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Highlights • A pre and post renovation energy use analysis of almost 90,000 renovated dwellings. • The (p)rebound effects explain only partly disappointing energy renovation results. • Effectiveness of renovations are dependent on state of building prior to renovation. • Effectiveness of renovations are dependent on type of occupant. • Deep renovations often save less energy than expected but are the most effective. Abstract Energy renovations often result in lower energy savings than expected. Therefore, in this study we investigate nearly 90,000 renovated dwellings in the Netherlands with pre and post renovation data of actual and calculated energy consumption. One of the main additions of this paper, compared to previous studies on thermal renovation, is that it only takes dwellings into account with the same occupants before and after renovation, using a large longitudinal dataset. Overall this paper shows new insights towards the influence of the energy efficiency state of a building prior to energy renovation, the type of building, the number of occupants, the income level of the occupants and the occupancy time on the actual energy savings, the energy saving gap and on the probability of lower energy savings than expected. We also investigate if the influence is different per type of thermal renovation measure. Some of the findings are: it is impossible to conclude which single thermal renovation measure is the most effective because this is dependent on the energy efficiency of the building prior to the energy renovation, type of building, income level and occupancy; occupants with a high income save more energy than occupants with low income; dwellings with employed occupants benefit more from improved building installations than dwellings occupied by unemployed occupants; The prebound and rebound effects are only part of the explanations for lower than expected energy savings; Deep renovations result more often in lower than expected energy savings than single renovation measures but nevertheless they result in the highest average energy saving compared to other thermal renovation measures. The results could be used for more realistic expectations of the energy reduction achieved by thermal renovations, which is important for (amongst others) policy makers, clients and contractors who make use of energy performance contracting, home owners, landlords and (social) housing associations and as a starting point to improve the energy calculation method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The current rollout of smart meters for gas and electricity, both in the UK and internationally, will help suppliers to better forecast demand and supply accurate bills to consumers. However, even with an in-home display (IHD), the benefits of a smart meter to a domestic customer are limited by the so-called 'double invisibility' of energy [1] and the standardisation of IHD design for an imagined home 'micro-resource manager' [2]. Furthermore, low-income households may be limited in the benefits they can reap from such systems; already living within a tight budget, suggestions for further energy-related cost savings may be detrimental to their health and wellbeing. This makes it important that the impact of actions taken to save energy is communicated. This can be done using indoor environmental measures, including carbon dioxide, relative humidity and temperature, as part of an integrated meter and sensor system (IMSS) and an associated IHD or digital application. Such a system gives users the ability to make informed decisions about their energy use and indoor environmental health. This paper explores the potential barriers to implementing an IMSS in practice. It explains how an IMSS was designed, based on a review of meter and sensor systems; details the process is taken to trial the IMSS in 19 social housing properties in the English Midlands; and makes recommendations for a larger scale rollout of IMSSs. The paper also reviews current progress in cloud storage and security as relevant to IMSSs and smart metering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hospitals present a widely recognized margin for energy conservation due to their elevated final energy use intensity. Specifically, operating rooms are among the functional areas with greatest energy demand in hospitals, given the stringent indoor conditions for patients and surgical staff. However, energy efficiency in surgical facilities has traditionally been overlooked by the scientific literature in favor of guaranteeing adequate air quality conditions. This paper assesses the potential energy savings that could be achieved in a surgical suite in a Spanish hospital by lowering the current ventilation rates to the lowest energy-demanding values recommended by the proper Spanish standard and other international codes. Likewise, the paper assesses the actual hygrothermal and ventilation conditions in the suite based on the results of a continuous monitoring campaign performed for a period of 12 days. Simulations undertaken with a dynamic energy model specifically developed and calibrated for this work revealed that the average energy intensity of the suite is 1021 kWh/m 2 /year (1685 kWh/m 2 /year for operating rooms), with 80% of the total annual thermal demand corresponding to periods of inactivity. In addition, energy savings between 40% and 80% are possible while complying with both national and international standards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green construction is gaining foothold among professionals, decision makers and the broader public. However, its success depends on a clear minded analysis of its pros and cons based on critical assessment, including cost-benefit analysis. This paper makes a first attempt at such an analysis of some of the first green sustainable schools in Israel. It deals with a limited sample available, as well as diverse rating systems which the different architects have chosen to comply with. By identifying and isolating the “green premium” of those schools which are comparable, and by analyzing actual direct benefits for the schools through energy and water bills (23% and 24% lower consumption respectively per year), the paper concludes that for the time being the payback period of green schools in Israel may prove counterproductive and prohibitive if calculated only on the basis of these two direct and immediate benefits. However, including in the analysis additional benefits, e.g. staff satisfaction (included in this paper), student achievements, user and broader public health issues and other public benefits (not included in this paper) can change the cost-benefit analysis outcome significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently there has been growing interest in regenerative evaporative coolers (REC), which can reduce the temperature of the supply air to below the wet-bulb of intake air and approach its dew-point. In this paper, we designed, fabricated and experimentally tested a counter-flow REC in laboratory. The REC’s core heat and mass exchanger was fabricated using stacked sheets composed of high wicking evaporation (wickability of available materials was measured) and waterproof aluminium materials. The developed REC system has a much higher cooling performance compared to conventional indirect evaporative cooler. However, the decision to use the REC for China buildings depends on a dedicated evaluation of the net energy saved against the capital expended. Such an evaluation requires the hourly-based data on the availability of cooling capacity provided by the REC for various climates. The paper used an experiment-based method to estimate the cooling capacity and energy savings provided by the proposed REC for China’s various climates. By using the experimental results and regional hourly-based weather data, the energy saving potential of the REC against an equivalent-sized mechanical air conditioner alone was analysed. The results indicate that, for all selected regions, the REC could reduce 53–100% of cooling load and 13–58% of electrical energy consumption annually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Present a comprehensive review of building electricity profile models. • Distinguish the differences of building electricity profile and prediction models. • Categorize the statistical and bottom-up models for electricity use profiles. • Investigate the validation metrics in accordance with the modeling methods. • Discuss the key future perspectives of building electricity profile analysis. The building sector contributes significantly to overall energy consumption and carbon emissions. Improving renewable energy utilization in buildings is of considerable importance for their carbon neutrality. Electricity is expected to become the major form of final energy consumption in buildings; as such, understanding the features of building electricity use profiles is pivotal for building energy system design and city-scale electricity distribution network planning. This study reviews the current status and future challenges of building electricity use profile models. The paper distinguishes between electricity use profile models and electricity use prediction models. Then it comprehensively reviews current research papers, focusing on four aspects, including the temporal and spatial distribution of datasets, the distinction between statistical and bottom-up modeling methods, mathematical and engineering domain validation metrics, and applications in building energy system design and energy policy making. Key perspectives for future research are discussed in the paper, including the temporal scales of models, the aggregation of electricity use profiles, occupant-driven environment-interactive model structures, as well as the fit-for-purpose model evaluation. This is intended to inform and inspire future research on building electricity use profiles, improve the in-depth understanding and quantitative descriptions of building electricity use, and support the design of future building systems and energy distribution networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facing the challage of energy conservation and emission reduction in the building sector, most energy saving strategies of central heating only focus on the performance improvement of building envelope, ignoring the impact of energy use behavior. This paper proposed a building energy conservation strategy based on energy use behavior analysis, which provides a perspective for in-depth exploration of building energy conservation. After investigating a typical university in the northern China, the energy use behaviors were characterized and two different DeST energy consumption models before or after considering energy use behavior were established. By comparing the results calculated by these two models, the impact of energy use behavior analysis on building energy consumption was quantitatively analyzed. The results show that the heating energy consumption and carbon emission can be reduced by 23.28% and 23% respectively through the proposed strategy based on energy use behavior. Therefore, the analysis of energy use behavior can provide a theoretical basis for heating operators to make decisions on energy supply regulation. With central cooling and heating further popularizing in the future, the research methodology of this paper has more extensive reference value for energy conservation and emission reduction strategies in the building sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the concept of a sensible heat Electric Thermal Storage (ETS) system dedicated to household central heating. ETS is the technology of converting off-peak electricity into heat and using it in household heating 24 h a day. An ETS system is comprised of electric heating elements which are embedded within a high-density solid matrix. Since the thermal energy is stored in the solid matrix during off-peak hours and is discharged during peak hours, it results in significant savings in the household heating cost. A numerical model is developed to analyze the performance of the ETS unit, the central component of the presented system. The energy conservation equations for the solid matrix and air domains are formulated. Solid matrix is modeled as a porous medium, where radial heat conduction is neglected. The governing system of differential equations with boundary and initial conditions is solved using the Finite Volume Method. The developed model allows determining the air temperature at the outlet of the Electric Thermal Storage unit. Despite the simplified assumptions considered in the numerical model formulation, a good coincidence of the computation results with experimental data is reached. The heating system proposed in the paper meets the air quality requirements imposed by the environmental regulations and is an efficient and environmentally friendly heating systems for residential buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global trends in reapplication of wood re-application and wood-based products, used as construction and architectural coating materials, are present not only because of esthetic, artistic and design requirements or tradition and nature-based inspiration, but also because wood adapts to modern trends in sustainable development. This paper presents traditional influence on application of wood as a façade cladding element in modern architecture of Serbia and provides the analyses of functional and design potentials of wood as an element of ventilated façade systems and its influence on energy efficiency. The objective of this research was to provide a more detailed insight into potentials and limitations of the application of wood and wood-based products, as façade cladding elements used for construction and reconstruction of architectural objects, in the climate conditions of Belgrade (Serbia) as well as to point out certain suggestions about improving their energy efficiency characteristics. The paper presents the examples of various methods of applying wood and wood-based products as elements of façade cladding in modern architecture of Belgrade. The main focus is put on an object that underwent different refurbishment methods and façade system alterations in order to meet the requirements of energy saving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The variable differential pressure (DP) set-point control strategy has become the main energy-saving measure for central air conditioning water system variable volume adjustment. In optimal operation control, it is critical to use the right reference object to implement global, accurate, and online control. In mainland China, the most unfavorable loop is typically used as the reference object for variable DP set-point control in the majority of cases of variable volume air conditioning system adjustment. However, its concept and feasibility require further clarification. First, this paper analyzes the difference in the characteristics of a most unfavorable loop under air conditioning design work conditions versus under operational conditions. Under design operational conditions, the referenced most unfavorable hydraulic loop only reflects the distribution of the pipe network's hydraulic characteristics, whereas under system operational conditions, the variable volume adjustment strategy should be chosen according to each user's load requirement, i.e., a most unfavorable thermodynamic loop. Then, this paper provides definitions of the most unfavorable thermodynamic loop and online identification method and proposes a variable DP set-point optimal reset strategy based on the maximum valve position loop's optimal reset valve position domain and best valve position domain. Finally, the variable DP set-point control of a primary pump variable volume air conditioning water system in an industrial factory is used as an example to conduct a test studying 6 variable DP or constant DP control strategies, including the method proposed in this paper. The test results show that the most unfavorable loop-based variable DP control strategy saves 47–58% water pump power consumption (up to 985 kWh electric power consumption per day) when compared with the conventional variable DP control strategy, whereas the most unfavorable thermodynamic loop-based variable DP control strategy is more advantageous in ensuring the overall cooling energy supply for each user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies how human activity affects energy consumption and how such activity can be leveraged from electricity meter data. Using 15-minute interval data and applying the methods introduced in this paper, it is possible to identify in which days there was human activity and extract daily routines from such data. This type of insight into the way people consume energy helps understanding energy use at a deeper level, and realise where significant energy savings can be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In China, the population is expected to continue to grow together with construction of new buildings. Consequently, the energy demand required by the building sector will inevitably rise. This paper focuses on the Chinese residential sector and describes the structure by using the EfB—energy for buildings model. Using this tool it is possible to simulate the trend of the energy demand until 2030. A range of different scenarios – at national and regional level – is presented and discussed, including government plans and the application of some proposed recommendations. The analysis suggests that the energy consumption in this sector will not stop its growth and in 2030 it will comprise between 9500 and 14,000 PJ. Meaningful energy savings can be achieved with the introduction of more aggressive policies and behavioural change. Many difficulties have been faced in this work because of the complexity and rapid evolution of the Country; anyway, it can be considered as a starting point for future research. Among further improvements, the paper suggests the introduction of a more complete description of the building types, the association of the floor area evolution to the construction sector activity and the inclusion of economic and environmental evaluations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a privatized global marketplace, innovation is a key driver of sustainable development and national competitiveness. Here we report on an innovative new fully building-integrated thermal solar panel concept that is patented and currently being readied for commercialization. The paper outlines the French regulatory landscape governing the deployment of thermal solar panels in France, and thus the need for countries like France to develop new building-integrated solar power meeting “building-envelope” integration requirements for protected areas. We go on to introduce the new as-developed system, its physical modelling via a finite element analysis model constructed using an electric circuit analogy, and the results achieved on a detached home retrofitted with this system and trialled for a 12-month period. This paper leads out of COST – European Cooperation Science and Technology – framework action TU 1205 “Building Integration of Solar Thermal Systems”. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarises the results of a study to identify and quantify the potential impact of measures and policies to reduce the energy consumption of air conditioning in European countries over a 10-year period. The market penetration of air conditioning in Europe has increased steadily over several decades. On a “business as usual” basis, its energy consumption would increase by over 50% by 2020. Measures to restrict this increase are therefore important, but the savings potential straddles several overlapping areas which are subject to different constraints including those imposed by the replacement rates of systems and products, and the refurbishment rates of existing buildings. This work reported in this paper is based on the use of information from a variety of sources in a highly disaggregated model to assess the “realisable” savings over a 10-year period, taking into account relevant constraints. The paper summarises results at a European level, focussing on those cases that generate the greatest realisable savings. Savings are possible in three areas: improved equipment and system efficiency, reduced cooling loads, and more effective operation. The cases that offer the largest savings provide the basis for recommendations for policy measures, often using existing policy instruments. In addition, areas where further work is needed are identified. More detailed results and information about the study and additional recommendations can be found at http://www.bre.co.uk/searchresults.jsp?category=5&q=energy+management [1] . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a mathematical model is formulated to quantify the social impact an individual has on his/her community when he/she performs any energy efficiency project and transmits that information to his/her neighbours. This model is called the expected power savings model; it combines direct and indirect expected power savings of the energy efficiency project for each individual within the network. The indirect savings are quantified through the social interactions people in the network. The example used in this paper illustrates the effectiveness of the model by identifying the households who should have free solar water heaters installed in their residential houses based on their influence through interactions in their community. Two case studies are considered in this paper, single and multiple sources case studies. In the multiple source case study, the results show that it is not necessarily the people with the highest connections who provide the maximum expected power savings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers energy conservation practices in Qatar with special emphasis on commercial buildings. Energy conservation approaches are classified into five main areas and an Energy Conservation Matrix (ECM) database for buildings is developed. The ECM maps the energy conservation techniques/technologies to models versus their application domain. Three scenarios (building envelope design, change in customer behavior, and consideration of renewable energy supply) are analyzed to study different alternatives for efficiency improvement. The analysis is done in a case hotel. The analysis shows that, the energy conservation potential of using envelope redesign for the case study is about 7.5% while conservation through behavior change ranges between 2.74% and 15.80%. The conserved energy potential ranges between 10% and 24.12% of the site energy in the combinatorial scenario that integrated envelope design alternatives with customer behavior change. The renewable energy (RE) scenario conserves energy, indirectly, by using green energies generated from renewable sources. The output shows that due to changes as per the three scenarios, total CO 2 emissions of the building are also reduced. The analysis shows that adoption of 30% RE alternative can reduce emissions by about 27% with respect to the reference scenario. It is believed that the scenarios developed in this paper and the results obtained will motivate the designers to consider alternative designs or redesigns in the large scale commercial buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Operating time of SMEs is estimated using a SOM and hourly demand data. • The estimated operating time is used for hourly AC demand disaggregation. • The average errors of yearly AC demand estimation are better than 10%. • Hourly disaggregation highlights season and time period of AC demand peaks. Despite the growing penetration of smart meters and energy management systems in recent years, few tools have been proposed for energy demand data analysis and visualization to promote energy conservation in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). In this paper, we propose a new method consisting of operating time estimation and simplified disaggregation based only on the SME's hourly electricity demand data and actual outdoor temperature data. The method first estimates the operating time using a self-organizing map, which categorizes the hourly data as operating, half-operating, or non-operating time and eliminates manual parameter adjustment that requires user trial and error. Then, using the estimated operating time, our simplified disaggregation method estimates hourly air conditioning (AC) demand considering the variation in each office's temperature at which air conditioners are switched on. The method was evaluated using a public business energy management system dataset from Japan, and the average errors of yearly AC demand estimation were better than 10%. The outputs of the proposed method may provide information that is more relevant, reliable, and specific to each customer and efficiently promote energy conservation measures in SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The data requirements of quota methods are summarized, and a city-scale database containing 670 credible government office buildings is established. • By comparing the processes, the results and applicability, the selection basis of quota methods under different conditions is refined. • A flow chart of the formulation process and method selection of city-level building energy consumption quotas is constructed. • It is proposed that special attention should be paid to the outliers, and the characteristics of outliers in Chongqing are summarized. Energy consumption quota policies are effective management measures to promote energy conservation and emission reduction in China. Cities need to choose an appropriate method to formulate local energy consumption quota standards. This paper is based on the data of 670 government office buildings in Chongqing and the selected quantile method (QM), quota-level method (QLM) and multiple linear regression (MLR) method, which are widely used in the formulation of city-level energy quotas. By comparing their interpretability, evaluation, consistency and stability, the application conditions and applicability of each method are summarized. MLR has the strongest explanatory power but the highest requirements for the technology and information dimensions. The QLM is more explanatory and stable than the QM and is more suitable for the initial stage of energy quota management. When using the QLM, we should consider scientific classifications and reasonable quota levels. Special attention should be given to "outliers" with abnormal evaluations of the quota results. The outliers in Chongqing are characterized as buildings that have been used for more than 10 years and have an area of less than 5000 m2. Finally, this paper constructed a flow chart of the formulation process and method selection to help policymakers better understand how to choose the most appropriate method and identify inefficient buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Significant energy savings can be achieved by optimizing chiller operation and design in heating, ventilation and cooling (HVAC) systems. In terms of optimization, various metaheuristics have been proposed to the optimal chiller loading problem. New metaheuristics are also emerging recently, between them the firefly algorithm. Firefly algorithm is a nature inspired algorithm based on the idealized behavior of the flash pattern and characteristics of fireflies. This study proposes a new improved firefly algorithm (IFA) based on Gaussian distribution function to the optimal chiller loading design. To testify the performance of the proposed method, the paper adopts two case studies comparing the results of the developed model using IFA with those of traditional firefly algorithm and other optimization methods in literature. In this paper, the optimization problem is minimize energy consumption of multi-chiller systems, where the objective function is energy consumption and the optimum parameter is the partial loading ratio of each chiller. The results of both case studies show that the proposed IFA outperform several optimization methods of the literature in terms of minimum energy consumption solution of the optimal chiller loading problem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: It is not feasible to apply the traditional prediction method to predict hourly building cooling load at the urban energy planning stage because of the limited building information and complexity of energy prediction. This paper presents a simplified prediction model: Hourly Cooling Load Factor Method (HCLFM) that can provide quick and fair estimate of building cooling load for large-scale urban energy planning. The paper introduces the assumptions and principles of the proposed method, as well as discussing the implication and limitation of the approach. As a verification and demonstration, the method is applied to an office building in Beijing. The predicted results show that the dynamical trend of the cooling load is reasonable. The study further analyzes the potential causes of prediction errors and the significance of various cooling load influence factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper applies the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) in calculating the weights and uses Cause–Effect Grey Relational Analysis (CEGRA) to rank system performance based on multiple criteria evaluation. AHP is compared with CEGRA in ranking the alternatives, thus achieving improved environmentally friendly system performance. This paper uses the TFT-LCD chiller in Taiwan to measure the model''s reliability and validity through comparison with the traditional strengths and weaknesses assessment. Businesses should cooperate with collaborative vendors and apply the service science management concept to improve performance and reduce energy waste. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The investigation presented in this paper has three main objectives. The first one is to study, through a case study, if it is possible to acceptably predict the energy consumption of a massive residential free-running building, when the exact behavior of the occupants is unknown or actual indoor conditions are not monitored, assuming standard use and occupation schedules, for the dry climate of the Argentinean Northwest. The second objective of the paper is to detect the possible causes of differences between actual and predicted energy consumption through an exhaustive thermal monitoring and occupant''s behavior, in order to obtain an improved model of the building giving more accurate predictions of the energy consumption. The third objective is to analyze the effect on the annual energy consumption of changing the massive envelope by a lightweight one. The comparison of real and simulated consumptions under comfort conditions defined by ASHRAE Standard 55 shows that simulations overestimated the energy consumption for heating and cooling. The main causes were detected from the experimental monitoring, indicating a lower use of the air conditioning equipment than the supposed initially. Simulations were improved to consider actual use and occupation conditions. Finally, an annual simulation of the improved model performed by changing the envelope material to a lightweight one showed that energy consumption for heating was increased, while energy consumption for cooling was decreased. In an annual balance, the massive walls are preferable over lightweight ones in arid sunny climates as in the Argentinean Northwest, giving energy savings of around 25%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Vertical U-tube ground heat exchangers (GHEs) are a key component in geothermal energy utilization systems like ground source heat pumps (GSHPs). This paper presents a new constant heat flux model of its. Different from the existing uniform constant heat flux (UCHF) model, the model proposed in this paper is a cumulative constant heat flux (CCHF) model. The model is developed by reconstructing an experiment-verified three-dimensional unstructured finite-volume model. Applying the model, the borehole resistance with any geometric structure can be found. In addition, it may be used to develop the short time-step temperature response factors (TRFs) for simulating the behavior of the GHE on a short-time-step basis (one hour or less). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• This study presents a comprehensive review on fan-use rates and effects in practice. • The main trigger of fan-use is a warm environment rather than building types. • Using fans elevates neutral temperature averages by 3 K in real buildings. • More than 15% air-conditioning-use rate is reduced by fan-use in buildings. • 3-K temperature extension is achieved by using fans for productivity not decreasing. This paper is a literature review of field studies on fan-use rates and their effects on thermal comfort, energy conservation, and human productivity. In the assessed literature, fans are more popular in Asia, and more used in mixed-mode (MM) and naturally ventilated (NV) buildings than in air-conditioned (AC) buildings. On the basis of collected fan-use models, probit regression models of fan-use rates and ambient environments were obtained and indicate that the essential trigger of fan-use is a warm environment rather than building types. This result helps us to understand the control behaviors and comfort requirements of occupants. Also, fans could provide benefits in three aspects: widening neutral temperatures, saving energy, and improving occupants' productivity. First, using fans in buildings elevates the neutral temperature and the upper limit of neutral zone (0.5 thermal sensation scale) averages by about 3 K in ranges from 25.7°C to 28.7°C and 27.5°C to 30.7°C, respectively. Second, fan-use reduces AC-use rates in MM buildings in summer. The regression models based on the collected AC-use rate models illustrate that, on average, AC-use is expected to be reduced by about 15% in summer when fans are used. Third, providing occupants access to fans could improve occupants' productivity. Based on the limited data available, a 3-K temperature extension is achieved by fans ensuring productivity not decreasing. This review could shed some light on the extension of the neutral temperature range, predictions of MM buildings' energy consumptions, and methods to enhance productivity. Additionally, this review suggests some valuable directions for future research on fans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Heating energy conservation is an important part of China's energy conservation strategy. China's coal-fired heating is reducing and heating energy conservation policy is enhancing but not in a significant manner. This paper aims to figure out the actual realization of Chinese governments' ex ante expectations towards energy conservation policy in the heating industry. A trans-log production function is established incorporating asymmetric energy price decomposition and seemingly unrelated regression method is adopted to estimate the own-price and cross-price elasticity of factor input demands of the heating industry, then the direct energy rebound effect is estimated within China's heating industry. The results indicate that the actual energy-saving effect of the heating industry in China only realizes 60.04% of the theoretical energy-saving goal. Energy rebound in the heating industry in China is not only influenced by technical progress but also influenced by its state-owned monopoly status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Thermal quadrupoles formalism is applied for modelling transient heat transfers in building walls with a semi-infinite assumption. • Front face response curves of multi-layered walls are analysed to estimate the thermal properties of the wall. • Experiments are carried out on two classical multi-layered building walls using artificial thermal excitations. • The proposed method reduces the evaluation time less than 10 hours. Abstract Thermal performances of building walls are significant for energy conservation. However, very few non-destructive evaluation methods exist to quantitatively diagnose the building walls in situ due to the walls' large thickness. Moreover, most of the existing methods are inconvenient to implement in situ and take a long characterization time. This paper studies transient heat transfer to estimate the wall's thermal properties based on the thermal quadrupoles modelling. Semi-infinite boundary condition is assumed at the rear face of the wall. With this assumption, only the front face response of the wall is considered. The evaluation time is then effectively reduced within a few hours, and the diagnosis in situ is simplified without the measurement on the rear face of the wall. Experiments are carried out on two traditional multi-layered building wall cases using heating lamps. With the measured surface temperatures and heat fluxes, the unit-pulse response and unit-step response at the front surface of the investigated wall are reconstructed through a deconvolution approach and a TSVD (Truncated Singular Value Decomposition) inversion. The unit-step response curve is directly characterized by the thermal resistance, thermal effusivity and heat capacity of the wall, thus allowing us to estimate the wall properties. The characterization time for the two cases is less than 10 hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The weighted average values of thermal energy consumption (oil and natural gas) for space heating, as of 2011, of the complete stock of buildings in Greece used as primary residences (insulated or not, single-dwellings or apartments), is estimated to 60.9 up to 130.1 KWh·m−2·year−1. • The mean actual thermal energy consumption for space heating of residential buildings is much lower than that evaluated based on HDHs or the method of Hellenic Building Energy Performance Regulation (REPB), according to European Directive 31/2010. • The implementation of the Hellenic regulation for building energy performance (REPB) imposed the improvement of thermal protection of the building envelope and the performance of the electrical and mechanical systems. • Applying the REPB minimum requirements on thermal protection reduce the space heating loads of residential buildings in all climate zones by 63% to 70%. The compliance of existing residential buildings to the minimum requirements of the REPB could result to about 24.4 TWh of savings in space heating energy annually. • The benefits of any National Regulation on Building Energy Performance should be examined on the basis of expected lower actual energy consumption. Abstract This paper presents the energy, the technical and the environmental characteristics of residential buildings in Greece, as well as their potential for energy conservation, based on their actual energy consumption data. The technical characteristics of residential buildings related to their energy performance (insulation, type of openings, system for space heating and cooling, etc.), the actual energy use (kWh.m−2.year−1) and the environmental factors (kgCO₂.m−2.year−1) related to energy consumption, are some of the parameters of this survey. The average annual specific energy consumption of residential buildings in Greece was 112 kWh·m−2·year−1 in 2014, the 6th lower consumption among the 28 European member states (EU-28) in which the average residential building energy consumption is of about 158.8 kWh·m−2·year−1. The potential of space heating energy conservation for Greek residential buildings was estimated, based on (i) the 2011 heating energy consumption data and (ii) the percentages of space heating energy conservation, calculated by analysing 144 different types of residential buildings, having various geometric and technical characteristics, such as the A/V ratio (envelope area to volume of building), the heating degree hours (HDHs) and various occupancy profiles. The resulting average actual energy consumption is much lower than that calculated using Heating Degree Hours (HDHs) or the method of Hellenic Building Energy Performance Regulation (REPB). Almost 45% of these buildings were built before 1980, without any thermal insulation or double glazing. The compliance of these buildings to the minimum requirements of the REPB (related to thermal insulation and the efficiency of their electromechanical systems), could result to about 24.4 TWh of savings in space heating energy annually, i.e. to about 32–175 kWh·m−2·year−1, depending on the climate zone that corresponds to 8.5–46.2 kgCO₂·m−2·year−1 reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Energy Management and Information Systems are a family of analytics technologies that include energy information systems, fault detection and diagnostics (FDD), and automated system optimization tools. Such systems have the potential to enable buildings to meet energy management goals of reducing total energy consumption and cost. Most current market offerings use data-driven and rule-based analytics. However, the use of physics-based models in the analytics offers potential improvements by providing an accurate estimation of outputs based on representation of the physical principles governing the building system behaviors. This also permits the use of design stage models to inform commissioning and operation. This paper describes the development and testing of a hybrid data-driven and physics model-based operational tool for energy efficiency in central cooling plants. The tool offers FDD functionality, setpoint optimization, and visualization of key performance parameters. It was demonstrated at a university campus in the mixed-humid ASHRAE Climate Zone 4A. Key performance metrics that were analyzed include plant electricity use reduction, plant model calibration, and system economics. Annual simulations indicate the tool can provide electricity savings of greater than 10% for approximately six months of the year, mainly during the winter season when wet bulb temperatures are low, though only 1.38% savings for the entire year. Additionally, over a 4-day period in April, recommended optimal setpoints were implemented, resulting in 17% savings versus metered baseline consumption. With respect to model calibration, the difference between model-predicted and measured parameters was less than 10% for 90% of data points acquired for three of six chillers, and for each ten cooling towers. Finally, the tool users reported that satisfaction with the capabilities was equal to or better than that with the preexisting BAS system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Providing a critical review of office building energy management based on occupancy monitoring and modeling, and HVAC and lighting control strategies. • Proposing a roadmap towards cognitive building management. Abstract Buildings are responsible for a large portion of global energy consumption. Therefore, a detailed investigation towards a more effective energy performance of buildings is needed. Building energy performance is mature in terms of parameters related to the buildings' physical characteristics, and their attributes are easily collectable. However, the poor ability of emulating reality pertinent to time-dependent parameters, such as occupancy parameters, may result in large discrepancies between estimated and actual energy consumption. Although efforts are being made to minimize energy waste in buildings by applying different control strategies based on occupancy information, new practices should be examined to achieve fully smart buildings by providing more realistic occupancy models to reflect their energy usage. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the methods for collection and application of occupancy-related parameters affecting total building energy consumption. Different occupancy-based control strategies are investigated with emphasis on heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) and lighting systems. The advantages and limitations of existing methods are outlined to identify the gaps for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper demonstrates a systematic, evidence-based methodology for calibrating whole building energy models. The methodology uses version control software to store a complete history of the calibration process, including the evidence on which decisions were made. This paper details the calibration of a whole building energy model to hourly energy consumption data using the methodology. The case study building was a 30,000m2, four-floor office building located on Intel''s campus in Ireland. The final calibrated model represents the building to a high level of detail using a large number of zones and uses measured lighting and plug load data in the simulation at hourly intervals. The results show excellent correlation with the measured HVAC consumption data for the analysed year (2007), demonstrating the effectiveness of the methodology. Mean Bias Error (MBE) and Cumulative Variation of Root Mean Squared Error (CVRMSE(hourly)) for HVAC electrical consumption were −4.16% and 7.8%, respectively for the final model. This model was then used to investigate Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) for feasibility. The paper concludes with a discussion of discrepancies remaining in the model, the issues encountered related to the criteria used for determining when a model is calibrated, and recommendations for future calibration case studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In early 2006 the European Commission launched the GreenBuilding Programme (GBP), aimed at improving the energy efficiency of existing as well as newly constructed non-residential buildings in Europe on a voluntary basis. Building owners from different sectors are participating in the programme, e.g., public authorities with schools, hospitals or swimming pools, companies from the services and industry sectors with office buildings, sports centres and hotels. The aim of the paper is to provide a summary analysis of the results of the GBP over its almost four-year operation – from the launch of the programme in 2006 until the end of 2009. By the end of 2009, 167 Partners had joined the programme with almost 300 buildings from all sorts of fields and sectors of operation. The total savings achieved by the Partners are 304GWh/year. The buildings themselves may vary in age, size and use, but they all have in common the energy performance, which goes far beyond the average performance of buildings in the participating countries. The paper focuses on efficiency measures implemented in the participating buildings and the achieved energy savings. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights • An experimental rig to evaluate the thermal performance of roofs in the field is presented. • Eight roofs with trapezoidal shape, built in reduced scale, were simultaneously evaluated. • Heat flows, temperature and thermal resistance were verified during the tests. • Measured values were compared with results obtained through computer simulations. • There was good agreement between the results obtained with the rig and through computer simulations. Abstract Reducing the thermal gain through the roof is one of the best approaches to decreasing energy consumption and to providing thermal comfort to the users of residential or commercial single-story buildings. In this context, this paper describes an experimental test rig for use in the field, which was employed to simultaneously evaluate the thermal performance of eight roofs in reduced scale in the city of Florianópolis, Santa Catarina State, southern Brazil. The experimental test rig is comprised of a temperature-controlled environment over which the roofs were constructed. All roofs have a trapezoidal air cavity with the same dimensions, in order to carry out the calibration of the test rig. In the calibration tests, the surface temperatures, the heat flow in the roofs and the thermal resistance for the upward and downward directions of heat flow were investigated. Furthermore, computer simulations and measurements of a roof with real dimensions were also carried out in order to verify whether the experimental test rig could provide results compatible with those obtained in a real situation. The calibration results show good agreement between the results obtained for the eight roofs, with a maximum variation of 8.7% in the thermal resistance values. On comparing the values for the thermal resistance obtained with the experimental test rig and the computer simulation, there were differences of 11.7% for the upward direction and 26.1% for the downward direction of heat flow. In relation to the comparison of the results obtained between the experimental test rig and the measurement values for the roof with real dimensions, the differences were 5.6% for the upward and 34.3% for the downward heat flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The first city-level building energy efficiency benchmarking system for China. • A model considering the influence of operation parameters on energy consumption. • A systematic methodology of building energy benchmarking is proposed. • The model is a valuable analysis support tool for building energy managers. Abstract The city-level public building energy efficiency benchmarking system has an important guiding value for building energy-saving work, especially for Beijing, with its high energy-consumption density and both long heating and air-conditioning periods. This paper analyzed the characteristics of large-scale office buildings in Beijing and gives a detailed description of the process of establishing a public building energy efficiency benchmarking system for large-scale office buildings in Beijing, China, including data investigation and verification, Energy Usage Intensity(EUI) calculation, determining independent and dependent variables, developing and testing the benchmarking model, and deriving the benchmarking rating table. Then the first city-level public office building energy efficiency benchmarking system in China is established based on 88 large-scale office buildings in Beijing. The results showed that the model's performance index R2 is 0.667 and gives a good representation. The process has a strong potential for replication for other cities in China and even for a national energy-consumption evaluation system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Non-intrusive techniques are proposed to infer occupancy from existing HVAC sensors. • Reheat energy use is reduced by more than 38% with better nighttime setback schedules. • Derived a comprehensive set of candidate anomalous zones using unsupervised learning. • Proposed approach can be readily applied to any commercial building with a BMS. Abstract The Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system of commercial buildings traditionally runs on a fixed schedule that does not take occupancy into account despite its huge variation over space and time, thereby wasting a lot of energy in conditioning empty or partially-occupied spaces. Occupancy information is essential to eliminate wasteful energy use with imperceptible impact on building operations and human comfort. This paper investigates the application of non-intrusive techniques to obtain a rough estimate of occupancy from coarse-grained measurements of sensors that are commonly available through the building management system. Various static and adaptive energy-efficient schedules are developed based on this approximate knowledge of occupancy at the level of individual zones. Our experiments in three large commercial buildings confirm that the proposed techniques can uncover the recurring occupancy pattern of the zones, and schedules that incorporate these occupancy patterns can achieve more than 38% reduction in reheat energy consumption while maintaining indoor thermal comfort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Parallel fan-powered terminal units (FPTUs) are widely considered more energy efficient compared with series FPTUs because of the intermittent terminal unit fan operation. Recent studies found that the energy savings potential of parallel FPTUs may be overestimated due to the primary air leakage through the backdraft dampers when terminal unit fans are not operating. However, the lack of an effective modeling approach in building simulation programs has prevented the thorough investigation of how the primary air leakage from parallel FPTUs affects the energy consumption of variable air volume (VAV) systems. In this paper, a modeling approach was developed and implemented in EnergyPlus using the Energy Management System (EMS) for the comparative analysis of energy impact of primary air leakage from parallel FPTUs. A series of building energy simulations were also conducted at four air leakage levels under five different U.S. climates. Although the percentage energy increases caused by the primary air leakage vary with local climates and leakage levels, simulation results show consistent increases in the energy consumption of central cooling coil, central supply fan, and FPTU supplemental heating throughout all the climates as the air leakage level increases. Compared with series FPTUs, the energy savings potential of parallel units significantly decreases as air leakage level increases. At the highest air leakage level of 15% simulated in this study, series FPTUs may use less energy than parallel FPTUs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A methodology to assess fan energy savings when improving ductwork. • The methodology is based on EN 16798-5-1. • Simulations are compared with measured results on an experimental ventilation system. Abstract This paper proposes a methodology to assess fan energy savings when improving ductwork airtightness. This methodology builds on standard EN 16798-5-1:2017. Unlike the classical ``cube law'', it considers pressure drops at air terminal devices separately from the pressure drops in the rest of the system. The calculation tool based on this methodology: (a) gives the fan energy use before and after airtightness improvements with various inputs depending on the initial state; (b) indicates whether or not the required airflow rates are met at the air terminal devices; (c) gives a range of energy savings assuming, on the one hand, perfect fan adjustment, no errors in input data and constant fan efficiency, and on the other hand, safe-side estimates of deviations from these assumptions. Using experimental data from an earlier study on a full scale ductwork built in a laboratory, the tool gives results in good agreement with measured energy savings (within 7 percentage points). With ideal pressure adjustment and when required airflow rates were met before tightening, the maximum fan energy savings by tightening the ductwork from 1.5 times Class A to Class C reaches 51% according to the tool versus 46% according to measurement data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper demonstrates the implementation of new innovative technologies to improve building operations and reduce energy costs. The buildings are used as an office building with a total area of 45,429m2. An energy audit was conducted to evaluate the building''s energy performance and identify potential cost-effective energy saving opportunities. This paper presents procedures for supply fan speed control, implementations and detailed descriptions of control sequence, and operation comparisons. The results show electricity savings of 23% and gas savings of 19% over a six-month period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Causes and effects of a few real faults in a hydronic heating system are explained in this paper. Since building energy management system (BEMS) has to be utilized in fault detection and diagnosis (FDD), practical explanations of faults and their related effects are important to building caretakers. A simple heat balance model is used in this study. The model is calibrated using the optimization tool. Site data from the BEMS of a real building are calibrated against the model. Desired and real data are compared, so that the effects of the following faults are analyzed: faults in an outdoor air temperature sensor, fault in the time schedule, and a water flow imbalance problem. This paper presents an overview of the real causes of the faults and their effects both on the energy consumption and on the indoor air temperature. In addition, simple instructions for the building caretakers for fault detection in the hydronic heating systems are given. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Constructing an indicator to measure the effectiveness of energy management is important for energy agencies and authorities. This paper uses multiple linear regression method and data envelopment analysis to examine the effectiveness of energy management. First, the regression method using environmental factors is used to calculate the predicted energy usage intensity of each evaluated building. Data envelopment analysis is then employed to calculate overall energy efficiency, using the predicted energy usage intensity as output and the observed energy usage intensity as input. Data envelopment analysis can be further applied to measure the overall energy efficiency in details by examining environmental factors and management factors. Finally, the energy consumption of buildings can be measured to evaluate the effectiveness of energy management. Buildings examined as a case study in this paper are government office buildings in Taiwan. The results show that most of the buildings evaluated to report a higher predicted energy usage intensity have successfully used efficient energy management methods in energy saving. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Compared to other non-residential buildings that have been widely researched, industrial buildings have higher thermal loads, higher air-change rates, longer operating hours and greater pollution control requirements. This paper presents the results of preliminary audits carried out on a sample of 12 representative small business enterprises in Greece including food, marble, wood, paper, plastic, metallurgical and service companies. Energy intensity varied from 50 to just over 300kWh/m2 with heavier industry buildings having values up to 1300kWh/m2. The successful adoption of energy conservation measures in key energy waste areas was assessed, including: (1) building envelope, (2) artificial lighting, (3) heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) and refrigeration systems, (4) space and water heating, (5) electrical and mechanical equipment and (6) distribution and transportation. It was found that businesses were more sensitized to energy conservation in the area of air conditioning followed by electromechanical equipment (important energy waste area that may yield the biggest energy conservation results, still in need of great improvement though the cost may be very high) and space/water heating; compliance with energy conservation measures was worst in the areas of artificial lighting (least important energy waste area in the case of most businesses) and the building envelope. A more detailed modeling study on a larger sample is proposed as a next step. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The latest (4/04 and 5/04) versions of the Hong Kong Building Environmental Assessment Method (HK-BEAM), one covering new buildings and the other existing buildings, have been formally launched in 2005. The paper describes the building energy performance assessment method in these latest HK-BEAM versions. With the use of the energy budget approach, the assessment framework is applicable to a wide range of buildings that may comprise different mixes of premises types. The new scheme provides bonus credits for provisions that allow utilization of renewable energy sources. For existing buildings, it makes allowances for plant performance degradation and constraints to implementation of improvement measures in existing buildings. So far, the new assessment method has been applied to six building developments, including commercial complexes and residential developments. The assessment results are presented and discussed in the paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The present paper deals with the energy performance, energy classification and rating and the global environmental quality of school buildings. A new energy classification technique based on intelligent clustering methodologies is proposed. Energy rating of school buildings provides specific information on their energy consumption and efficiency relative to the other buildings of similar nature and permits a better planning of interventions to improve its energy performance. The overall work reported in the present paper, is carried out in three phases. During the first phase energy consumption data have been collected through energy surveys performed in 320 schools in Greece. In the second phase an innovative energy rating scheme based on fuzzy clustering techniques has been developed, while in the third phase, 10 schools have been selected and detailed measurements of their energy efficiency and performance as well as of the global environmental quality have been performed using a specific experimental protocol. The proposed energy rating method has been applied while the main environmental and energy problems have been identified. The potential for energy and environmental improvements has been assessed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The paper deals with the optimization of building energy efficiency in tropical climates by reducing the period of air-conditioning thanks to natural ventilation and a better bioclimatic design. A bioclimatic approach to designing comfortable buildings in hot and humid tropical regions requires, firstly, some preliminary, important work on the building envelope to limit the energy contributions, and secondly, an airflow optimization based on the analysis of natural ventilation airflow networks. For the first step, tools such as nodal or zonal models have been largely implemented in building energy codes to evaluate energy transport between indoor and outdoor. For the second step, the assessment of air velocities, in three dimensions and in a large space, can only be performed through the use of detailed models such as with CFD. A new modelling approach based on the derivation of a new quantity—i.e. the well-ventilated percentage of a living space is proposed. The well-ventilated percentage of a space allows a time analysis of the air motion behaviour of the building in its environment. These percentages can be over a period such as 1 day, a season or a year. Twelve living spaces with different configuration of openings have been studied to compare the performance of ventilation function of the opening distribution. Results and discussion are presented in the paper. This method is helpful for an architect to design the rooms according to their use, and their environment. Finally, the developed models can be used in building projects to estimate the period of the natural ventilation and to reduce the energy consumption due to air-conditioning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a practical method to optimize in-building section of centralized Heating, Ventilation and Air-conditioning (HVAC) systems which consist of indoor air loops and chilled water loops. First, through component characteristic analysis, mathematical models associated with cooling loads and energy consumption for heat exchangers and energy consuming devices are established. By considering variation of cooling load of each end user, adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is employed to model duct and pipe networks and obtain optimal differential pressure (DP) set points based on limited sensor information. A mix-integer nonlinear constraint optimization of system energy is formulated and solved by a modified genetic algorithm. The main feature of our paper is a systematic approach in optimizing the overall system energy consumption rather than that of individual component. A simulation study for a typical centralized HVAC system is provided to compare the proposed optimization method with traditional ones. The results show that the proposed method indeed improves the system performance significantly. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the correct specification of the analytical CTTC model for predicting the urban canopy layer (UCL) air–temperature. Improvement in the model specification was proposed by Elnahas–Williamson by incorporating in the prediction process diurnal information from a site’s representative meteorological station. The paper demonstrates that the proposed improvement causes a serious error in the diurnal predictions, the effect of which may reflect on the indoor energy savings policy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper summarizes a PhD-project that is currently under completion at Delft University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture, Building Physics Group. The general problem addressed in this project is the integration of building simulation tools and building design. This problem has been narrowed down to computational support for one specific type of building design decision: the selection and integration of one or more energy saving building components like solar walls, advanced glazing systems, sunspaces and photovoltaic arrays into a given building design.The paper provides an overview of the main research efforts that were carried out during the research [Computational Support for the Selection of Energy Saving Building Components, PhD thesis (in preparation), Building Physics Group, Faculty of Architecture, Delft University of Technology, 2004]. Based on results and on views that have been described in earlier publications (e.g. [Beter ontwerp door gebouwprestatie-simulatie? in: Proceedings of the Third IBPSA-NVL Conference, Petten, The Netherlands, December 2001]), the paper then will identify relevant, challenging issues for future research in the area of integration of building simulation tools into the building design process. Specific attention will be paid to issues related to the use of different categories of tools (simulation tools as well as other instruments) for the development of new, energy-efficient building design concepts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents a practical case study using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique in retrofitting the large cabinet fans and airflow channels in malt processing air-conditioning systems in order to get uniform airflow field, to increase fan capacity and reduce energy consumption.Site measurements were used to validate the models before they were used. CFD simulation results were used to evaluate and optimise the design and construction of splitter vanes in the airflow channels and scrolls of the fans. Simulation tests showed that the fan capacity (maximum total air flow rate delivered at full fan speed) could be increased by 8.3–20% using different shapes of scroll, and 30–34% by adding splitter vanes further in the airflow channels. After retrofitting the fans and airflow channels, site measurements showed that the fan capacity increased 21–24 and 28–29%, respectively in the two buildings validated. The approach of using the CFD technique in the retrofitting, the simulation results, and the site measurements before and after fan retrofitting are presented and compared in this paper. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Museums are buildings of particular significance due to their function and their status. At the same time they are buildings in which the principles of energy conservation are rarely applied, sometimes without reason. It has been decided by the Hellenic Ministry of Culture to convert a medieval tower, built in the year 1344 as a fortress with 0.8–1.5 m thick walls and almost no windows, into a museum. The present paper discusses the difficulties that arise in the attempt to balance between the indoor climate conditions necessary to protect the exhibits and to provide comfortable conditions to the visitors, whilst respecting the aesthetics and the historical significance of the building. Furthermore, one needs to consider the difficult but necessary task of assessing factors such as the building’s shell’s thermal conductivity and capacity, the ventilation necessary as well as the indoor air movement, in order to determine the cooling loads. Finally, the challenge lies in designing and dimensioning an effective and efficient HVAC system, which should be as discrete as possible. The present paper aims to present the results of the study, to discuss the expected energy behaviour of the building and to comment on the options for introducing energy conservation techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The literature concerning the application of information-feedback methods for saving energy in the home is reviewed. Particular attention is given to electronic feedback via smart meters and displays, or “energy-consumption indicators” (ECI). Previous studies have not focused on individual appliances, but this paper presents the findings of a UK field study involving 44 households which considered domestic cooking: it compares the effectiveness of providing paper-based energy-use/saving information with electronic feedback of energy-consumption via ECIs designed specifically for this investigation. Twelve Control Group households were monitored for a period of at least 12 months and this revealed an average daily consumption for electric cooking of 1.30 kWh. Subsequently across a minimum monitoring period of 2 months, 14 out of 31 households achieved energy savings of greater than 10% and six of these achieved savings of greater than 20%. The average reduction for households employing an ECI was 15%, whereas those given antecedent information alone reduced their electricity consumption, on average, by only 3%. The associated behavioural changes and the importance of providing regular feedback during use are identified. It is recommended that further attention be given to optimising the design and assessing the use of energy-consumption indicators in the home, in order to maximise the associated energy-saving potential. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Facility managers and occupants can have a significant influence on the energy consumed in buildings through their operation of various building systems. Acknowledging this energy-saving potential, researchers have turned to building energy modeling to quantify the impact of human actions and operation patterns on building performance and propose energy conservation strategies. However, a review of the current literature reveals consistent shortcomings related to the: (1) implementation and validation of the simulated strategies; (2) availability of granular data on occupants’ characteristics and their working conditions; (3) consideration of the building's urban context (e.g., shading effects from neighboring buildings); and (4) implications for low-energy buildings subjected to extreme climate conditions. This paper presents an integrated data collection, energy modeling, and analysis framework to evaluate and apply operation-focused energy saving strategies in commercial buildings. The framework is supported by contextual data covering the building's design, occupants, and urban context. It is validated through a case study on a low-energy design building in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Energy savings of 24.4% are observed in the studied building following the implementation of simple operation strategies that do not require any capital investment nor affect the comfort and wellbeing of building occupants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]