Research

1326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Methodology to Support Decision-Making Towards an Energy-Efficiency Conscious Design of Residential Building Envelope Retrofitting

by Thaleia Konstantinou

Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1221-1241; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041221 - 17 Nov 2015

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5838

Abstract

Over the next decade investment in building energy savings needs to increase, together with the rate and depth of renovations, to achieve the required reduction in building-related CO₂ emissions. Although the need to improve residential buildings has been identified, guidelines come as [...] Read more.

Over the next decade investment in building energy savings needs to increase, together with the rate and depth of renovations, to achieve the required reduction in building-related CO₂ emissions. Although the need to improve residential buildings has been identified, guidelines come as general suggestions that fail to address the diversity of each project and give specific answers on how these requirements can be implemented in the design. During early design phases, architects are in search of a design direction to make informed decisions, particularly with regard to the building envelope, which mostly regulates energy demand. To result in an energy-efficient residential stock, this paper proposes a methodology to support refurbishment strategies design. The methodology, called “façade refurbishment toolbox (FRT) approach”, is based on compiling and quantifying retrofitting measures that can be also seen as “tools” used to upgrade the building’s energy performance. The result of the proposed methodology enables designers to make informed decisions that lead to energy and sustainability conscious designs, without dictating an optimal solution, from the energy point of view alone. Its applicability is validated through interviews with refurbishment stakeholders. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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4639 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Environmental Design of Working Spaces in Equatorial Highlands Zones: The Case of Bogotá

by Joana Carla Soares Gonçalves and Juan Manuel Fernández

Buildings 2015, 5(4), 1105-1130; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5041105 - 09 Oct 2015

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5857

Abstract

Recent empirical investigations have indicated that the majority of occupants in office buildings would appreciate contact with the external environment, especially in cities where the climate is mild for part of the year. Supported by the possibilities of adaptive thermal models, the design [...] Read more.

Recent empirical investigations have indicated that the majority of occupants in office buildings would appreciate contact with the external environment, especially in cities where the climate is mild for part of the year. Supported by the possibilities of adaptive thermal models, the design of naturally ventilated buildings has been elaborated since the decade of 1990s. More communal areas rather than private ones are demanded due to the importance of social interaction and knowledge transfer among employees. In this context, this paper investigates the possibility of daylight and thermal comfort in naturally ventilated working environments, located in cities of mild climatic conditions, by redefining the parameters of a façade’s design and exploring coupling strategies with the outdoors. For this purpose, the city of Bogotá (Latitude 4°7′ N), in Colombia, a place with great potential for passive strategies, is taken as the geographic context of this research, which is supported by fieldwork with occupants of 37 office buildings and analytical work. The survey revealed that being close to a window is valued by the majority. Furthermore, 50% would like to have informal areas and outdoor spaces attached to their working environments. In additithe analytical studies showed how the combination of a set of environmental design strategies, including a schedule for coupling and decoupling of indoor spaces with the outdoors and a variation of occupancy density, made thermal comfort possible in free running working spaces in Bogotá. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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1076 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Mitigative Potential of Urban Environments and Their Microclimates

by Rosa Schiano-Phan, Filippo Weber and Mat Santamouris

Buildings 2015, 5(3), 783-801; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5030783 - 07 Jul 2015

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 14116

Abstract

Cities play a crucial role in climate change: More than 50% of the growing population lives in cities producing most of the global GDP but also 78% of greenhouse gases (GHG) responsible for climate change. Moreover, due to their highly modified land-use and [...] Read more.

Cities play a crucial role in climate change: More than 50% of the growing population lives in cities producing most of the global GDP but also 78% of greenhouse gases (GHG) responsible for climate change. Moreover, due to their highly modified land-use and intensive activities, cities are at the forefront of the most rapid environmental and climatic change ever experienced by mankind. Yet, cities’ potential to mitigate both climate change and their own environment is underexploited. This paper explores ideas related to the potential of urban environments to modify their microclimates, reflecting on the overlapping potential between mitigative and adaptive actions. These actions in cities can not only tackle some of the largest contributing factors to global climate change but offer short- to medium-term benefits that could drive more immediate socioeconomic and behavioral changes. This review proposes and discusses a new preliminary definition of urban environments as microclimate modifiers—Mitigative urban Environments and Microclimates (MitEM)—and calls for further research into: (a) inter-connecting the full range of mitigative and adaptive initiatives already being undertaken in many cities and maximizing their input systemically; (b) developing a common and holistic definition of MitEM; (c) promoting its uptake at policy level and amongst the key stakeholders, based on its social and public value beyond the environmental. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building Envelope Over-Cladding: Impact on Energy Balance and Microclimate

by David Dernie and Jacopo Gaspari

Buildings 2015, 5(2), 715-735; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5020715 - 19 Jun 2015

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6416

Abstract

A considerable part of recent EU policies is currently addressed at developing effective measures to support the transition towards a low carbon society according to the principles and goals of Roadmap to 2050. In this general framework the links between the development of [...] Read more.

A considerable part of recent EU policies is currently addressed at developing effective measures to support the transition towards a low carbon society according to the principles and goals of Roadmap to 2050. In this general framework the links between the development of low-emission strategies and climate-resilient approaches to buildings play a key role. As most part of the existing building stock was built before the 1980s, retrofit and renovation actions are widely investigated. Despite progress in this field, relatively little attention has been given to the connections between the achievable energy savings and the energy investment needed to pursue the renovation process and to how technological choices can impact on the energy balance according to a multi-criteria perspective. The paper will explore how different technologies and design solutions to building envelopes cladding contribute to the reduction of the heat gains in urban environments and how appropriate adaptive strategies can further mitigate against accelerated greenhouse emissions. It will discuss the relationship between individual building performance and consequent effect on external environment. The effects of technological and material choices are evaluated for some design scenarios and conditions in order to develop an indicative impact mode. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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1376 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Change Mitigation through Energy Benchmarking in the GCC Green Buildings Codes

by Yousef Alhorr and Esam Elsarrag

Buildings 2015, 5(2), 700-714; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5020700 - 05 Jun 2015

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 8382

Abstract

It is well known that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of countries resides at or close to the top of the global table of CO₂ emissions per capita and its economy relies heavily on its fossil fuels. This provides a context for [...] Read more.

It is well known that the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) of countries resides at or close to the top of the global table of CO₂ emissions per capita and its economy relies heavily on its fossil fuels. This provides a context for green building programs that initially aim to create an understanding of emission pathways within the GCC and hence develop approaches to their reduction in the built environment. A set of criteria will allow specific analysis to be undertaken linked to the spatial dimensions of the sector under study. In this paper, approaches to modelling energy consumption and CO₂ emissions are presented. As investment in the built environment continues, natural resources dwindle and the cost of energy increases, delivering low-energy buildings will become mandatory. In this study, a hybrid modelling approach (bottom-top & top-bottom) is presented. Energy benchmarks are developed for different buildings’ uses and compared with international standards. The main goals are to establish design benchmarks and develop a modelling tool that contains specific information for all buildings types (existing and new), as well as planned and projected growths within the various city districts, then integrate this database within a geospatial information system that will allow us to answer a range of “what-if”-type questions about various intervention strategies, emissions savings, and acceptability of pre-defined course of actions in the city sector under consideration. The spatial carbon intensity may be adjusted over a certain period, (e.g., through local generation (microgeneration)) or due to an increasing proportion of lower carbon-energy in the generation mix and this can be related to the sector and city overall consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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1393 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimizing Whole House Deep Energy Retrofit Packages: A Case Study of Existing Chicago-Area Homes

by Honnie Aguilar Leinartas and Brent Stephens

Buildings 2015, 5(2), 323-353; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5020323 - 04 May 2015

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 7058

Abstract

Improving the energy efficiency of the residential building stock plays a key role in mitigating global climate change. New guidelines are targeting widespread application of deep energy retrofits to existing homes that reduce their annual energy use by 50%, but questions remain as [...] Read more.

Improving the energy efficiency of the residential building stock plays a key role in mitigating global climate change. New guidelines are targeting widespread application of deep energy retrofits to existing homes that reduce their annual energy use by 50%, but questions remain as to how to identify and prioritize the most cost-effective retrofit measures. This work demonstrates the utility of whole building energy simulation and optimization software to construct a “tool-box” of prescriptive deep energy retrofits that can be applied to large portions of the existing housing stock. We consider 10 generally representative typology groups of existing single-family detached homes built prior to 1978 in the Chicago area for identifying cost-optimal deep energy retrofit packages. Simulations were conducted in BEopt and EnergyPlus operating on a cloud-computing platform to first identify cost-optimal enclosure retrofits and then identify cost-optimal upgrades to heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) systems. Results reveal that prescriptive retrofit packages achieving at least 50% site energy savings can be defined for most homes through a combination of envelope retrofits, lighting upgrades, and upgrades to existing HVAC system efficiency or conversion to mini-split heat pumps. The average upfront cost of retrofits is estimated to be ~$14,400, resulting in average annual site energy savings of ~54% and an average simple payback period of ~25 years. Widespread application of these prescriptive retrofit packages across the existing Chicago-area residential building stock is predicted to reduce annual site energy use by 3.7 × 10¹⁶ J and yield approximately $280 million USD in annual energy savings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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1959 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Building to Net Zero in the Developing World

by Simi Hoque and Nabila Iqbal

Buildings 2015, 5(1), 56-68; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5010056 - 23 Jan 2015

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 7954

Abstract

This paper discusses the design of a zero energy home in Panama. The standards for zero site energy as well as other performance factors are used as the basis for the analysis. A description of the construction type, energy use, active and renewable [...] Read more.

This paper discusses the design of a zero energy home in Panama. The standards for zero site energy as well as other performance factors are used as the basis for the analysis. A description of the construction type, energy use, active and renewable systems, and other features of this particular zero energy building are provided to facilitate a better understanding of efficient and sustainable residential design for hot-humid climates. This understanding is critical to facilitating net zero energy building development in developing regions of the world. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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2608 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Climate Based Façade Design for Business Buildings with Examples from Central London

by John Napier

Buildings 2015, 5(1), 16-38; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings5010016 - 09 Jan 2015

Cited by 18 | Viewed by 24651

Abstract

There is a disconnection between commercial architecture and environmental thinking, where green features can be included as part of a strategy for gaining approvals and marketing projects, but those features are not reviewed after completion and occupation of the building and knowledge is [...] Read more.

There is a disconnection between commercial architecture and environmental thinking, where green features can be included as part of a strategy for gaining approvals and marketing projects, but those features are not reviewed after completion and occupation of the building and knowledge is not shared. High levels of air conditioning are still considered unavoidable. Elaborate double skin façades and complex motorized shading systems are adopted; often masking an underlying lack of basic environmental thinking. This article returns (in principle) to the physics of comfort in buildings and the passive strategies which can help achieve this with a low energy and carbon footprint. Passive and active façade design strategies are outlined as the basis of a critical tool and a design methodology for new projects. A new architectural sensibility can arise based on modeling the inputs of sunlight, daylight and air temperature in time and space at the early stages of design. Early but sound strategies can be tested and refined using advanced environmental modeling techniques. Architecture and environmental thinking can proceed hand in hand through the design process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Buildings, Design and Climate Change)

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