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Abstract

The rapidly growing world energy use has already raised concerns over supply difficulties, exhaustion of energy resources and heavy environmental impacts (ozone layer depletion, global warming, climate change, etc.). The global contribution from buildings towards energy consumption, both residential and commercial, has steadily increased reaching figures between 20% and 40% in developed countries, and has exceeded the other major sectors: industrial and transportation. Growth in population, increasing demand for building services and comfort levels, together with the rise in time spent inside buildings, assure the upward trend in energy demand will continue in the future. For this reason, energy efficiency in buildings is today a prime objective for energy policy at regional, national and international levels. Among building services, the growth in HVAC systems energy use is particularly significant (50% of building consumption and 20% of total consumption in the USA). This paper analyses available information concerning energy consumption in buildings, and particularly related to HVAC systems. Many questions arise: Is the necessary information available? Which are the main building types? What end uses should be considered in the breakdown? Comparisons between different countries are presented specially for commercial buildings. The case of offices is analysed in deeper detail.

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Preprint
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Conference Paper
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... The barriers in the adoption of UFAD systems are: 1) still new and unfamiliar technology, 2) lack of information and design guidelines, 3) no whole-building simulation program for the system, 4) high initial costs, 5) condensation and dehumidification issues, and 6) spillage and dirt entering the UFAD systems [6]. Fig. 2 Sample of the UFAD Systems According to the published statistics, the HVAC systems consume significant as 50% of building consumption [8,9]. The heuristic techniques such as neural networks, support vector machine, and boosting tree have largely expanded to the modeling process of HVAC. ...
... Buildings account for over 40% of global energy usage and associated greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing efficiency imperative to curb climate change impacts (International Energy Agency, 2021). Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems alone consume almost half of a typical building's energy (Pérez-Lombard, Ortiz, & Pout, 2008). This signifies substantial potential for optimization. ...
Article
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... One of the biggest challenges in the realization of nZEB and ultimately in the transition to Zero-Emission Buildings (ZEB) is the effective management of thermal bridges, i.e. places in the building envelope where the heat flow is significantly higher than in the surrounding areas. Thermal bridges can lead to increased heat loss, condensation problems and lower overall energy efficiency of buildings [1]. Modern materials and construction techniques are used to mitigate these effects. ...
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Chapter
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... Furthermore, the diversification of heat sources has contributed to a growing number of consumers opting to install heat pumps for heating purposes, often due to limited access to hot water and central heating systems. Air conditioning systems account for approximately 50% of the total energy consumption in commercial buildings [1][2][3][4]. In Europe, this figure rises to 53% for commercial buildings and 64% for residential buildings [5]. ...
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... Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are designed to regulate indoor temperature, maintain air quality, and control humidity for optimal occupant comfort in buildings. HVAC systems constitute a significant portion of energy use in both residential and commercial buildings, accounting for roughly half of the total energy consumption in these structures [2]. The air handling unit (AHU), as a key subsystem of HVAC systems, is responsible for introducing fresh air and removing exhaust air. ...
Conference Paper
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... Perez-Lombard et al stated that the energy consumption by both residential and commercial buildings in developed countries accounts for 20-40% of total energy used. Those energies are mainly used for space heating and cooling for residential buildings and lighting for commercial buildings [16]. The major electric loads in a building are lighting, air conditioning, and equipment. ...
Article
This research focuses on the energy performance of buildings with glass windows to allow daylight in three different locations in India. The utilization of glass in modern commercial buildings is rapidly increasing for aesthetic views and daylighting through the glazing. Much research has been conducted on WWR and daylight integration into the building through window glazing. In this study, the window area is distributed to different cardinal directions and the result is compared with the reference building in the study location. Focus has been given to optimizing WWR for different window combinations. Energy consumption in eleven different window combinations and five different WWRs were studied. The result shows the reduction of total energy consumption of buildings with different window combinations as a result of the integration of daylight. Window combinations for higher WWR and the optimum value of WWR in all window combinations are determined.
... This issue becomes more pronounced during the summer months, as heightened ambient temperatures significantly impact the energy demands of buildings, predominantly due to elevated cooling requirements (Angizeh et al. 2021;Shen et al. 2023;Alhindi et al. 2023). The extensive deployment of air conditioning systems has led to a marked increase in electricity consumption over recent decades (Pablo-Romero et al. 2022;Pérez-Lombard 2008). This escalating trend in electricity use is particularly concerning as it outpaces the growth in Gross Domestic Product (GDP), primary energy consumption, and population growth (Salvati 2017;Angizeh et al. 2023;Al-Awadhi 2022). ...
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... Further on, space conditioning already accounts for a significant proportion of energy use in developed countries, comprising half of building energy use and one fifth of total national energy use [9]. In less developed countries, achieving the proposed ventilation rate would pose an even greater challenge given that most buildings rely on natural ventilation through opening windows, which could compromise thermal conditions and increase occupants' exposure to unfiltered outdoor pollutants. ...
... Presently, our energy demand is fulfilled by an approximately 80% combustion of fossil fuels, which is highly injurious to human health due to respiration disorders, asthma, and many other health-related issues. Likewise, emissions cause environmental hazards related to air pollution, the deterioration of the ozone layer, and hence global contributions to warming [1,2]. The International Energy Agency has forecast that the demand for energy is expected to increase globally by 37% in the year 2040 [3]. ...
Article
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In this paper, the impact of phase change material (PCM) integration into building envelopes is evaluated, considering a coastal mediterranean climate. PCM integration represents an innovative technology to lower construction’s heating and cooling loads. A case study was conducted on PCM integration into a Lebanese structure’s envelope where the thermal performance and energy effectiveness were assessed. A significant reduction was observed for both cooling and heating loads. Simulations revealed that the optimal PCMs were those whose melting temperatures were between 21 °C and 24 °C under the Mediterranean weather conditions, showing the importance of selecting the appropriate PCM to enhance energy savings. The annual energy savings calculated were between 11% and 13.4%. The study also emphasized the impact of the specified heating and cooling temperatures within the comfort range on the effectiveness of PCM integration. The results show that optimal PCM selection is a function of the weather conditions and indoor temperature settings.
... This prevailing dependence on mechanical air conditioning has contributed to a regrettable increase in energy consumption and CO 2 emissions within the building sector [10]. Over the past few decades, building energy consumption has witnessed a significant increase due to population growth, extended indoor time, high building appliance demands, and a growing emphasis on indoor environmental quality [11][12][13]. While many countries are advancing toward sustainable development goals and net-zero objectives by instituting rigorous energy efficiency standards and guidelines for the building sector, the urgency of this issue is not being adequately addressed in Afghanistan. ...
Article
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Building or solar orientation, a key architectural design parameter, significantly influences energy consumption in buildings. Optimizing building orientation to harness passive solar benefits is a fundamental and cost-effective measure in designing energy-efficient buildings. However, the optimal orientation varies based on geographical location, climatic conditions, and building type. Notably, Afghanistan’s building sector currently lacks tailored energy efficiency regulations. Therefore, this study investigates the impact of building orientation on the energy performance of residential buildings across nine cities in Afghanistan, each characterized by distinct climatic conditions and geographic locations, employing BEoptTM energy simulation software. The findings reveal diverse optimal orientations, dividing the country into three distinct climatic zones: subarctic (optimal orientation: south-southeast), continental (optimal orientation: south), and hot-arid (optimal orientation: north). The optimal orientations in these regions yield potential energy savings ranging from 25.6% to 48.9% compared to the least efficient orientations. These insights are critical for establishing location-specific building regulations in Afghanistan, promoting energy-efficient design, and addressing the country’s current trend of unsustainable development.
... Globally, the building sector uses about 40% of primary energy and contributes to approximately 36% of greenhouse gas emissions [17][18][19]. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems represent a significant portion of this energy use, especially in large-space enclosures, where they can account for 40-80% of the total energy supply [20-23]. ...
Article
Full-text available
Insulating building envelopes is crucial for maintaining indoor thermal comfort, particularly in large-space enclosures like greenhouses having transparent envelopes. Transparent envelopes allow natural light but challenge temperature regulation due to their low thermal mass and high U-values, which enable significant heat transfer between indoor and outdoor environments. This field study aims to experimentally investigate whether warm wall confluent jets (WCJs) can maintain the required indoor climate conditions in a greenhouse exposed to dynamic meteorological conditions in winter. It analyzed the impact of the airflow rate, number of nozzle rows, and room air temperature setpoint on WCJ heating performance on the ceiling, external wall, and room air. Measurements were performed with thermocouples and constant current anemometers, and the response surface methodology evaluated the effect of design variables on WCJ flow, thermal behavior, and the indoor environment. The results show that WCJs provided recommended air velocities and temperatures indoors, with the airflow rate having the strongest effect on flow and thermal behavior, while the number of nozzle rows had a moderate effect. This study developed response surface models related to room air temperature, ceiling surface temperature, external wall temperature, and supply air temperature. Supply temperatures between 27 °C and 40 °C suggest using low-exergy heat sources, like industrial waste heat, to sustain greenhouse operations during winter.
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Developing a green energy strategy for municipalities requires creating a framework to support the local production, storage, and use of renewable energy and green hydrogen. This framework should cover essential components for small-scale applications, including energy sources, infrastructure, potential uses, policy backing, and collaborative partnerships. It is deployed as a small-scale renewable and green hydrogen unit in a municipality or building demands meticulous planning and considering multiple elements. Municipality can promote renewable energy and green hydrogen by adopting policies such as providing financial incentives like property tax reductions, grants, and subsidies for solar, wind, and hydrogen initiatives. They can also streamline approval processes for renewable energy installations, invest in hydrogen refueling stations and community energy projects, and collaborate with provinces and neighboring municipalities to develop hydrogen corridors and large-scale renewable projects. Renewable energy and clean hydrogen have significant potential to enhance sustainability in the transportation, building, and mining sectors by replacing fossil fuels. In Canada, where heating accounts for 80% of building energy use, blending hydrogen with LPG can reduce emissions. This study proposes a comprehensive approach integrating renewable energy and green hydrogen to support small-scale applications. The study examines many scenarios in a building as a case study, focusing on economic and greenhouse gas (GHG) emission impacts. The optimum scenario uses a hybrid renewable energy system to meet two distinct electrical needs, with 53% designated for lighting and 10% for equipment with annual saving CAD87,026.33.ThesecondscenarioexploresutilizingahydrogenLPGblendasfuelforthermalloads,covering40 87,026.33. The second scenario explores utilizing a hydrogen-LPG blend as fuel for thermal loads, covering 40% and 60% of the total demand, respectively. This approach reduces greenhouse gas emissions from 540 to 324 tCO2/year, resulting in an annual savings of CAD 251,406. This innovative approach demonstrates the transformative potential of renewable energy and green hydrogen in enhancing energy efficiency and sustainability across sectors, including transportation, buildings, and mining.
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In the quest for advanced materials with superior thermal insulation properties, silica aerogels have emerged as a promising candidate due to their ultra-low density, high porosity, and low thermal conductivity. This study focuses on the enhancement of thermal insulation properties of silica aerogels for energy-efficient applications, particularly in building insulation and industrial processes. We employed a sol-gel process combined with ambient pressure drying (APD) to synthesize silica aerogels with tailored pore structures and reduced thermal conductivity. A series of silica aerogels were prepared by varying key synthesis parameters, including precursor concentration, aging time, and surface modification techniques. The resulting aerogels were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms (BET analysis), and thermal conductivity measurements. The study revealed that the pore size distribution and surface area of the aerogels could be effectively controlled, leading to significant reductions in thermal conductivity. Notably, the optimized aerogels achieved a thermal conductivity as low as 0.015 W/m·K, making them among the most efficient thermal insulators reported to date. In addition to their exceptional thermal properties, the mechanical strength and hydrophobicity of the aerogels were also enhanced through surface modification with organosilanes, ensuring durability and performance in harsh environments. The potential applications of these enhanced silica aerogels were explored in the context of energy-efficient building insulation, where they demonstrated a substantial reduction in heat loss compared to conventional insulation materials. The findings of this study highlight the potential of silica aerogels as a key material for the development of energy-efficient technologies. The synthesis process employed is scalable and environmentally friendly, making it suitable for industrial production. Future work will focus on further improving the mechanical properties and exploring hybrid aerogel composites for multifunctional applications.
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Mekanik sistemlerin tükettikleri enerjilerin, sistemlere bağlı yatırım maliyetlerinin ve işletme maliyetlerinin ekonomi üzerindeki etkisi tartışılmazdır. Özellikle Türkiye gibi enerji tüketimi yoğun olan ve iklim koşulları ülke genelinde sert olan ülkelerde yüksek maliyet kalemlerinden biri olan soğutma/ısıtma sistemlerine ayrılan maliyet önemli bir sorun olarak görülmektedir. Çözüme yönelik sistem seçimlerinde yatırım ve işletme maliyetleri öncelikli ölçüt olmaktadır. Teknolojinin gelişmesiyle birlikte çelik boruların, kazanların, chiller gruplarının ve vanaların yerini, paket halinde üretilmiş ve içerisinde soğutma çevrimini gerçekleştirerek ısı alan ve tersinir olarak çalışıp ısı veren VRF (değişken soğutucu akışkan akışı) sistemleri almıştır. Bu gelişme ekipmanları koruma altına almayı da kolaylaştırmıştır. Bu çalışmada Marmara bölgesinde yer alan 300 odalı bir otel esas alınarak, Kazan-Chiller-Fancoil sistemi ile VRF sistemi yatırım, yaz-kış işletme ve bakım maliyetleri ele alınarak kıyaslanmıştır. Sonuç olarak VRF sisteminin ilk yatırım maliyeti açısından yaklaşık olarak %16 daha dezavantajlıyken, yaz-kış işletme ve bakım maliyetleri ele alındığında yaklaşık olarak yıllık %14 daha avantajlıdır ve bu sayede bir yıl gibi kısa bir sürede yatırım maliyetini amorti ettiği hesaplanmıştır.
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Due to the high energy consumption characteristics of industrial warehouse buildings, the demand for energy regeneration technology is increasingly urgent. In recent years, with the rapid development of building energy technology, warehouse building energy regeneration technology has made remarkable progress in energy conservation and sustainable development. A deep understanding of the previous research progress and trends can provide the scientific basis for guiding subsequent in-depth research. Through the bibliometric analysis of 145 journal articles collected from the Web of Science (WoS) database between 2004 and 2024, this research has studied the research trends and progress on the application of energy regeneration in industrial warehouse buildings. This study first revealed the overall development trend of energy regeneration technology in warehouse buildings through quantitative analysis, indicating that related research is growing rapidly. Core scholars in the field such as Lund H. and Mathiesen B.V., as well as major journals such as Energy and Sustainability, have been identified through the analysis of the literature. Five core research themes, including energy efficiency improvement and regeneration technology, renewable energy system design, life cycle sustainable technology, renewable energy utility assessment, and policy support and energy consumption simulation, were identified through cluster analysis. Through evolutionary analysis, this study demonstrates the development process of energy regeneration in warehouse buildings and the critical role played by advances in new energy technologies in the field of warehouse construction. On this basis, this study proposes current key research directions, including energy life cycle assessment, energy regeneration environment optimization, and energy system management. The research on the energy regeneration of warehouse buildings has gradually become an important cross-subject of architecture and energy technology, providing technical support for the transformation of low-carbon storage buildings. The analysis of the current research status, evolutionary logic, and research trends can provide scientific references for further in-depth research and technological applications in this field.
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Energy consumption is indeed a significant challenge in many countries. It is important to promote sustainable practices for energy and resource conservation for future generations. Sustainable practices may be developed through architectural standards. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of architectural standards on energy consumption, especially in high-rise residential buildings located in Northern Iraq. To meet our aim, we collected primary data through a survey of five high-rise residential buildings that had different architectural standards located in Northern Iraq. Smart PLS-SEM was used for data analysis to obtain the results of the investigation. Our findings show that all the architecture standards, such as residential building envelope design, residential building system and control, residential building shape and massing, green roof and facade design, ventilation and natural ventilation, orientation and solar gain, and thermal comfort and insulation, have positive impacts on energy consumption, indicating the selected high-rise residential building have not followed the international standard in Iraq and have high energy consumption that is not cost-effective. Moreover, window design has a significant negative impact on energy consumption, indicating low energy consumption due to attractive and international standard window design. This study has significant implications for government, policy makers, architects, engineers, and stakeholders.
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