Buildings expend vast quantities of energy, which has a detrimental impact on the environment. Buildings systems are often oversized to cope with possible extreme environmental conditions. Building simulation provides an opportunity to improve building thermal design, but the available tools are typically used in combination in order to overcome their individual deficiencies. Two such tools, often used in tandem are computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and dynamic thermal modelling (DTM). DTM provides a coarse analysis, by considering external and internal thermal conditions over a building (including its fabric) over time. CFD is usually used to provide steady state analysis. Boundary conditions typically in the form of surface temperatures are manually input from DTM into CFD. CFD can model buildings dynamically, but is not commonly used, since solving for hugely different time constants of solid and air pose significant limitations, due to data generated and time consumed. A technique is developed in this study to tackle these limitations. There are two main strands to the research. DTM techniques had to be incorporated into CFD, starting from first principles of modelling heat transfer through solid materials. These were developed into employing the use of functions such as the 'freeze flow' function (FEF) and the 'boundary freeze' function (BFF) in combination with a time-varying grid schedule to model solids and air simultaneously. The FFF pauses the solution of all governing equations of fluid flow, except temperature. The BFF can be applied to solid boundaries to lock their temperatures whilst all other equations are solved. After extensive research the established DTM-CFD Procedure eventually used the FEF and BFF with transient periods and steady state updates, respectively. The second strand of research involved the application of the DTM-CFD Procedure to a typical office space over a period of 24-hours. Through inter-model comparisons with a fully transient simulation, the DTM-CFD Procedure proved to be capable of providing dynamic thermal simulations 16.4% more efficiently than a typical CFD code and more accurately than a typical DTM code. Additional research is recommended for the further improvement of the DTM-CFD Procedure.

Competition in the global economic scenario has led to the use of simulation in many areas such as manufacturing, health systems, military systems and transportation. With the importance of simulation in supporting decision making and operations, model building has been recognised as one of the crucial steps in simulation studies. However, model building is not as easy as it may seem. It can be time-consuming and expensive, and requires special training, skills and experience. This research, therefore, aims to investigate a new method to rapidly build a simulation model based on the classification of problems in assembly lines using a cladistics technique and template approach. Three objectives were established in order to achieve the aim and a four-stage research programme was developed according to these objectives. The first stage starts by developing a thorough understanding of and collecting typical problems in assembly lines. The next stage formulates the classification of problems and the main deliverable is a cladogram, a tree structure that can be used to represent the evolution of problems and their characteristics. The third stage focuses on the development of a proof-of-concept prototype based on an established classification and template approach. The prototype helps users to develop a model by providing the physical elements and specific elements required for the performance measures analysis. The prototype is then tested and validated in the final stage. The results show that the prototype developed can help to rapidly build a simulation model and reduce model development time.

More than $18 billion of energy is wasted annually in the U.S. commercial building sector. Retro-Commissioning services have proven to be successful with relatively short payback times, but tools that support the commissioning effort in maintaining the optimal energy performance in a building are just not readily available. The current work in the field of fault detection and diagnostics of HVAC systems, its cost, complexity and reliance on improved sensor technology, will require years until it can become the mainstay in building energy management. In the meantime, a simplified system is needed today that can be robust and universal enough to use in most types of buildings, address the main concerns of building owners by focusing on consumption deviations that significantly affect the bottom line and provide them some assistance in the remediation of these problems. This thesis presents the results of the development and testing of an advanced prototype of the Automated Building Commissioning Analysis Tool (ABCAT), which has detected three significant energy consumption deviations through four live building implementations. The ABCAT has also demonstrated additional functional benefits of tracking the savings due to retro-commissioning efforts, verifying billed utility data in addition to its primary function of detecting significant consumption faults. Although similar attempts have been made in FDD at the whole building level, the simplification, flexibility, robustness and benefits of this new approach are expected to exhibit the characteristics that will be desired and desperately needed by industry professionals.

An important consideration in energy efficient building design is the management of solar gain, as it is the largest and most variable gain in a building. The design of buildings with highly glazed facades, as well as decreased energy transfer rates through better insulated and tighter envelopes are causing interior spaces to become highly sensitive to solar gain. Shading devices such as operable slat-type louver blinds are very effective in controlling solar gain, yet their impact on peak cooing loads and annual energy consumption is poorly understood. With the ever-increasing role of building energy simulation tools in the design of energy efficient buildings, there is a clear need to model windows with shading devices to assess their impact on building performance. Recent efforts at the University of Waterloo’s Advanced Glazing Systems Laboratory (AGSL) in window shading research have produced a set of flexible shading models. These models were developed with emphasis on generality and computational efficiency, ideally suited for integration into building simulation. The objective of the current research is to develop a complex fenestration facility within a general purpose integrated building simulation software tool, ESP-r, using the AGSL shading models. The strategy for implementation of the AGSL shading models is the addition of a new multi-layer construction within ESP-r, the Complex Fenestration Construction (CFC). The CFC is based on the standard ESP-r multi-layer nodal structure and finite control volume numerical model, with additional measures for coping with the complexities that arise in the solar, convective and radiant exchanges between glazing/shading layers, the interior zone and exterior surroundings. The CFC algorithms process the solar, convective and radiant properties of the glazing/shading system at each time-step, making it possible to add control (e.g., changing the slat angle of a slat-type blind) at the time-step level. Thermal resistances of sealed cavities between glazing/shading layers are calculated at each time-step for various fill gases and mixtures. In addition to modeling glazing/shading layer combinations, the CFC type also provides an alternate method of modeling unshaded windows without relying on third party software to supply the solar optics and cavity resistances. To build confidence in the CFC code implementation, two comparison studies were carried out to compare the CFC type against other models. The first study compared the CFC models for unshaded windows with the standard ESP-r transparent multi-layer construction (TMC) models. The second study compared the CFC slat-type blind models with EnergyPlus 2.0. Good agreement was seen in the simulation results in both studies. The successful implementation of the Complex Fenestration Construction within ESP-r has been demonstrated in the current research. In order for ESP-r users to fully exploit the capabilities of the CFC framework, it is recommended that the current models be extended to include a facility for dynamic shading control as well as the treatment of other types of shading layers. The coupling of daylighting models with the CFC type would provide a useful tool for modeling luminance control in combination with shading control strategies. With these enhancements, it is anticipated that the CFC implementation will be of significant value to practitioners.

An important consideration in energy efficient building design is the management of solar gain, as it is the largest and most variable gain in a building. The design of buildings with highly glazed facades, as well as decreased energy transfer rates through better insulated and tighter envelopes are causing interior spaces to become highly sensitive to solar gain. Shading devices such as operable slat-type louver blinds are very effective in controlling solar gain, yet their impact on peak cooing loads and annual energy consumption is poorly understood. With the ever-increasing role of building energy simulation tools in the design of energy efficient buildings, there is a clear need to model windows with shading devices to assess their impact on building performance. Recent efforts at the University of Waterloo’s Advanced Glazing Systems Laboratory (AGSL) in window shading research have produced a set of flexible shading models. These models were developed with emphasis on generality and computational efficiency, ideally suited for integration into building simulation. The objective of the current research is to develop a complex fenestration facility within a general purpose integrated building simulation software tool, ESP-r, using the AGSL shading models. The strategy for implementation of the AGSL shading models is the addition of a new multi-layer construction within ESP-r, the Complex Fenestration Construction (CFC). The CFC is based on the standard ESP-r multi-layer nodal structure and finite control volume numerical model, with additional measures for coping with the complexities that arise in the solar, convective and radiant exchanges between glazing/shading layers, the interior zone and exterior surroundings. The CFC algorithms process the solar, convective and radiant properties of the glazing/shading system at each time-step, making it possible to add control (e.g., changing the slat angle of a slat-type blind) at the time-step level. Thermal resistances of sealed cavities between glazing/shading layers are calculated at each time-step for various fill gases and mixtures. In addition to modeling glazing/shading layer combinations, the CFC type also provides an alternate method of modeling unshaded windows without relying on third party software to supply the solar optics and cavity resistances. To build confidence in the CFC code implementation, two comparison studies were carried out to compare the CFC type against other models. The first study compared the CFC models for unshaded windows with the standard ESP-r transparent multi-layer construction (TMC) models. The second study compared the CFC slat-type blind models with EnergyPlus 2.0. Good agreement was seen in the simulation results in both studies. The successful implementation of the Complex Fenestration Construction within ESP-r has been demonstrated in the current research. In order for ESP-r users to fully exploit the capabilities of the CFC framework, it is recommended that the current models be extended to include a facility for dynamic shading control as well as the treatment of other types of shading layers. The coupling of daylighting models with the CFC type would provide a useful tool for modeling luminance control in combination with shading control strategies. With these enhancements, it is anticipated that the CFC implementation will be of significant value to practitioners.

More than $18 billion of energy is wasted annually in the U.S. commercial building sector. Retro-Commissioning services have proven to be successful with relatively short payback times, but tools that support the commissioning effort in maintaining the optimal energy performance in a building are just not readily available. The current work in the field of fault detection and diagnostics of HVAC systems, its cost, complexity and reliance on improved sensor technology, will require years until it can become the mainstay in building energy management. In the meantime, a simplified system is needed today that can be robust and universal enough to use in most types of buildings, address the main concerns of building owners by focusing on consumption deviations that significantly affect the bottom line and provide them some assistance in the remediation of these problems. This thesis presents the results of the development and testing of an advanced prototype of the Automated Building Commissioning Analysis Tool (ABCAT), which has detected three significant energy consumption deviations through four live building implementations. The ABCAT has also demonstrated additional functional benefits of tracking the savings due to retro-commissioning efforts, verifying billed utility data in addition to its primary function of detecting significant consumption faults. Although similar attempts have been made in FDD at the whole building level, the simplification, flexibility, robustness and benefits of this new approach are expected to exhibit the characteristics that will be desired and desperately needed by industry professionals.

The emphasis for UK dwelling refurbishment to date has centred on reducing heating energy use. However, there has been increasing evidence pointing to the need for a more holistic approach. Many existing dwellings already experience overheating during hot weather periods. Climate change projections predict increases in both the frequency and severity of extreme weather events including heat waves such as the one in August 2003, which is estimated to have claimed the lives of over 35,000 people throughout Europe, including 2,000 in the UK. Demand for housing exceeds the supply of new stock and it is estimated that over 70% of the dwellings that will be in use in 2050 have already been built. Therefore existing dwellings will require adaptation to provide more comfortable and safe environments, to reduce both summertime overheating and heating energy use. In this research, dynamic thermal simulation computer modelling was used to assess and rank the effectiveness of selected single and combined passive interventions (adaptations) on dwelling overheating during a heat wave period. Simulations were also carried out to assess the effect of those interventions on annual space heating energy use. Four distinct dwelling types were selected to represent the housing stock in London and South East England, producing seven modelling variants: 19th century end and mid-terraced houses; 1930s semi-detached house; 1960s ground, mid and top floor flats and a modern detached house. Simulations were carried out for two different occupancy profiles and four building orientations and the cost of interventions was also considered in the analysis. The first occupancy profile assumed a ‘typical’ family who left the dwellings unoccupied during the daytime, the second assumed residents who were at home all the time (e.g. elderly or infirm). Of the dwelling types studied the 1960s mid and top floor flats and the modern (2006) detached house (Tier 2) experienced more than twice as much overheating as the other dwelling types (Tier 1). Tier 2 dwellings were “harder to treat” and unlike Tier 1 dwellings their overheating exposure could not be eliminated using the selected passive interventions. It was possible to substantially reduce overheating and annual heating energy use of Tier 1 dwellings at moderate cost, whereas the costs for retrofitting Tier 2 dwellings were estimated to be many times higher. The results demonstrated that overheating exposure can be significantly greater for residents who have to stay at home during the daytime and they should not, where possible, be housed in the most vulnerable dwellings. External window shutters were found to be the single most effective intervention for overheating reduction in most of the dwelling types considered, typically resulting in a 50% reduction in overheating exposure. The exception was the 19th century terraced houses, where applying a solar reflective (high albedo) coating to the solid external walls was often more effective. In some cases the addition of insulation increased overheating and external wall insulation consistently outperformed internal wall insulation when considering the effect on overheating, though the latter could be effective as an element of combined interventions. Adaptation should therefore be considered together with mitigation, both in design practice and in regulations. If existing dwellings (for example the 19th century terraced houses) are retrofitted for energy efficiency, without considering summer use, overheating could increase dramatically. Subsequent corrective measures could be costly and energy efficiency may suffer as a result. This research builds on previous publications and research to generate systematic, quantitative and holistic guidance for retrofitting UK dwellings to reduce overheating risk during heat waves, whilst minimising annual space heating energy use and considering the cost of retrofit. An interactive retrofit advice toolkit has been developed (and made publicly available) as part of the research, which allows selection of the best performing interventions within a given budget. Recommendations for further development of the research are also suggested.

Simulation is one of the best Analytical tools for Building Research .Energy Efficient Buildings are of great concern which is gaining importance steeply in this energy scarcity’s world. Selected for the thesis work is a small Office building (Mariannelund), located in Jönköping. The building is single-storied with 26 rooms. The study motive involves Energy Survey and to provide, investigate Energy conservation measures. The Energy simulation software used is the IDA indoor climate and energy 3.0. (ICE).Data included was from the provided (Specifications) and with the review of architectural drawings. Energy saving measures was analyzed, documented with respect to their feasibility and practical operational strategies. Measures concerning the modifications in the building envelope; retrofit insulation, shading devices and other improvements leading to savings of energy have been tested and are supplemented with results. The Proposed Model which is with the combined Energy saving measures yields annual energy savings of about 70% and also working efficiency is increased by 37% compared to the existing building’s Baseline model.Considering the economic aspects together with the thermal response of employees the analyzed energy saving measures are highly recommended.

This study aims at a preliminary characterization of system operation uncertainty. It bases this on an analysis of the energy consumption of 6 existing buildings on the Georgia Tech campus. The analysis is speculative in nature.

As the environmental impacts of the energy usage of the world today becomes more and more evident, enhancement of energy performance of the already existing building stock becomes more urgent. Buildings belonging to the cultural heritage are often the ones that are most difficult to deal with in this context. The subject of this thesis is the use of building simulation of historic buildings. The task here is to identify and when necessary develop simulation tools and methods that are suitable for planning of retrofitting strategies in historic buildings, and to identify and analyze what demands such tools and methods would have to fulfill, in what contexts different simulation strategies are suitable, how the demands on the tools might be met and what results and how the results would facilitate the decision making process in the most optimal way. A powerful means to acquire such analyses is the use of whole-building simulation. In the case of historical buildings there are several aspects to take into consideration, determining the choice of simulation tool and method. This thesis includes Investigation of the variability of the demands on simulation tools and methods that the historic buildings pose, and its implication on complexity of the simulation process, and suggestion of a complexity index tool. Investigation of the whole-building simulation process and how it complies with the demands identified, and how the exergy concept can be used, exemplified by a case study. Identification of a need for a tool and method for a large amount of cases not easily covered by abundantly available tools and methods Suggestion of a tool and method to address these cases, and presentation of a case study where the suggested tool and method have been applied, with good agreement between the simulated and measured values. One important feature of the suggested tool is the Very Small Wall-part Method, that includes the assessment of especially damage prone points into the whole-building simulation model, otherwise unable to accommodate these points. Another is the damage risk assessment feature where a mould risk prediction tool is presented. / <p>QC20120920</p>