Performance prediction tools for low impact building design

IT systems are emerging that may be used to support decisions relating to the design of a built enviroment that has low impact in terms of energy use and environmental emissions. This paper summarises this prospect in relation to four complementary application areas: digital cities, rational planning, virtual design and Internet energy services

Integrated building performance simulation

This paper justifies the need for an integrated approach to building performance assessment and provides examples of the technical appraisals that may then be enabled. The contention is that the use of design tools which focus on a single domain will result in sub-optimum design solutions in terms of indoor air quality, occupant comfort, energy use and environmental impact

Assessing and benchmarking the performance of advanced building facades

This chapter describes the energy demand reshaping and supply technologies that may be encapsulated within an advanced building façade - for example, transparent and breathable insulation, advanced glazing, daylight capture, photovoltaic components and ducted wind turbines. Laboratory testing techniques for the characterisation of the fundamental parameters underlying each technology are elaborated as the essential prerequisite of integrated performance appraisals of specific technology combinations within an advanced façade design context. Based on the results from simulations undertaken in the UK climate context, performance benchmarks are suggested for some principal façade configurations

A rational approach to the harmonisation of the thermal properties of building materials

The Energy Systems Research Unit at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow was contracted by the Building Research Establishment to review existing data-sets of thermo-physical properties of building materials and devise vetting and conflation mechanisms. The UK Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers subsequently commissioned a project to extract a sub-set of these data for inclusion in Guide A, Section 3. This paper reports the project process and outcome. Specifically, it describes the source of existing data, comments on the robustness of the underlying test procedures and presents a new approach to data classification and conflation

Integrating power flow modelling with building simulation

The inclusion of photovoltaic facades and other local sources of both heat and power within building designs has given rise to the concept of embedded generation: where some or all of the heat and power demands are produced close to the point of use. This paper describes recent work to simulate the heat and power flows associated with both an embedded generation system and the building it serves. This is achieved through the development of an electrical power flow model and its integration within the ESP-r simulation program

Applying uncertainty considerations to energy conservation equations

When applying computer simulation tools in practice uncertainties abound, for example in material properties and boundary conditions. To facilitate the quantification of the effects of uncertainties, the differential, factorial and Monte Carlo methods have been implemented within a simulation tool, ESP-r. These methods require multiple simulations to extract statistical measures of model uncertainty. An alternative approach is to embed uncertainty considerations within the simulation tool's algorithms. The principle advantages of this approach are that the uncertainty is quantified at all times and therefore requires only a single simulation. Coupled with this, it is possible to take control action based on the prevailing effects of uncertainties. This paper details the mathematical techniques required to integrate uncertainty considerations within the energy conservation equations when applied to the simulation of buildings. A comparison is made between the use of this novel approach and traditional mechanisms of assessing uncertainty

Building systems and indoor environment : simulation for design decision support

This paper outlines the state-of-the-art in integrated building simulation for design support. The ESP-r system is used as an example where integrated simulation is a core philosophy behind the development. The paper finishes with indicating a number of barriers, which hinder routine application of simulation for building design

Integrated simulation for (sustainable) building design : state-of-the-art illustration

Many buildings are still constructed or remodelled without consideration of energy conserving strategies or other sustainability aspects. To provide substantial improvements in energy consumption and comfort levels, there is a need to treat buildings as complete optimised entities not as the sum of a number of separately optimised components

The role of primitive part modelling within an integrative simulation environment

The component-based modeling approach to the simulation of HVAC systems has been in used for many years. The approach not only supports plant simulation but also allows the integration of the building and plant domains. Frequently, however, the plant models do not match exactly the types being used in a given project and where they do, may not be able to provide the required information. To address such limitations research has been undertaken into alternative approaches. The aim of such research is to provide a modeling approach that is widely applicable and offers efficient code management and data sharing. Primitive Part (PP) modeling is one such effort, which employs generic, process-based elements to attain modeling flexibility. Recent efforts have been on the development of data structure and graphics that facilitates PP auto-connection via computer interface. This paper describes the approach using an example application and its suggested role within an integrative simulation environment

Developing and testing a generic micro-combined heat and power model for simulations of dwellings and highly distributed power systems

This paper elaborates an approach to the modelling of domestic micro-combined heat and power (μ-CHP) using a building simulation tool that can provide a detailed picture of the environmental performance of both the μ-CHP heating system and the dwelling it serves. The approach can also provide useful data for the modelling of highly distributed power systems (HDPS). At the commencement of the work described in this paper no μ-CHP device model that was compatible with a building simulation tool was available. The development of such a model is described along with its calibration and verification. The simulation tool with the device model was then applied to the analysis of a dwelling with a Stirling engine-based heating system. Different levels of thermal insulation and occupancy types were modelled. The energy and environmental performance of the μ-CHP device was quantified for each case; additionally, the potential for its participation in the control and operation of an HDPS was assessed. Analysis of the simulation results indicated that the parasitic losses associated with the μ-CHP system balance of plant reduced the overall heating system efficiency by up to 40 per cent. Performance deteriorated with increasing levels of insulation in the dwelling, resulting in reduced thermal efficiency and increased cycling, though overall fuel use was reduced. The analysis also indicated that the device was generally available to participate in HDPS control for greater than 90 per cent of the simulation time. The potential length of the participation time ranged from 1 to 800+min and depended upon the state of the μ-CHP system thermal buffer and prevailing heat loads. Probabilities for different participation times and modes were calculated