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Applied Sciences
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Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption
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Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2020) | Viewed by 23673

Special Issue Editor

Dr. José A. Orosa

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
ETSNyM. Department of Navigation Science and Marine Engineering, University of A Coruña. Paseo de Ronda 51. 15011 A Coruña, Spain
Interests: marine engineering; energy; thermodynamics; naval architecture; sustainability
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Today, the collaboration of researchers from different areas of knowledge using the most recent advances in their respective fields is needed in order to reach a real breakthrough in the increasingly multidisciplinary research on interior environments. Furthermore, new technologies have emerged recently, which allow us to sample and analyze real, sampled data with the latest sensors and to simulate ambiences with new and powerful three-dimensional engineering procedures as has never been done before. Moreover, the optimization of buildings and their energy systems has traditionally been conducted by classical control systems and, in the last few decades, new, powerful control systems, such as artificial intelligence, have been developed towards this end. Despite this, the optimization of building design with respect to various aspects, including energy, thermal comfort, and sustainability, which requires the implementation of several technologies at the same time and in a harmonious manner, has yet to be achieved. Additionally, it is clear that traditional building engineering and construction concepts still have a role to play the future solutions relating to building energy optimization.

It is in this intersection between nature and engineering where a better future for humanity can be found. International organizations, such as the International Energy Agency, lead this work, but there can only be success if governments heed the warnings of these organizations and work to reduce climate change. Only by recognizing the diverse consequences of humanity’s influence over nature, can we reach the equilibrium needed achieve a sustainable existence and ensure a future for humanity and this planet.

This Special Issue aims to underscore the importance of new technologies relating to energy saving in building design, construction, and optimization. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Building construction;
  • Energy saving;
  • New energy technologies;
  • Optimization;
  • Building design;
  • Energy consumption;
  • Zero-energy buildings;
  • Sustainable buildings;
  • Materials in building;
  • New technologies.

Dr. José A. Orosa
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • building construction
  • energy saving
  • new energy technologies
  • optimization
  • building design
  • energy consumption
  • zero-energy buildings
  • sustainable buildings.

Published Papers (8 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 2677 KiB  
Article
A New Methodology for Decision-Making in Buildings Energy Optimization
by Antonio E. Masdías-Bonome, José A. Orosa and Diego Vergara
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(13), 4558; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10134558 - 30 Jun 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2081
Abstract
When designing or retrofitting a building, not too many tools let architects and engineers to define the optimal conditions to reduce energy consumption with the minimal economic investment. This is because different software resources must be employed and an iterative calculation must be [...] Read more.
When designing or retrofitting a building, not too many tools let architects and engineers to define the optimal conditions to reduce energy consumption with the minimal economic investment. This is because different software resources must be employed and an iterative calculation must be done which, most of times, is not possible. The present study aims to define an original methodology that let researchers and architects to select the best option between different possibilities. To reach this objective, Monte Carlo method is employed on the ISO 13790 standard reaching the probability distribution of the energy consumption of each building after each possible modification. From main results, two mathematical models were obtained from a real case study showing the relation between annual energy consumption and economic investment of each different building retrofits. What is more, in disagreement with the expected result, the best retrofit option was not the one with the highest cost and qualities. In conclusion, this methodology can be a useful tool for researchers and professionals to improve their decision-making. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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16 pages, 5176 KiB  
Article
Application of Thermoeconomics in HVAC Systems
by Ana Picallo-Perez, José María Sala and Arrate Hernández
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(12), 4163; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10124163 - 17 Jun 2020
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2256
Abstract
In order to achieve a sustainable society, the energy consumption in buildings must be reduced. The first step toward achieving this goal is to detect their weak points and analyze the energy-saving potential. to detect the units with higher consumption and cost. Exergy [...] Read more.
In order to achieve a sustainable society, the energy consumption in buildings must be reduced. The first step toward achieving this goal is to detect their weak points and analyze the energy-saving potential. to detect the units with higher consumption and cost. Exergy is very useful for analyzing pieces of equipment, systems or entire buildings. It measures not only the quantity of energy but also its quality. If the exergy is combined with economic analysis, this gives rise to thermoeconomics, and the system can be checked systematically and optimized from the perspective of economics. In this work, exergy methods and thermoeconomic analysis were applied to a building thermal system. Due to its complexity, it is necessary to adapt some concepts to translate the exergy application from industry to buildings. The purpose of this work is to overcome these shortcomings and to deal with energy-saving actions for buildings. To this end, a thermoeconomic study of a facility that covers the heating and domestic hot water (DHW) demands of 176 dwellings in Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country) using two boilers and two cogeneration engines was analyzed. The irreversibility associated with each piece of equipment was quantified, and the costs associated with resources, investment and maintenance were calculated for each flow and, consequently, for the final flows, that is, electricity (11.37 c€/kWh), heating (7.42 c€/kWh) and DHW (7.25 c€/kWh). The results prove that the boilers are the lesser efficient components (with an exergy efficiency of 15%). Moreover, it is demonstrated that micro-cogeneration engines not only save energy because they have higher exergy efficiency (36%), but they are also economically attractive, even if they require a relatively high investment. Additionally, thermoeconomic costs provide very interesting information and underscore the necessity to adapt the energy quality in between the generation and demand. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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16 pages, 6109 KiB  
Article
i-Yard 2.0: Integration of Sustainability into a Net-Zero Energy House
by Yichun Jin, Junjie Li and Wei Wu
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(10), 3541; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10103541 - 20 May 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3041
Abstract
This research introduces a residential net-zero energy house named i-Yard 2.0, which was built by a team from Beijing Jiaotong University for the 2018 Solar Decathlon China competition. The concept was based on the needs of an aging population and achieves energy self-sufficiency [...] Read more.
This research introduces a residential net-zero energy house named i-Yard 2.0, which was built by a team from Beijing Jiaotong University for the 2018 Solar Decathlon China competition. The concept was based on the needs of an aging population and achieves energy self-sufficiency through both active (i.e., solar energy) and passive design strategies. With the growing recognition of the need for better environmental protection, green building strategies have become mainstream in building development. A building’s energy balance is one of the most important indexes for assessing green buildings. The i-Yard 2.0 adopts an integrated design strategy with a sustainable development background. It takes a senior citizen-oriented design as the starting point and innovates in aspects such as community modeling, building strategies, passive spatial planning, the energy and building environment, and intelligent building control. The community comprises a new residential model called “cooperative living.” The building strategy adopts a modular assembly approach in order to achieve rapid construction suitable for this type of competition. The passive spatial plan uses the notion of the courtyard as a green core to regulate the microclimate. The building environment achieves net-zero energy by improving active energy access and reducing passive energy consumption. The internet control model was designed to incorporate intelligent building control. The i-Yard 2.0 provides not only a new form of senior residential housing for developing areas, it also provides a novel and worthy reference for net-zero energy housing in China. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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19 pages, 2832 KiB  
Article
Energy Efficiency and Thermal Performance of Office Buildings Integrated with Passive Strategies in Coastal Regions of Humid and Hot Tropical Climates in Madagascar
by Modeste Kameni Nematchoua, Jean Christophe Vanona and José A. Orosa
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2438; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10072438 - 02 Apr 2020
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3129
Abstract
Researchers have used passive strategies, such as the implementation of thermal insulation and the use of phase change materials (PCM), in several studies, but some problems have not yet been solved. It is the case of showing the real effect of external shading [...] Read more.
Researchers have used passive strategies, such as the implementation of thermal insulation and the use of phase change materials (PCM), in several studies, but some problems have not yet been solved. It is the case of showing the real effect of external shading combined with thermal insulation and phase change materials to improve the thermal performance and energy efficiency of office buildings in tropical coastal areas. Another pending problem to be solved is to define the impact produced by passive strategies on the performance of workers in office buildings in coastal zones. It is with a view to answering all these questions that this study was envisaged with the main objective of evaluating, analyzing, comparing, and discussing the effect of thermal insulation and phase change materials on thermal comfort and energy demand in coastal areas of hot and humid tropical climates located in the island of Madagascar. In this sense, hourly climate data for the past 30 years have served as the basis for assessing environmental conditions of future climate. It was found that the PCMs have a more significant effect on the coastal zone of hot climates than humid tropical climates. The results of the statistical analyses showed that the application of passive strategies stabilizes indoor air temperatures to between 23 °C and 28 °C in the offices, which is the recommended comfort range in these regions. In the coastal regions of Madagascar, up to 30% of cooling energy is expected to be reduced by combining the introduction of thermal insulation and PCM materials. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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24 pages, 6991 KiB  
Article
Many-Objective Optimization Design of a Public Building for Energy, Daylighting and Cost Performance Improvement
by Cheng Sun, Qianqian Liu and Yunsong Han
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2435; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10072435 - 02 Apr 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4158
Abstract
The energy performance of buildings especially public buildings needs to be optimized together with environmental, social and cost performance, which can be achieved by the multiobjective optimization method. The traditional building performance simulation (BPS) based multiobjective optimization is time-consuming and inefficient. Practical projects [...] Read more.
The energy performance of buildings especially public buildings needs to be optimized together with environmental, social and cost performance, which can be achieved by the multiobjective optimization method. The traditional building performance simulation (BPS) based multiobjective optimization is time-consuming and inefficient. Practical projects of complex public building design usually involve many-objective optimization problems in which more than three objectives are considered. Using BPS based multiobjective optimization is not sufficient to solve this kind of design problem. This paper aims to propose an artificial neural network (ANN) based many-objective optimization design method, an architect-friendly integrated workflow has been implemented. The proposed method has been applied on a public library building in Changchun city of China to optimize its Energy Use Intensity (EUI), Spatial Daylight Autonomy (sDA), Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and Building Envelope Cost (BEC). The optimization process has obtained 176 non-dominated solutions. By adopting the selected relative optimal solutions, 1.6×105–2.1×105 kWh energy can be saved per year; sDA value and UDI value can be increased by 8.1%–11.0% and 4.3%–4.7% respectively; BEC can be reduced by ¥1.2×105–2.1×105 ($1.7×104–3.0×104). The optimization time has been greatly shortened in this method and the whole process is highly efficient without manual data conversion between different platforms. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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26 pages, 9276 KiB  
Article
Water-Covered Roof Versus Inverted Flat Roof on the Mediterranean Coast: A Comparative Study of Thermal and Energy Behavior
by Almudena Espinosa-Fernández, Víctor Echarri-Iribarren and Claudio A. Sáez
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2288; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10072288 - 27 Mar 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2975
Abstract
Reservoir, or water-collecting roofs present greater thermal inertia than inverted flat roofs due to the mass of water they contain. This feature gives them better thermal performance and leads to greater stability in the indoor air temperature Ti and the wall surface [...] Read more.
Reservoir, or water-collecting roofs present greater thermal inertia than inverted flat roofs due to the mass of water they contain. This feature gives them better thermal performance and leads to greater stability in the indoor air temperature Ti and the wall surface temperatures. In the summer, they can dampen the effect of solar radiation and regulate external thermal loads thanks to their greater effusivity and thermal capacity. This research compares the thermal behavior of the roofs of two buildings located in Alicante on the Spanish Mediterranean coast: a loft flat in the city center and a water-covered roof in the Museum of the University of Alicante (MUA). Values for effusivity, diffusivity, thermal capacity, decrement factor, time lag and internal, as well as external thermal admittance were obtained. After monitoring both roofs during 2014, behavior simulations were performed in Design Builder using 6 different scenarios reflecting different combinations in both buildings of water-covered, inverted and conventional roofs and marble or terrazzo paving. The water-covered roof led to a higher decrement factor and time lag, as well as to a reduction of annual energy demands between 8.86% and 9.03%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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20 pages, 8318 KiB  
Article
Assessing the Energy Demand Reduction in a Surgical Suite by Optimizing the HVAC Operation During Off-Use Periods
by Antón Cacabelos-Reyes, José Luis López-González, Arturo González-Gil, Lara Febrero-Garrido, Pablo Eguía-Oller and Enrique Granada-Álvarez
Appl. Sci. 2020, 10(7), 2233; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app10072233 - 25 Mar 2020
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2671
Abstract
Hospital surgical suites are high consumers of energy due to the strict indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions. However, by varying the ventilation strategies, the potential for energy savings is great, particularly during periods without activity. In addition, there is no international consensus on [...] Read more.
Hospital surgical suites are high consumers of energy due to the strict indoor air quality (IAQ) conditions. However, by varying the ventilation strategies, the potential for energy savings is great, particularly during periods without activity. In addition, there is no international consensus on the ventilation and hygrothermal requirements for surgical areas. In this work, a dynamic energy model of a surgical suite of a Spanish hospital is developed. This energy model is calibrated and validated with experimental data collected during real operation. The model is used to simulate the yearly energy performance of the surgical suite under different ventilation scenarios. The common issue in the studied ventilation strategies is that the hygrothermal conditions ranges are extended during off-use hours. The maximum savings obtained are around 70% of the energy demand without compromising the safety and health of patients and medical staff, as the study complies with current heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) regulations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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19 pages, 3142 KiB  
Article
Optimal Design Model of the Energy Systems in Iron and Steel Enterprises
by Zhengbiao Hu, Dongfeng He, Kai Feng, Pingze Liu and Yongwei Jia
Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(22), 4778; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/app9224778 - 08 Nov 2019
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2361
Abstract
In steel enterprises, the design of energy systems mainly depends on experience and lacks systematic optimization methods. Therefore, it is of great significance to propose an overall optimization design method for the energy system of steel enterprises. In this paper, a linear model [...] Read more.
In steel enterprises, the design of energy systems mainly depends on experience and lacks systematic optimization methods. Therefore, it is of great significance to propose an overall optimization design method for the energy system of steel enterprises. In this paper, a linear model is proposed to select the energy conversion equipment types and distribute energy sources with the aim of maximizing the economic benefits of an energy system. In the model, the choice of energy conversion technology and the distribution of energy source are considered comprehensively. For the S steel plant, the case analysis results show that under the condition of keeping the original energy conversion equipment unchanged and optimizing the distribution of energy source, the economic benefits of the energy system can be increased by 15.77 CNY/t steel, and under the conditions of optimizing the distribution schemes of the energy conversion equipment types and energy sources, the economic benefits of the energy system can be increased by 180.26 CNY/t steel. In addition, the effects of different energy conversion equipment configurations, different energy sources prices and different pollution cost standards on the steel plant energy economic benefits were analyzed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Efficiency and Optimization of Buildings Energy Consumption)
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