linkage between mortgage interest rates and the energy efficiency of buildings. The results are novel in that they are the first to empirically provide evidence in favour of a small sustainability discount of about 3 bps on mortgage interest rates for residential homes. Sensitivity checks suggest that younger-aged borrowers and those in the middle-income range benefit the most from a sustainability discount. From a policy perspective, our results are relevant as they show how banks ‘walk the talk’ and incorporate energy efficiency in mortgage terms.

The effect of lightweight geopolymer concrete containing air agent on building envelope performance and internal thermal comfort

Innovative building materials are the primary focus for researchers seeking to reduce energy consumption and advance global sustainability initiatives. This target could accomplished by addressing environmental issues and confronting the adverse impact of climate change. In this regard, this paper used a combined experimental and simulation approach to evaluate the effectiveness of lightweight geopolymer concrete (LWGC) incorporating industrial waste of aluminum powder (AP) and ferrosilicon waste powder (FWP) for reducing the energy consumption in the building envelop. Seven concrete mixes for LWGC were prepared using an air operator. Three mixtures contain 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 % AP (FA), and three mixtures contain 0.1 %, 0.2 %, and 0.3 % FWP by weight of fly ash. The workability, unit volume weight, compressive strength, thermal conductivity, and microstructure analysis of the LWGC were examined. In addition, energy simulations were performed to evaluate their ability to reduce energy use in residential buildings. The inclusion of AP and FWP in LWGC resulted in a significant decrease in the density of the material, which amounts to 55 % for AP0.3 and 35 % for FWP0.3. The diameter of the LWGC pore structure increased as the Ca/Si ratio was reduced. The AP and FWP materials reduced energy consumption for building envelope elements such as external walls and roof insulation by 14.5 %, resulting in a 9.2 % overall reduction compared to the traditional concrete mix as a control sample.

Energy use in residential buildings for sustainable development: The fifth Solar Decathlon Europe revelations

This research focuses on achieving sustainable development in residential buildings with energy use. Under the influence of the energy crisis and related problems, research on residential buildings for less energy use has great potential. The literature review, according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses, and including VOSviewer analysis, shows the research is increasing and meaningful. Solar Decathlon buildings are used as the main objects in this research. The fifth Solar Decathlon Europe energy use technologies are examined through onsite investigation and online searching. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method for multi-criteria decision analysis is used for sustainability assessment. Moreover, the Ladybug and ClimateStudio plugins simulated respectively the annual solar radiation and the best angle for receiving it. The main findings show that 34 kinds of technologies used in these buildings can be classified into two categories in three directions. Passive technologies should be applied and prioritized, but generating renewable energy is also important. Some infrequently used technologies are not insignificant. The research shows that the combination of technologies decides sustainability performance, but the quantity used does not. Furthermore, energy use also needs to be balanced and coordinated in combination with architectural aesthetics. This research on energy use in residential buildings is beneficial for achieving sustainable development.

The Verandah between Climate Determinism and Climate Consciousness

This article explores the architectural typology of the verandah by following its use in residential buildings during the post-Ottoman British colonization and Independence periods in Sudan and differentiating between the concepts of climate determinism and climate consciousness. It brings new archival family photographs and fieldwork to discuss a modern Sudan that is curiously absent from the scholarship of both African and Islamic architecture in order to write the global history of modernism in higher resolution. It shows that the verandah was a British colonial architectural device in the context of a distinct town planning strategy, conceived after the racist segregation of “white men” from “natives” and used for cooling purposes for the sake of colonizers’ comfort in perceived tropical climates. Comparing Abdel Moneim Mustafa’s designs to those of colonial architects such as Gordon Brock Bridgman and independence-era architects such as Peter Muller, the article defines climate consciousness as a position that resists colonial inequalities of climate determinism but does not reject international connections and the modern know-how of climatization. It shows that the colonial connotations of the verandah were transformed after Sudanese independence, thanks to its creative use by architects who critically employed the technical know-how progressed under the field of tropical architecture. The article identifies this approach as the search for a more equitable internationalism that struggled for self-determination in order to undo the domination of global empires but not foreclose cosmopolitanism.

The impact of thermal comfort requirements on household heating energy consumption

Urban residential buildings consume a large amount of energy. In most homes, heating runs on a set schedule. Therefore, the installation continues to operate irrespective of whether the residents' thermal comfort requirements have been fulfilled. This process results in considerable wasted energy and CO2 emissions. To address this issue, in this study, data on heating energy use and carbon emissions from 2302 field surveys in the core, main, and suburban areas were quantified. Furthermore, the impact of different thermal comfort requirements on the carbon emissions of self-heating households was explored based on the PMV-PDD model. The study revealed that (1) Beijing's per capita household energy consumption is 613.80 kgce·a−1, and heating accounts for a significant portion of energy consumption and carbon emissions; (2) carbon emissions from household energy consumption differ among districts in Beijing, with suburban districts emitting approximately 1.6 times more than main urban areas; (3) suburbs have less need for thermal comfort, but they emit more carbon than other areas with similar heating costs due to limited heating infrastructure, poor access and the high cost of clean energy; and (4) warmer thermal comfort requirements elevate energy consumption and thus positively impact heating costs and carbon emissions, especially in the main urban area. The energy waste caused by heating is quantified, and the impact of thermal comfort requirements on carbon emissions is clarified. The findings are informative for optimizing energy use in residential buildings and proposing targeted low-carbon heating policies.

The Impact of the Water Tariff on the Economic Feasibility of Rainwater Harvesting for Use in Residential Buildings

This study aims to analyse the technical viability and economic feasibility of rainwater-harvesting systems for single- and multifamily residential buildings in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil. Simulations were conducted for representative buildings in the city under different water-usage scenarios and system designs, in a total of 36 simulation scenarios. An economic analysis was performed for four scenarios over a twenty-year period. Both initial and operational costs were considered, and the net present value, internal rate of return, and payback were used as feasibility indicators. For houses, between 60.1% and 74.8% of the cases were economically feasible, achieving a discounted payback period ranging from 6.2 to 8.6 years. For flats, between 57.8% and 64.2% of the cases were economically feasible, achieving a discounted payback period ranging from 4.8 to 5.6 years. As the water tariff in the city underwent changes recently, the former and current tariff formats were compared. The current tariff format provides more economic benefits for saving potable water, and leads to a higher net present value and a shorter discounted payback period. This research stands out from previous studies as it examines a new scenario in the use of rainwater-harvesting systems.

Feedforward decoupling control of indoor temperature and humidity using a single direct expansion air conditioning unit

Achieving simultaneous control over temperature and humidity through a single direct expansion air conditioner would be advantageous, especially considering its widespread use in residential buildings. Traditional control strategies fail to achieve satisfactory control performance due to the nature of complexity and cross-decoupling of the system. Therefore, this research paper presents the advancement of a feedforward decoupling control scheme designed for a direct expansion air conditioning unit to effectively control both temperature and humidity. To facilitate the controller design, a dynamic model considering both sensible and latent heat transfers was developed and verified. The thermal responses of the coupled system were analyzed and their correlation coefficients also examined. Through identifying the transfer function model of the coupled system, a feedforward decoupling controller with two compensators was designed. The proposed decoupling control scheme was tested using the developed model as the plant to be controlled. Test results showed that, in comparison to the transitional PID based dual single-input and single-output controller, the proposed decoupling control scheme was capable of eliminating the interactions between indoor air temperature and humidity under variable speed operation, and realizing the simultaneous control over indoor air temperature and humidity with a desirable control performance.

Influence of the climate change on natural ventilation use in residential buildings in the tropical island of Mauritius

Thermal performance of buildings highly depends on the climate conditions, which have given rise to several traditional and modern climate-conscious strategies. However, these strategies might need to be modified to cater for global warming. This research considers the Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) to predict the effectiveness of one such strategy, that is, natural ventilation for the year 2100 for the tropical island of Mauritius. A total of 3 regions (Port Louis, Vacoas and St Pierre), each with distinctive micro-climates, were selected to assess the thermal discomfort levels under future climate scenarios (RCP 4.5, RCP 6.0 and RCP 8.5). The results show that, in 2100, discomfort levels during occupancy periods will increase by a maximum of 15% in Port Louis, while the other 2 regions will have an increase of 11%, under the worst scenario, while using natural ventilation. Results, thus, establish that natural ventilation will not be efficient under the impact of climate change, although varying for different climate conditions. This research indicates that there is a need to shift from natural ventilation as traditional cooling method to other energy driven method such as Heating, Ventilation and Air conditioning (HVAC system) and hybrid mixed-mode systems for future climate change adaptation.

Scenario-based analysis of future life cycle energy trajectories in residential buildings-A case study of inner Melbourne

The residential building sector contributes significantly to energy use in Australia. However, future energy use in residential buildings is seldom evaluated from a life cycle perspective, and such analysis rarely provides details about potential energy savings by specific strategies. This study develops a scenario-based bottom-up approach to predict the future life cycle energy (LCE) trajectories in residential buildings to 2050 with different energy-saving strategies. The proposed approach is used to investigate the impacts of strategies on the future LCE of residential buildings in detail in four scenarios: high carbon (HC), business-as-usual (BAU), accelerated policy (AP), and net-zero emissions (NZE), for a case study of Inner Melbourne Cities. The results demonstrate the potential upward trajectory of operational energy (OE) in the HC scenario and a downward trend in the NZE scenario. The analysis also reveals how stringent energy-efficient strategies and increasing renewable energy supply could lead to future net-zero operational emissions in the NZE scenario by 2050. The most effective strategies for decarbonising the residential building sector include improving the building envelope efficiency, upgrading heating and hot water systems, and using renewable energy. Furthermore, embodied energy (EE) will contribute more to LCE after 2045 in AP and NZE scenarios with the decrease of OE. EE in the NZE scenario is higher than that in the other three scenarios, as energy-efficient dwellings usually use more insulation materials. Therefore, EE reduction is critical for achieving net-zero life cycle emissions in the residential building sector. Building stakeholders should synergistically promote demand-side, supply-side, and EE reduction strategies for achieving net-zero life cycle emissions. A detailed analysis of the future LCE development with different strategies shows the benefits of the proposed approach, which supports informed decision-making towards the 2050 net-zero emissions target.

Large-scale statistical analysis and modelling of real and regulatory total energy use in existing single-family houses in Flanders

ABSTRACT Large-scale statistical studies on the gap between the real and regulatory energy use in residential buildings in Europe have shown that the regulatory calculation overestimated the real energy use, inflated true energy savings and undermined national energy policy making. Using data from 122,680 Flemish existing single-family houses, this research builds further on existing studies by contributing results for Flanders. The study also examines to what extent available aggregated variables explain the real annual total building energy use using statistical linear models and addresses the problem of multicollinearity and the importance of bootstrapped confidence intervals for model quality control. The overestimation of the real total energy use (and potential energy savings) by the Flemish regulatory method is exceedingly large compared to studies from other EU countries. The Flemish labels prove very poor indicators of the real energy use. Statistical linear models explain up to 46.6% of all variability and indicate that a significant extent of multicollinearity had to be corrected. Half of the variability has been left unexplained and has to be attributed to variables that were not available and the fact that the data were insufficiently accurate. Future analysis will explore whether more complex models identify more evidence.

Mixed-Mode Ventilation in HVAC System for Energy and Economic Benefits in Residential Buildings

In the U.S., approximately 47% of the total electricity use comes from residential buildings. Most of the residential buildings use HVAC system to ventilate, cool, or heat the indoor environmental spaces mechanically, rather than using natural outdoor air in transition seasons, even though the outdoor environmental conditions are favorable for indoor thermal comfort. In this case, an HVAC system using mixed-mode ventilation with an appropriate ratio of using indoor air and outdoor air could decrease the energy use in residential buildings. This research uses high-granular HVAC electricity use data with indoor thermostat data and outdoor weather data from residential buildings in Austin, Texas, to evaluate the benefits of energy and economics when using HVAC mixed-mode ventilation in spring and fall transition seasons. The results demonstrate that the household owners could save approximately 150.79 kWh of total HVAC energy use and 24.41% of HVAC cost in spring transition months (April/May), and similarly, 143.86 kWh of energy use and 27.2% cost savings in fall transition months (October/November). The results could support further study to use automatically operated windows for natural ventilation to reduce energy use in residential buildings toward sustainable development.

The role of solar cooling for nearly zero energy multifamily buildings: Performance analysis across different climates

The building sector has great potential for contributing to the 2030 EU goals of decreasing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing production from renewable sources. This is even more important considering the increasing cooling energy needs. Among the available technologies, solar cooling (SC) represents a good alternative to traditional electric chillers. However, its use in residential buildings is still limited.The aim of this paper is to analyse the potential of solar cooling system in multi-family buildings. A dynamic model of a complete SC system with auxiliary components was developed in TRNSYS to meet the energy demand of a representative nearly zero energy multi-family building in Italy. The performance of different system design alternatives was analysed in eight different climates with special focus on energy storages.The results show how solar cooling should be optimally designed and provide quantification of achievable renewable energy ratios and related costs in the different climates.

Spatio-temporal heterogeneity analysis of energy use in residential buildings

Conventional building energy dynamic analysis relies on climatic and geographical statistics of buildings. A large number of studies focus on investigating the major influencing factors and the energy use with engineering methods and statistical methods to predict buildings' energy use. However, due to the lack of temporal statistics when analyzing buildings' energy use intensity (EUI), very few studies concerned the energy consumption from spatial and temporal heterogeneity simultaneously. This study extends the traditional regression model by introducing the temporal variations into the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model and developed a geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model. A case study, which is based on four years’ urban building energy consumption (from 2015 to 2018) in the city of Seattle, is used to validate the performance of the proposed regression model. Meanwhile, the ordinary least square (OLS), GWR, and temporally weighted regression (TWR) models are developed for making cross-comparison of the goodness-of-fit. The results show the GTWR and TWR models reduce the mean absolute error by 13% and 7%, respectively, relative to the GWR model. Moreover, the GTWR model has a substantial improvement of goodness-of-fit, which can be referred from the value of R2 increasing by 49% in OLS, 16% in GWR, and 6% in TWR. Two driving forces, the number of floors (NF) and energy stars (ES), are identified to have the most significant coefficients in evaluating the site EUI. The novelty of this research lies in achieving better reliability and accuracy in building energy modeling by GTWR, which provides an assisting tool for government and local authorities to make the master plan and sustainability strategies for the new buildings in the city.

Characterizing the theory of energy transition in Luxembourg—Part three—In the residential sector

AbstractIncreasing consciousness to address future concerns is a challenging subject, noticed considerably by policymakers and investors. Investigation of energy use in residential buildings in terms of quantity and sources of energy was the main focus of this study. Indeed, the paper was aimed to study the role of contextual factors on two points: the energy demand and the spreading of renewable technologies in the residential sector. It was theory‐driven research to highlight some future concerns. The first theory was to reveal how the growth of single‐family houses versus multi‐family houses could affect the growth of energy consumption and the application of renewable technologies. The second theory was built to highlight that spreading energy measures to increase efficiency or introducing a new energy carrier should be embedded in the context of new construction activities or in a template of renovation projects. The third theory was to emphasize the priority of thinking about managing the changes in residential buildings because of the lasting impact of the decision about the type of building. Finally, the purpose of the ongoing transition was argued to highlight that the growth of renewable technologies has not been necessarily aligned with getting away from fossil fuels.

The Share of Energy Consumption by End Use in Electrical Residential Buildings in Jordan

Abstract Jordan and many countries unfortunately have no up-to-date reliable data on the share of electrical energy consumption by end-use in its residential buildings. Therefore, to determine the share in Jordan’s middle district, detailed data was completed for around 350 buildings. The participants in this survey were engineering students in their final year of an energy auditing course in the German Jordanian University. The data were used to determine the primary share of electrical energy end-use in residential buildings. These data, the first of their kind in Jordan, were recorded by trained participants and are essential for the adoption of appropriate future energy efficiency programs in Jordan. These shares of electrical energy consumption by end use in residential buildings in Jordan are the first of their kind it is necessary to ensure adequate planning for future energy efficiency programs in Jordan and this will enable policymakers to support certain technologies and implement large-scale energy efficiency programs in the residential sector.

Statistical analysis of greenhouse gas emissions of South Korean residential buildings

This study analyzed the status of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of residential buildings in South Korea from 2015 to 2019, based on energy consumption data for all residential buildings in the country from the Korea National Building Energy Database. The analysis revealed that new residential buildings had a lower GHG emission intensity than old residential buildings and that strengthening the Building Energy Conservation Code (BECC) contributes to the reduction of GHG emissions from heating energy use in residential buildings. The GHG emission intensity for heating energy use of apartments to which the latest standard (0.21 W/m2·K U-value of exterior walls) was applied was 35.8% lower than that of apartments to which the insulation standard was not applied. However, despite the strengthening of the BECC, the GHG emission intensity for baseload and cooling energy use of apartments increased. This means that the BECC does not contribute to reducing GHG emissions from baseload and cooling energy use. Moreover, as the number of residential buildings continues to increase, their consolidated GHG emissions also increase. Since heating energy consumption is significantly influenced by the weather, GHG emissions from heating energy use can vary depending on the weather. For instance, GHG emissions from heating energy use can increase in extremely cold winter despite the strengthening of the BECC. Therefore, a policy is needed for strengthening the BECC as well as for enhancing building occupants' understanding of GHG emissions reduction in buildings and for promoting the occupants’ behavior change.

Effects of Wall-to-Wall Supported Ceilings on Impact Sound Insulation for Use in Residential Buildings

In Korean residential buildings, floor impact sounds were reduced over the past few decades mainly through a floating floor system. However, ceiling constructions for impact sound reduction have not been applied actively because of a lack of useful information. This study focuses on the effects of wall-to-wall supported ceilings (WSC), which are designed with construction discontinuities between concrete slabs and ceilings, and the damping caused by porous absorbers for impact sound insulation. To examine the impact sound insulation according to ceiling conditions, measurements were performed in 25 floor–ceiling assemblies. The results indicate that ceiling treatment is mostly useful in reducing the floor impact sound. The floor impact sound owing to the WSC decreased by 2–7 dB and 2–8 dB in terms of the single number quantity for the tapping machine and rubber balls, respectively, compared with representative existing housing constructions wherein ceilings were attached on wooden sticks. Furthermore, the reduction effect of the WSC appeared to be more profound when it was applied to the floor–ceiling assembly with poor impact sound insulation. Thus, the WSC can be used to enhance the impact of sound insulation of existing housings without major repairs of floor structural layers.

Targeting Energy Efficiency through Air Conditioning Operational Modes for Residential Buildings in Tropical Climates, Assisted by Solar Energy and Thermal Energy Storage. Case Study Brazil

Economy and parsimony in the consumption of energy resources are becoming a part of common sense in practically all countries, although the effective implementation of energy efficiency policies still has a long way to go. The energy demand for residential buildings is one of the most significant energy sinks. We focus our analysis on one of the most energy-consuming systems of residential buildings located in regions of tropical climate, which are cooling systems. We evaluate to which degree the integration of thermal energy storage (TES) and photovoltaic (PV) systems helps to approach an annual net zero energy building (NZEB) configuration, aiming to find a feasible solution in the direction of energy efficiency in buildings. To conduct the simulations, an Energy Efficiency Analysis Framework (EEAF) is proposed. A literature review unveiled a potential knowledge gap about the optimization of the ASHRAE operational modes (full storage load, load leveled, and demand limiting) for air conditioning/TES sets using PV connected to the grid. A hypothetical building was configured with detailed loads and occupation profiles to simulate different configurations of air conditioning associated with TES and a PV array. Using TRNSYS software, a set of scenarios was simulated, and their outputs are analyzed in a life cycle perspective using life cycle costing (LCC). The modeling and simulation of different scenarios allowed for identifying the most economic configurations from a life cycle perspective, within a safe range of operability considering the energy efficiency and consequently the sustainability aspects of the buildings. The EEAF also supports other profiles, such as those in which the occupancy of residential buildings during the day is increased due to significant changes in people’s habits, when working and studying in home office mode, for example. These changes in habits should bring a growing interest in the adoption of solar energy for real-time use in residential buildings. The results can be used as premises for the initial design or planning retrofits of buildings, aiming at the annual net zero energy balance.

Parametric study of venetian blinds for energy performance evaluation and classification in residential buildings

Venetian blinds are widely used to improve the performance of window systems, while their energy-saving potentials vary with different materials. This paper aims to undertake a standardized evaluation of the annual energy-saving potential of venetian blinds in residential buildings, and identify the most influential parameters for design optimization. To achieve this goal, nine parameters were chosen to establish venetian blinds models in WINDOW. Then, 9072 shading models were coupled with building models for annual energy consumption simulation in EnergyPlus, where the shading schedule was derived from questionnaires. Further, an experiment was conducted to verify the reliability of the joint simulation between WINDOW and EnergyPlus. Finally, annual energy performance (AEP) was adopted for a standardized energy efficiency evaluation of various venetian blinds products, and the sensitivity analysis of AEP to various parameters was conducted to identify the key parameters. The results indicated that by adjusting the key parameters of the venetian blinds, cooling energy saving can reach 44% and the heating energy saving can be up to 65%. The significant energy saving potential of venetian blinds indicates the prospect and importance of their use in residential buildings.

Adaptive opaque façades and their potential to reduce thermal energy use in residential buildings: A simulation-based evaluation

Adaptive façades are a promising choice to achieve comfortable low-energy buildings. Their effective performance is highly dependent on the local boundary conditions of each application and on the way the dynamic properties are controlled. The evaluation of whole building performance through building performance simulation can be useful to understand the potential of different Adaptive opaque façades (AOF) in a specific context. This paper evaluates through dynamic simulations promising design solutions of AOF for a residential building use in six different climates. It quantifies the total delivered thermal energy of 15 typologies of AOFs which consist of alternative adaptation strategies: (i) variation of solar absorptance of the cladding, (ii) variation of the convective heat transfer of air cavities and (iii) adaptive insulation strategies. For the first time, it also quantifies the performance of AOF which combine more than one adaptation strategy. The results show that the variation of the heat transfer by means of Adaptive Insulation components has the most significant impact on the reduction of the thermal energy use. The variation of the solar absorptance has also a significant positive impact when reducing heating consumption, but only if this adaptation strategy is actively controlled and combined with Adaptive Insulation components.