
Andreas AthienitisConcordia University · Centre for Zero Energy Building Studies
Andreas Athienitis
Doctor of Philosophy
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283
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Introduction
Smart high-performance buildings, BIPV, solar energy, building thermal systems, predictive control, daylighting
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Publications
Publications (283)
This simulation study explores the potential of a novel façade design with integrated control system comprising a dynamic photovoltaic (PV) facade integrated with dimming lighting control to enhance the work environment in office buildings and achieve energy-efficient solutions. Parametric modeling using the Grasshopper plug-in for Rhino software 7...
This paper presents predictive control strategies for all-electric school buildings in cold regions to activate energy flexibility based on changes in electricity prices. A fully electric school building near Montreal, Canada, is used as a case study. This study investigates three scenarios: 1) Reference case with a proportional–integral controller...
A 1 st -order gray-box archetype is developed using high-quality measurements from an unoccupied experimental house to investigate the sensitivity of economic model-based predictive control performance under Québec’s dynamic electricity tariff for the residential sector, rate Flex-D, to uncertainty in the weather forecast. The archetype incorporate...
Building energy modelling represents an important stage for the development of new guidelines aimed at increasing energy efficiency in the building sector. This work proposes a methodology, based on model archetypes, to provide energy models that can evaluate the building load, take into account the influence of fast and slow response heating sourc...
The spread of energy aggregators and the diffusion of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) is motivating researchers to find optimal solutions for the joint management of electric vehicles and households. This paper proposes an innovative methodology to simulate and control a residential building portfolio with increasing penetration of electri...
This paper proposes a systematic methodology based on frequency domain techniques to develop reduced order models for building heat flows: providing the right detail of the building and the possibility to optimize the control actions for different thermal zones during demand-response events. This work automatically identifies the best grey box Resi...
In the evolving energy sector, where buildings are recognized as dynamic components of energy networks and smart grids, the implementation of new regulations and guidelines is crucial to optimize the interaction between buildings and the grid. The imperative to reduce building energy consumption facilitates the promotion of new technologies that re...
A 1st-order gray-box archetype is developed using high-quality measurements from an unoccupied experimental house to investigate the sensitivity of economic model-based predictive control performance under Québec’s dynamic electricity tariff for the residential sector, rate Flex-D, to uncertainty in the weather forecast. The archetype incorporates...
To ensure energy efficiency in new buildings, it is vital to address it at the early design stage, where alternative conceptual layouts remarkably influence energy performance. Designers typically use labour-intensive simulation tools requiring details most of which are not available at the early design stages, making them inefficient for multi-sce...
The introduction of load management and Demand Response programs is motivating utilities to propose demand-side management to incentivize customers to modify their energy demand during critical periods, providing energy flexibility to the grid. Therefore, buildings are undergoing a transformation from passive elements of the energy supply chain to...
The penetration of renewable energy sources in the built environment has led to challenges in planning and controlling the energy production, transmission, and distribution communities. Research is needed to optimize the interaction of building-integrated renewable energy technologies with the grid. In this context, the energy flexibility of buildi...
An automated methodology that generates sufficiently accurate building models is essential for both the adoption of advanced control strategies like Model Predictive Control, and the estimation of building energy flexibility required for building-grid interactions. This paper presents such a methodology for the generation of multi-zone resistor-cap...
This paper simulates the thermal response of a single-family house to power outages during extremely-cold periods, using a multi-zone data-driven energy model. The archetype model is developed with data from an unoccupied research house at Laboratoire des Technologies de l'Energie, Québec. Indoor air temperature is first simulated, assuming no auxi...
Electrification of space heating can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, especially when coupled with advanced control strategies and leveraging building energy flexibility. A methodology to automatically generate accurate control-oriented building models is an important part of quantifying the energy flexibility of a house. This study presents a...
This paper examines the impact of building zoning on demand flexibility potentials. The building thermal dynamic response is modeled by using the state-space representation method. The comfort preference of the occupants is defined by statistical analysis of set-point temperature patterns. The created models are used to study energy flexibility thr...
This paper presents a methodology to analyze data from smart thermostats aiming at proposing a black-box prediction model of energy consumption for three common house archetypes (bungalow, split, and two-storey building) in Québec. Through a multi-step data clustering approach, based on a combination of Gaussian mixture model (GMM) and partition-ba...
This paper studies recursive Bayesian calibration of archetype building energy models developed for optimal operation, energy flexibility and resilience in the residential sector. Real-time building performance monitoring has been facilitated recently with low cost faster instrumentations. With an online stream of measured data, recursive model cal...
This paper proposes a novel frequency domain methodology for the identification of the thermal response of representative houses in Québec. The methodology, developed in a MATLAB environment, is based on a data-driven frequency domain approach. Since buildings have a strongly periodic thermal behaviour during different seasons, frequency domain ana...
Radiant floor systems offer significant potential for studying and developing energy flexibility
strategies for buildings and their interaction with smart grids. Efficient design and operation
of such systems require several critical decisions on design and control variables to maintain comfortable
thermal conditions in the space and floor surface...
The present study investigates the use and implementation of energy-efficient measures and strategies for building applications, toward the Near Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) target. Specifically, the objective of the study is to implement Building Integrated Photovoltaic Thermal (BIPVT) devices coupled with Phase Change Materials (PCM) and thermal...
The use of integrated solar technologies is crucial to achieve the Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) goal. Among the available technologies, the use of Double Skin Facades (DSFs) integrating photovoltaics is increasing in the last years. The basic idea behind this technology is to replace the outer building element with PV panels, increasing the p...
Due to the rapid rise of renewable energy sources, energy management has become much more complex and crucial. For this reason, suitable energy aggregators are required for resolving electric flow dispatching. These systems manage a large number of electricity fluxes in a unique and simplified electricity demand to be presented to the district syst...
This paper investigates the energy and economic performance of several energy schemes that could potentially be applied to agricultural and zootechnical communities contributing to the international objectives of sustainable development. The proposed energy schemes involve integrated energy efficiency technologies and novel system layouts aiming at...
This paper investigates the accuracy of grey-box models for the quantification of the energy flexibility of a school building. The developed models are based on a data-driven grey-box model formulation and calibrated with measured data. These models, which are suitable for the context of demand-side management in smart grids, are used to quantify t...
As the share of renewable energy in the electricity generation mix increases, electrification of buildings will become a practical way to reduce GHG emissions. However, the expected increase in electricity demand coming from new loads will put pressure on electrical grid infrastructure. It is thus important to be able to reduce peak demand for the...
This paper presents a frequency domain transfer function methodology for thermal characterization and design for energy flexibility of zones with hydronic radiant heating/cooling systems and significant thermal mass. The modeling methodology is validated with experiments in an environmental chamber. Using the developed frequency domain model of the...
A Solid Desiccant Cooling (SDC) system requires low-temperature heat, which can be supplied using a Photovoltaic Thermal (PV/T) collector. However, the increase in PV/T outlet air temperature is limited by PV surface temperature. Therefore, an auxiliary heater is needed to meet the required regeneration temperature, but high auxiliary heater energy...
HVAC systems in North America are major users of energy in commercial and institutional buildings. Although modern monitoring strategies allow for energy wastes reduction and building performance optimization, the poor quality or absence of measurements may compromise those strategies. Virtual sensors can provide measurements where physical sensors...
This paper presents a simulation case study of an active thermal energy storage device with phase-change materials (PCM) for free-cooling purposes. The charging/discharging of the PCM, arranged in layers in a heat exchanger, is done through a controlled air stream passing through these layers. First, the effect of airflow rate on charging/dischargi...
This paper presents a simulation case study of an active thermal energy storage device with phase-change materials (PCM) for free-cooling purposes. The charging/discharging of the PCM, arranged in layers in a heat exchanger, is done through a controlled air stream passing through these layers. First, the effect of airflow rate on charging/dischargi...
This paper presents an experimental and numerical study of predictive control of a hybrid ventilation system in an institutional building with emphasis on thermal comfort. A 17–story high institutional building with a large amount of exposed structural concrete is used as a case study to test different control strategies. A model of the entrance re...
Lighting subsystems account for up to 50% of the energy consumption of a typical tunnel. Day‐time lighting levels account for over two‐thirds of the total system lighting power; their periodic nature creates daily peaks in the tunnel's energy load profile. This paper studies the integration of semitransparent photovoltaic (STPV) cells into sunscree...
Hybrid ventilation is an effective approach to reduce cooling energy consumption by combining natural and mechanical ventilation. Previous studies of full-scale whole-building measurements of high-rise hybrid ventilation are quite limited due to the complexities of buildings and variable ambient conditions. As a result, validated and accurate whole...
This paper presents a simulation study of an active energy storage device intended to enhance building operation. This device –which is designed for installation in the ceiling plenum of an office, a mechanical room or in other convenient locations– consists of an arrangement of several panels of a phase-change material. It may be charged or discha...
For better design of power infrastructure and efficient deployment of renewable energy sources, deep understanding and accurate prediction of energy demand and consumption of a major infrastructure bring great benefits to the operation of its energy system. A real road tunnel in Montreal Canada is to be renovated with multiple renewable energy syst...
The reliable operation of Heat Recovery Ventilator (HRV) is critical for maintaining a healthy indoor environment to remove contaminants and moisture, however, it remains a challenge in the Northern Canada due to the frequent frosting under the extreme cold conditions. The heat generated by a building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) system...
Energy and life cycle cost analysis were employed to identify the most-cost effective ground envelope design for a greenhouse that employs supplemental lighting located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (45.4° N). The envelope design alternatives that were investigated consist of installing insulation vertically around the perimeter and horizontally benea...
Lighting subsystems consume 50% of the energy needs of a typical tunnel. Daytime lighting levels account for over two-thirds of the total system lighting power; their periodic nature creates daily peaks in the tunnel's energy load profile. This paper studies the integration of semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV) cells into sunscreen structures ins...
The use of de-icing salts and other antiskid measures typically adopted by highway maintenance services have many limitations such as applicable temperatures, location of storage facilities, and ease of access to road section and in the case of salts they cause the infrastructure to deteriorate rapidly. An alternative solution is using a hydronic h...
Photovoltaic (PV) greenhouses generate solar electricity while providing a suitable environment for crop production. Energy and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis were employed to study the potential for installing semi-transparent photovoltaic (STPV) cladding on the roof of a greenhouse that employs supplemental lighting located in Ottawa, Ontario, Ca...
Radiant floors have significant potential for load management in buildings on account of their substantial energy storage capacity. However, the long time constants associated with these systems make their control more challenging. Predictive control can be used to take into consideration the time delay of the system and ensure that thermal comfort...
This paper presents a numerical and experimental study of predictive control strategies based on a low order model in a test cell that emulates a perimeter zone of a building. The test cell uses a phase change material (PCM) as a means of thermal storage. The PCM, embedded in the wall of the test cell furthest away from the window, is thermally act...
In this paper, the integration of air open-loop photovoltaic thermal systems on the façade of high-rise buildings is analysed, with a special focus on their active and passive effects. The system energy performance and its impact on the building heating and cooling demands and electrical production are assessed through a new dynamic simulation mode...
The energy consumption of a building is significantly impacted by its envelope design, particularly for greenhouses where coverings typically provide high heat and daylight transmission. Energy and life cycle cost (LCC) analysis were used to identify the most cost-effective cladding design for a greenhouse located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (45.4°...
Thermal energy storage (TES) systems can be designed in order to maximize their impact on a specific design target, such as reducing indoor temperature diurnal swings. Identifying the foremost design objective(s) is highly important since different design objectives result in distinct optimal designs. This paper compares several design concepts and...
Housing in northern Canada faces unique climatic, environmental, and social challenges. Over the past half-century, housing shortages and failures due to unsuitable design have resulted in homelessness and overcrowding. For new houses to address these issues, they must be durable, especially the building envelope. One of the main concerns for the b...
Hybrid ventilation can be employed to precool thermally massive buildings, reducing energy consumption for cooling the following day, particularly at night when the outdoor temperature is lower, and especially when its operation is done in a predictive manner by incorporating weather forecasts. An important requirement is defining the temperature l...
A numerical model is developed for simulating a single or multi–story Double Skin Façade integrating Photovoltaics (DSF-PV). The DSF-PV can co-generate solar electricity and heat, while it also allows daylight to be transmitted to the interior space. The buoyancy-driven air flow inside the cavity may be assisted by a fan to cool down the photovolta...
There are a variety of international and local programs that encourage the design and construction of sustainable buildings. Irrespective of the energy targets they pursue or their strictness, all affirm the role of integrated building design. Although its benefits are known, in practice it is seldom delivered in its full potential. Two major issue...
In this paper the energy potential of an innovative Double Skin Façade integrating
Photovoltaics (DSF-P) for different weather conditions is investigated. The proposed system
consists of semi-transparent and opaque PV modules integrated in the exterior skin of the
façade and active shading devices implemented within the cavity. The innovative singl...
In this paper, the energy performance of a façade open loop Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal (BIPV/T) system with air as working thermal fluid is investigated. For this aim a new dynamic simulation model based on a detailed transient finite difference thermal network is developed. For a complete building energy performance analysis, such mo...
The extreme climate and limited nature of local resources in arctic communities create serious challenges for the many Inuit communities. Homelessness and housing shortages are still common, underlining the need for the construction of durable, sustainable, and affordable housing. The building envelope is highly susceptible to moisture damage and d...
As energy availability and demand often do not match, thermal energy storage plays a crucial role to take advantage of solar radiation in buildings: in particular, latent heat storage via phase-change material is particularly attractive due to its ability to provide high energy storage density. This paper analyzes the performance of a building-inte...
The concept of building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) systems emerged in the early 1990s. It has attracted increasing attention since 2000 due to its potential to facilitate the design of net-zero energy buildings through enhanced solar energy utilisation. This article presents a comprehensive review of the BIPV/T technology, including m...
Air-based, open-loop Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal (BIPV/T) systems are an efficient means for generating electricity and useful heat from incident solar energy. However, due to the low heat exchange efficiency of air, overheating issues may occur that can reduce the electrical production of the system, as well as its durability. With th...
This paper presents a methodology for sizing passive thermal energy storage (TES) systems in solaria and greenhouses. Six different configurations are investigated, which encompass the most frequent cases. These configurations are studied with two complementary approaches: frequency response (FR) and finite difference thermal network (FD). FR model...
This article first reviews the energy use in Canadian houses and the current energy-saving practices. Various low-energy house (building) concepts are discussed, and some research projects and initiatives completed in Canada over the last 10–15 years are then briefly outlined. Second, it describes the EcoTerra demonstration low-energy house and its...
Ventilation can be important in maintaining proper attic hygrothermal conditions. In Arctic climates, however, fine blowing snow can infiltrate and accumulate in the attic space, causing serious moisture problems. By using filter membranes along a ventilation path behind the cladding of a building, attics can be ventilated without the risk of snow...
A numerical model is developed for a multi-story
Double Skin Façade integrating Photovoltaics (DSF-P).
The model has the ability to predict the thermal and
electrical performance of the DSF-P system. The air
flow inside the cavity may be assisted by a fan to cool
down the photovoltaics while providing natural or
hybrid ventilation to adjacent zones...
A numerical model is developed for simulating a single or multi–story Double Skin Façade
integrating Photovoltaics (DSF-P). The proposed model enables the prediction of the thermal and
electrical performance of the DSF-P system. The DSF-P can co-generate solar electricity and
heat. The buoyancy-driven air flow inside the cavity may be assisted by a...
This paper examines the selection of appropriate multi-zone models for a test-house
with the goal of finding opportunities to reduce peak electrical power demand due to
space heating. Identification techniques for determining the effective value of
parameters of these models are also explored. Data obtained from three thermal
models of varying comp...
Hollow-core masonry block walls and precast concrete slabs can be used for active thermal energy storage to assist space heating and cooling by circulating air through their hollow-core space. This Building-Integrated Thermal Energy Storage (BITES) approach can provide a significant amount of effective mass for relatively fast thermal energy storag...
This paper presents an experimental and theoretical study of the dynamic response of low mass residential buildings and their respective space heating peak demands for different room temperature setpoint profiles, with a focus on the impact of thermal model resolution on the peak demand calculation. Experiments were conducted at two identically con...
This paper presents an evaluation of the air-based building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) system with multiple inlets for a cold climate for a solar house with a typical roof having 4-5 inlets. The experimental investigation of the BIPV/T prototypes with one and two air inlets in a full-scale solar simulator was conducted to develop the...
This paper presents a new control strategy for improving the performance of one interior and/or exterior planar shade(s). The control strategy is based on performing an energy balance on the fenestration system and calculating the total heat flow (i.e. solar gains + overall heat losses). The heat flow can be maximized or minimized depending on the...
An experimental study of thermal characteristics of a novel two-inlet air-based open-loop building integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPV/T) system using a full-scale solar simulator is presented. Experimental prototypes of one-inlet and two-inlet BIPV/T systems were constructed for conducting comparative experiments. Variations of BIPV/T systems ar...
Arctic homes are based on standards developed for the southern regions despite northern Canada's unique challenges. A performance protocol that integrates the building envelope with other subsystems meant to optimize energy efficiency, durability and project delivery should improve housing standards for the region. The protocol presented in this pa...
BIPV/T collectors incorporated into building envelopes can be used to replace conventional building materials in roofs, skylights or façades. A new design of BIPV/T solar air collector prototype for façade retrofit with emphasis on simplifying the integration into the building envelope was developed. Experimental results show, that this new design...
This paper presents the results of an experimental and numerical study focusing on the control-oriented modelling of an actively charged/discharged phase-change material (PCM) thermal energy storage (TES) system. The PCM-TES system consists of five layers of commercial macro-encapsulated PCM panels with an air cavity in its center. Air can flow thr...
Building Integrated Photovoltaic/Thermal (BIPV/T) collectors take up the role of energy and heat production, while acting as a rain-screen cladding. A multiple inlet BIPV/T system counters the effect of high temperature stratification on the PV layer, by enhancing the convection inside the air channel with the introduction of more than one openings...
The use of semi-transparent photovoltaics (STPV) as a greenhouse cladding material can serve to transmit daylight while providing some shading and solar electricity generation. This paper experimentally validates an energy model of a greenhouse concept employing STPV. The model is then used to compare the energy performance of a full-scale greenhou...
This paper presents an experimental and theoretical study of the dynamic response of residential buildings with different levels of thermal mass and their respective space heating peak demands for different room temperature set point profiles. Experiments were conducted at two identical and highly instrumented houses. One of them is modified with d...
This paper presents the potential impact of semi-transparent photovoltaic windows on the daylighting performance of commercial building façades. The performance of three façade configurations is examined, integrating Si-based, opaque spaced cells and transparent thin film technologies. Simulation results suggest that a semi-transparent photovoltaic...
Selecting optimum windows in heating dominated climates is a complex task because of the inherent trade-off between their U-value and solar heat gain coefficient. In addition, the use of shades is known to reduce heat losses, but they are rarely selected for this intent and considered as an integrated fenestration system at the design stage. This p...
This paper investigates two building thermal modelling approaches: (a) frequency response analysis and (b) low-order grey-box RC thermal network. Frequency response analysis is a valuable tool for building dynamic response characterization and model-based control studies. Low-order models reflecting the dynamic response of the building are essentia...
This study investigates the potential benefits of semi-transparent photovoltaic windows on the energy, daylighting and thermal performance of commercial buildings. A general simulation methodology is proposed and utilized, integrating thermal, electrical and daylighting analysis. The impact of various building design parameters on the selection of...
The study aims at analyzing the performance of Phase Change Materials (PCMs) in residential housing for different climates. This paper presents the results of an experiment performed in the Concordia University Solar Simulator and Environmental Chamber research facility (SSEC, Montreal, Canada). PCM boards were embedded on the back wall of a test h...