Design methodology for integrating multipath systems (building services)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on a geometrical integration methodology that can be used to organise some types of these systems. Most multipath delivery systems, such as Building Services (BSs), are arbitrarily distributed with no known solution to reduce the complexity in the way channels are arranged. Design/methodology/approach – Integration for optimal functionality through reduction of geometrical complexity is achieved by understanding the elements of complexity within current practices; identifying commonalities between the various components which can be used for integration; performing an axiomatic design to resolve design complications; adopting theory of inventive problem-solving for methodology and process development towards optimal functionality; and generating a mathematical solution to inform digital modelling of optimal design. The study takes into account thermophysical and electromagnetic interactions between utilities and uses novel mathematical manipulations based on designing a manifold of spherical and cylindrical geometries joined using Bezier surfaces. Findings – Once a solution was reached, computer-aided design (CAD) iterations were undertaken for channelling six BSs into a single unit. The outcome was concentric cylindrical–spherical shells superimposed with spacings of typically few millimetres to deliver/distribute the utilities. It is applied to bring together BSs into a single trunking system at minimal, yet appropriate, proximal distances, and it allows distribution of any number of services in any direction. Physical prototypes were produced and initial testing of their performance (reported elsewhere) has been encouraging. Originality/value – A design methodology for integrating arbitrary distributed paths/conduits. The approach could be incorporated into CAD tools as a design feature to facilitate integration of multipath delivery systems

Regimes of droplet train impact on a moving surface in an additive manufacturing process

In jetting-based additive manufacturing, one or more droplet trains are deposited on a moving surface to fabricate layers in an additive approach. The impact behaviour of the droplets onto the surface defines the final fabricated layer properties in terms of geometry and surface finish. This paper reports on such behaviour when depositing a solution of a bio-degradable resin towards an ultimate goal of fabricating bone implants in an additive manufacturing process. The solution was jetted via a fixed single nozzle continuous piezoelectric printhead on a moving surface. The effect of two main process parameters, jetting frequency and substrate linear velocity, on the impact behaviour was investigated. Quantitative analysis was undertaken to investigate the droplet formation characteristics and droplet/surface interactions. The phenomena associated with the interaction at the front of the advancing liquid layer were correlated with the process conditions. The result was a classification of the droplet train/moving surface interactions into three main regimes depending on the droplet impingement characteristics and the surface motion

Design approach for the integration of services in buildings

This paper describes a novel methodology to group building services (BSs) into a single trunking system at minimal proximal distances between them. The study focused on solving the geometrical complexity encountered in conventional arrangements of BSs, while taking into account thermophysical and electromagnetic interactions between services together with building regulations. The potential solution for delivery and distribution of BSs in any number of directions is an ‟onion layers„ type of design, using novel mathematical manipulations based on manifolds of spherical and cylindrical geometries joined using Bezier surfaces. Computer Aided Design iterations were undertaken for channelling six BSs into a single unit including water, air, electricity and data. It consists of concentric cylindrical-spherical shells superimposed at few millimetres gaps (channels) for which physical prototypes were produced

BIM enabled building energy modelling: development and verification of a GBXML to IDF conversion method

As part of the Design4Energy retrofit scenario a methodology is developed that uses Building Information Modelling (BIM) of existing domestic buildings to assess their energy performance using a Building Energy Modelling (BEM) technique. The focus is on the conversion process from gbXML BIM export file to an idf file for EnergyPlusTM. The conversion process is broken down into six steps of progressive addition of idf objects to enable verification. The measured operational data are used to assess the adequacy of the defaults being used

Developing suitable thermal models for domestic buildings with Smart Home equipment

Smart Home controls are part of a Smart Home system and allow remote and automated control of heating systems. The key research question is: with the rapid advancement of new wireless and networked control products, which thermal modelling techniques are able to best make use of the real-time performance data arising from in-home sensors and predict the impact of using advanced controls to reduce energy demand and maximise comfort? As part of identifying suitable modelling approaches for Smart Homes, a lumped parameter model which builds on the work done by Bacher and Madsen (2011) using a data-driven “Grey box” model has been developed. The potential for using the measured data and the impacts of advanced controls for this modelling technique are discussed

Decision support to enable energy efficient building design for optimised retrofit and maintenance

Optimising energy consumption of new buildings (through design) and reducing energy consumption of existing buildings (using optimised retrofitting or maintenance) are important to achieving the global targets of energy saving and cutting CO2 emissions of buildings. Many decision support tools have been developed for architects and building designers to choose the best building design options with retrofit and maintenance in mind. However, there is a lack of understanding of the required data structures and databases that would support design and enable Facility Management (FM) in making best decisions during retrofit and maintenance for improved energy efficiency (EE). To address these limitations a decision support tool based on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) for architects, energy designers and for FM is being developed within an ongoing EU research project “Design4Energy”, to enable design for EE maintenance and retrofit and support the FM in the operation stage. In this paper three aspects are presented: (1) analysis of existing decision support tools; (2) detailing the database requirements in terms of information technology (IT), components and systems, materials and the stakeholders on the basis of a literature search and a survey conducted with of stakeholders from the building sector; (3) a first prototype of a decision support tool for maintenance and retrofit being developed

Decision support systems for domestic retrofit provision using smart home data streams

The scope of this paper is a study of the potential of decision support systems for retrofit provision in domestic buildings, using monitoring technologies and performance-based analysis. The key research question is: in the age of proliferation of cheap, mobile and networked sensing equipment, how can measured energy and performance data from multiple in-home sensors be utilised to accelerate building retrofit measures and energy demand reduction? Over the coming decade there will be a significant increase in the amount of measured data available from households, from national Smart Meter rollouts to personal Smart Home systems, which will provide unparalleled insights into how our homes are performing and how households are behaving. The new data streams from Smart Homes will challenge the prevailing research and policy initiatives for understanding and promoting energy-saving building retrofits. This work is part of a £1.5m UK Research Council funded project ‘REFIT: Personalised Retrofit Decision Support Tools for UK Homes using Smart Home Technology’ (www.refitsmarthomes.org). Three methods are combined to give multiple perspectives of the research challenge: 1) A literature review on Smart Homes with a focus on academic progress to date in this area; 2) Results from actual Smart Home monitored data streams, as measured in an on-going study of UK-based Smart Homes; and 3) a discussion of performance-based analysis leading to insights in decision support system provision for Smart Building owners. The approach outlined in this work will be of significant interest to national governments when promoting Smart Meter roll-outs, to energy companies in promoting new services using Smart Home data and to the academic community in providing a foundation for future studies to meet the domestic building retrofit challenge

Current state and requirements in components and energy systems databases

With the objective to develop a suitable database for the Design4Energy (D4E) workspace, the requirement identification of the component and energy system database started from the analysis of the existing database solutions. The classification, evaluation and analysis of the state of the art of the BIM and energy efficiency oriented database have inspired the requirement identification and also the approach, concept and functionalities design in T3.2. This document then identifies the major related stakeholders of the envisioned platform and project outputs. Taking into account the project objectives and the interests of the analysed stakeholders, this report brings the requirement for simulation outputs which could help the end users or architects to understand the energetic performance of their on-going design, IT requirements in architecture, data structure and interface, as well as the operation and maintenance issues. As another main focus of this document, components and energy systems database (DB) are detailed described. It defines and recommends the parameters for different building components such as wall, roof, floor, windows and doors, lighting system, renewable energy system and HVAC components such as heat pump, boiler, energy storage and distribution. During the research of the database requirement, interviews, questionnaire, literature review, internal discussions with partners and energy experts, investigation of the simulation software and BIM technologies have been the main data sources. The key information presented within this document can be summarised as follows: · Objectives and vision of the component and energy system database. · Analysis of existing database solutions. By classifying the current practices into three categories: construction material database, component database and others such as building type database, different technologies and platforms are analysed. · Identification and analysis of the major stakeholders related to the D4E scope. · Questionnaire design and the collected results · Database requirement in system architecture, interoperability, data structure, user interface and user management. · Database requirement description of the simulation outputs, specifying the interesting data which could help the end users to understand their on-going building design. · Database requirement description of the operation and maintenance related issues. · Database requirement description of building components, including envelope (wall, covers/roof, floor), window and door. The recommended parameters are given in table format. · Database requirement description of energy systems, focusing on the subcategories like lighting system, renewable energy, heat pump, boiler, energy storage and distribution, in each subcategory, requirements for specific technologies are described. Introduction of the strengths and weaknesses of the latest and popular technologies is also included in appendices

Functional requirements and system architecture for decision support of energy efficient building design in retrofit and maintenance stage

This paper describes development of a methodology to support better retrofit and maintenance with optimised energy consumption using evolving technologies in material, components and systems both at building and neighbourhood levels. It is based on a retrofit and maintenance scenario focused on specification of the functional requirements, databases requirement and system architecture for the construction and operation of the decision support tool. Decision support (DS) tools have already been developed for architects and building designers to choose best building design options with retrofit and maintenance in mind. However, there is a lack of understanding of the required data structures, databases, definition of the functional requirements and the variety of the possible system architectures for this application. The proposed DS tool will support Facility Management (FM) to design their option on Building Information Model (BIM) file by making best retrofit and maintenance decisions for improved energy efficiency (EE) without needing full knowledge of the latest technologies in any required subject and without being expert in building energy performance analysis and simulation. A detailed retrofit and maintenance scenario and its corresponding process map are developed and explained in details. Database requirements are extracted and discussed, leading to specification of the necessary structure and content with a level of details. The functional requirements for retrofit and maintenance design scenario are discussed and an exhaustive list is generated. The decision support tool was structured using four building blocks: (i) energy performance and simulation block; (ii) retrofit and maintenance options generator; (iii) optimisation block and; (iv) a decision making block based on Multiple Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) method

Supporting retrofit decisions using smart meter data: a multi-disciplinary approach

The UK Government’s flagship energy efficiency program, the Green Deal, provides retrofit advice for household occupants based on a technical house survey and an engineering modelling tool. Smart meter data provides an opportunity to give bespoke advice to occupants based on the actual performance of their home and their own heating practices as well as visualisations of hourly and daily energy use. This work presents initial results from one component of a complex multidisciplinary research project which aims to use smart meter and smart home data to design and develop retrofit decision support concepts. Home visits involving creative design based research activities were carried out in five homes. Household occupants were presented with two types of energy use report; 1) a Green Deal advice report which includes suggested retrofit measures and annual energy consumption figures based on a steady state modelling approach and; 2) a personalised energy use report, based on smart meter data collected in their homes over a 12 month period. The home visits were carried out with the occupants to discuss a range of possible retrofit measures and gather feedback regarding the communication method for advice about energy efficiency improvements. Initial findings from the home visits indicate that the provision of energy feedback using smart meter data did not directly influence the occupants to make energy efficient retrofits any more than the Green Deal advice reports. However, the visualisation of actual hourly and daily energy use enabled householders to make links with their lived experience and stimulated discussions about their energy use which may impact on their preconceived ideas about energy use and energy efficiency measures