Simulation and BIM in building design, commissioning and operation: a comparison with the microelectronics industry

Analogy between the Microelectronics and Building industries is explored with the focus on design, commissioning and operation processes. Some issues found in the realisation of low energy buildings are highlighted and techniques gleaned from microelectronics proposed as possible solutions. Opportunities identified include: adoption of a more integrated process, use of standard cells, inclusion of controls and operational code in the design, generation of building commissioning tests from simulation, generation of building operational control code (including self-test) from simulation, inclusion of variation and uncertainties in the design process, use of quality processes such as indices to represent design robustness and formal continuous improvement methods. The possible integration of these techniques within a building information model (BIM) flow is discussed and some examples of enabling technologies given

Embracing variations in patterns of use, pre and post design phase, to improve tenant energy performance

This paper elaborates a new energy performance benchmarking method to support green tenancy agreements and other energy performance contracts. The existing national energy reporting method does not categorise systemic variations in patterns of use. Results of a case study monitoring operational data of a multi-tenanted office building are presented. The data reveals the actual designed spectrum of occupant density accounts for a 44% increase in tenant energy demand per square meter and a 112% increase in tenant energy demand per full time employees [FTE], dramatically affecting the buildings internal gains, heating and cooling requirements. The study highlights how low levels of occupancy and extended operational hours can give a false representation of energy efficiency

Local Energy Perspectives on Scotland and Brazil

Policy support for climate change and sustainable energy deployment in the EU and Scotland has enabled Communities to implement and benefit from local energy schemes, there would appear to be potential for similar schemes in Brazil. There have however been miss-steps due to narrow criteria being applied in assessment of carbon emissions and sustainability, there is a need for more detailed environmental assessment. The ability of a Community to adopt a local energy scheme depends on its Governance, financial and technical capacity. A new multi-disciplinary assessment process is being developed and piloted in Scotland and Brazil which includes technical, environmental and socio-economic factors. The output will be an identification of appropriate energy systems and technical and socio-economic gaps to be addressed. The focus here is on local energy due to global funding availability however the Community capabilities developed for energy schemes can be applied to other projects and have wide benefits

IEQ Performance gaps : Failure modes, litigation risks, and the need for quality

There is much evidence that current building industry process does not deliver the intended outcomes1. Performance gaps exist including IEQ failures which have resulted in litigation. These performance gaps and litigation are likely to increase due to the move towards more advanced buildings and systems, changes in local weather, and the increasing availability and use of post occupancy performance monitoring. While there are many initiatives aimed at improving industry process, none of these directly address the quality issues2. It is proposed that a quality systems approach similar to that of other more performance sensitive industries could provide a solution

Strategies for low carbon buildings, assessment of design options and the translation of design intent into performance in practice

To deliver low carbon buildings requires: a) Performance assessment and option appraisal; b) Industry process to translate selected options into low carbon performance in practice. This thesis aims to make some contribution in each of these two areas. Legislation such as the European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is stimulating the market to put forward many technical options for design or retrofit of low carbon buildings. The need is identified here for a low cost, EPBD compatible, simulation based, real time method for performance assessment and upgrade option appraisal to inform decisions for a range of users with various levels of technical knowledge. The hypothesis is advanced that such a method can be developed. An EPBD compatible, dynamic simulation based, real time, performance assessment and option appraisal method is then proposed and evaluated. A range of test applications and user groups are considered. Test applications include the generation of energy performance ratings based on a simple questionnaire. Other applications cover a range of individual building, policy or strategy contexts. A critical analysis is carried out of the applicability, scope and limitations of the method. The proposed method proved useful in a range of applications. For other applications some limitations were identified. How these can be addressed is discussed. The development and deployment examples are for a specific building stock but provide insights to enable replication for other situations. The research provides a foundation for further research and development. There is much evidence that selection of appropriate options is not sufficient to achieve low carbon performance. Many issues can lead to gaps between intended and actual performance. Problems are identified in the design and implementation of low carbon systems and controls. Problems include poor understanding, errors in implementation, and poor visibility of actual performance. The need for a method to address these problems is identified. The hypothesis is advanced that such a method can be developed.;A Modular Control Mapping and Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) method is then proposed and evaluated for a range of test applications to buildings intended to be low carbon. The insights from the test applications are reviewed and the scope and limitations of the proposed method discussed. Overall the applications were successful and the useful application demonstrated. The method was deployed post-occupancy, then applicability at various stages of the design process was demonstrated by using concept and detailed design information. The modular control mapping and FMEA process proposed leverages in part the approach taken in industrial sectors identified as benchmarks by proponents of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) initiative. The potential application of further processes from BIM benchmark industry is discussed in the context of current buildings industry initiatives. The performance assessment and option appraisal method, the modular control mapping and FMEA method, and the outcomes from their evaluations are intended to contribute to the realisation of low carbon buildings in practice. The future integration of both methods within a BIM framework is proposed.To deliver low carbon buildings requires: a) Performance assessment and option appraisal; b) Industry process to translate selected options into low carbon performance in practice. This thesis aims to make some contribution in each of these two areas. Legislation such as the European Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) is stimulating the market to put forward many technical options for design or retrofit of low carbon buildings. The need is identified here for a low cost, EPBD compatible, simulation based, real time method for performance assessment and upgrade option appraisal to inform decisions for a range of users with various levels of technical knowledge. The hypothesis is advanced that such a method can be developed. An EPBD compatible, dynamic simulation based, real time, performance assessment and option appraisal method is then proposed and evaluated. A range of test applications and user groups are considered. Test applications include the generation of energy performance ratings based on a simple questionnaire. Other applications cover a range of individual building, policy or strategy contexts. A critical analysis is carried out of the applicability, scope and limitations of the method. The proposed method proved useful in a range of applications. For other applications some limitations were identified. How these can be addressed is discussed. The development and deployment examples are for a specific building stock but provide insights to enable replication for other situations. The research provides a foundation for further research and development. There is much evidence that selection of appropriate options is not sufficient to achieve low carbon performance. Many issues can lead to gaps between intended and actual performance. Problems are identified in the design and implementation of low carbon systems and controls. Problems include poor understanding, errors in implementation, and poor visibility of actual performance. The need for a method to address these problems is identified. The hypothesis is advanced that such a method can be developed.;A Modular Control Mapping and Failure Mode Effect Analysis (FMEA) method is then proposed and evaluated for a range of test applications to buildings intended to be low carbon. The insights from the test applications are reviewed and the scope and limitations of the proposed method discussed. Overall the applications were successful and the useful application demonstrated. The method was deployed post-occupancy, then applicability at various stages of the design process was demonstrated by using concept and detailed design information. The modular control mapping and FMEA process proposed leverages in part the approach taken in industrial sectors identified as benchmarks by proponents of the Building Information Modelling (BIM) initiative. The potential application of further processes from BIM benchmark industry is discussed in the context of current buildings industry initiatives. The performance assessment and option appraisal method, the modular control mapping and FMEA method, and the outcomes from their evaluations are intended to contribute to the realisation of low carbon buildings in practice. The future integration of both methods within a BIM framework is proposed

Why advanced buildings don't work?

The intent of policy is to achieve robust comfortable low energy buildings. However there are obvious policy disconnects and, where there is evidence, it appears that in general advanced buildings do not achieve their intended performance. There are many industry and policy initiatives aimed at improving industry processes such as: Soft Landings, BREEAM, LEED, Green Star, AGBR and BIM. In this paper the performance of buildings likely to be promoted by current policy is investigated and a number of significant and recurring problems identified. The possibility that these problems will be resolved by current initiatives is discussed and it is concluded that important gaps remain to be addressed

Simulation based performance assessment of phase change enhanced thermal buffering for domestic heat pump load shifting

In this study, the feasibility of using thermal buffering enhanced with phase change materiaL (PCM) to enable heat pump load shifting for a typical UK dwelling was investigated by comparing the performance of a buffered, load-shifted heat pump against a reference case. The impact of load shifting on a larger population of heat pumps was also explored. The results indicate that with adequate buffering the operation of a domestic heat pump can be wholly moved to off-peak periods without adversely affecting space or hot water temperatures. The volume of the buffer required could be more than halved using PCM. However, load shifting was associated with a significant energy penalty that negated any economic benefits accruing from a switch to off peak electricity. The study also showed that load shifting of populations of buffered heat pumps could exacerbate peak loading no the electrical network rather than reducing it

Facing the growing problem of the electric power consumption in Egyptian residential building using building performance simulation program

Egypt has been experiencing recurrent power cuts especially at the summer, with the problem being made worse by the extra demands placed on the electrical grid by the advent of the holy month of Ramadan. Electricity shortages are now a problem in Cairo, Alexandria, Sohag, Qena, Luxor, Aswan, and Nubia, as well as in the Nile Delta governorates of Beheira and Qalioubiya. The aim of this study is to develop a model for the Egyptian residential building using Building Performance Simulation Program and make sensitivity analysis on some variables effecting the electric power consumption in order to help faceting the growing problem in Egypt. The model was created using the IES-VE 2012 (Integrated Environmental Solution ). The simulation model was verified against the survey data for the Egyptian apartment and same model simulated using energy Plus simulation tool. The results of the program describing different situations for energy using profile for the air conditions, lighting and equipments in respect to building layout and construction climate and pattern of use. This model can be used in the future to help in reducing the electric power consumption in the residential building

Complex energy simlulation using simplified user interaction mechanisms

Simulation of energy systems and associated thermodynamic domains is very powerful in delivering precise information at high resolution. Modelling software requires detailed information about the energy system. The specialised user usually has questions about specific aspects of the energy system and may not be interested in the complete set of outputs available from simulation results. Similarly the specialised user may only be concerned about a subset of the inputs provided to the software. This suggests an opportunity to develop an input / output scheme tailored for the specialised user. The power of simulation can be accessed through the use of simplified interfaces. Although these restrict flexibility in terms of model input / output data the specialised user is only interested in a subset of the capability of the underlying simulation tool. Robust results rely on a consistent underlying simulation context, this restricted interface ensures that only the parameters of interest to the users are modifiable and that other simulation parameters remain fixed ensuring a consistent and repeatable output. One such example of limited user interaction for both output and input is the ADEPT interface to whole building and plant dynamic modelling and simulation suite ESP­r (ESRU 2002). The interface was developed in the context of the UK domesticheating market. This paper describes the development of the ADEPT tool and associated spreadsheet templates in order to provide a readily usable platform for the study of domestic heating systems and controls for plant and control components manufacturers, regulatory authorities and research organisations

Energy and carbon performance of housing : upgrade analysis, energy labelling and national policy development

The area of policy formulation for the energy/carbon performance of housing is coming under increasing focus. A major challenge is to account for the large variation within national housing stocks relative to factors such as location, climate, age, construction, previous upgrades, appliance use and heating/cooling system types. Existing policy oriented tools rely on static calculation models that have limited ability to represent building behaviour and the impact of future changes in climate and technology. The switch to detailed simulation tools to address these limitations in the context of policy development has hitherto been focussed on the modelling of a small number of representative designs rather than dealing with the spread inherent in large housing stocks. To address these challenges, the ESRU Domestic Energy Model (EDEM) has been developed as a Web based tool built on detailed simulation models that have been aligned with the outcomes of national house condition surveys. On the basis of pragmatic inputs, EDEM is able to determine energy use and carbon emissions at any scale – from an individual dwelling to national housing stocks. The model was used at the behest of the Scottish Building Standards Agency and South Ayrshire Council to determine the impact of upgrades and the deployment of new and renewable energy systems. EDEM was also used to rate the energy/carbon performance of individual dwellings as required by the EU Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings (EU, 2002). This paper describes the EDEM methodology and presents the findings from applications at different scales