Building Performance Modeling
This study delves into an extensive examination of the building performance of the Centre for Sustainable Landscapes (CSL) building using Simple Box eQuest Iterative Design, IES-VE, and DesignBuilder
Simple Box Model
The energy performance analysis of the CSL building is conducted using eQUEST 3.65. A series of parametric studies of different design variables is performed using Schematic Design Wizard” modes from eQUEST. The parametric study is carried out at Pittsburgh and Miami. The design is optimized for building orientation, building form, window-to-wall ratio, and Opaque(Walls, Roof, Slab, Windows). Four to five options are considered in each step. The results are presented as total Energy Use Intensity (EUI) to help to identify the best performance option from each step that is used for the next step. The detailed report is shown below.
IES-VE
The purpose of this study was to investigate the synergistic impacts of different building elements on the energy performance of a predefined building design case in a specific climate throughout the design development phase. The specific building elements analyzed in this report include site and weather data, opaque and transparent building enclosure materials, internal loads, and operational schedules.
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The goal of this study was to create an improved building in terms of energy performance through parametric simulations. In order to achieve this, first, a building baseline was modeled within IES-VE. After establishing a baseline, we used parametric simulations to test four different design exploration categories: 1) envelope geometric properties, 2) envelope thermal properties, 3) internal loads, and 4) operational schedules. Each design exploration category had three alternatives that were tested. A detailed report is shown below:
DesignBuilder
Initially conducted within the IESVE framework, our investigation looks into DesignBuilder, with a primary emphasis on the integration of the HVAC system within the building's infrastructure. The energy analysis was carried out using the current state-of-art building performance analysis software- DesignBuilder, and the open source software Energy Plus created by the Department of Energy, USA. Special emphasis was laid on designing the HVAC system (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning system) in this assignment. Along with the HVAC system a baseline and proposed Envelope was developed keeping in mind the cold climatic conditions of Pittsburgh and also the standard ASHRAE 90.1 (2010). Three combinations were created using the baseline HVAC and baseline Envelope and they were simulated to generate the annual energy consumption of the building along with monthly, seasonal and peak energy consumption. The detailed report is shown below.