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47 pages, 29302 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Advanced Energy Performance Modelling: Case Study of an Engineering and Technology Precinct

by Faham Tahmasebinia, Lin Lin, Shuo Wu, Yifan Kang and Samad Sepesgozar

Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1774; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061774 - 12 Jun 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1580

Abstract

The global demand for energy is significantly impacted by the consumption patterns within the building sector. As such, the importance of energy simulation and prediction is growing exponentially. This research leverages Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodologies, creating a synergy between traditional software methods [...] Read more.

The global demand for energy is significantly impacted by the consumption patterns within the building sector. As such, the importance of energy simulation and prediction is growing exponentially. This research leverages Building Information Modelling (BIM) methodologies, creating a synergy between traditional software methods and algorithm-driven approaches for comprehensive energy analysis. The study also proposes a method for monitoring select energy management factors, a step that could potentially pave the way for the integration of digital twins in energy management systems. The research is grounded in a case study of a newly constructed educational building in New South Wales, Australia. The digital physical model of the building was created using Autodesk Revit, a conventional software for BIM methodology. EnergyPlus, facilitated by OpenStudio, was employed for the traditional software-based energy analysis. The energy analysis output was then used to develop preliminary algorithm models using regression strategies in Python. In this regression analysis, the temperature and relative humidity of each energy unit were used as independent variables, with their energy consumption being the dependent variable. The sigmoid algorithm model, known for its accuracy and interpretability, was employed for advanced energy simulation. This was combined with sensor data for real-time energy prediction. A basic digital twin (DT) example was created to simulate the dynamic control of air conditioning and lighting, showcasing the adaptability and effectiveness of the system. The study also explores the potential of machine learning, specifically reinforcement learning, in optimizing energy management in response to environmental changes and usage conditions. Despite the current limitations, the study identifies potential future research directions. These include enhancing model accuracy and developing complex algorithms to boost energy efficiency and reduce costs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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20 pages, 5386 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Distributionally Robust Demand Response for Heterogeneous Buildings with Rooftop Renewables under Cold Climates

by Xincong Shi, Xinrui Wang, Yuze Ji, Zhiliang Liu and Weiheng Han

Buildings 2024, 14(6), 1530; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14061530 - 25 May 2024

Viewed by 741

Abstract

A considerable penetration of rooftop PV generation and increasing demand for heating loads will enlarge the peak-to-valley difference, imposing a great challenge to the reliable operation of distribution systems under cold climates. The objective of this paper is to establish a distributionally robust [...] Read more.

A considerable penetration of rooftop PV generation and increasing demand for heating loads will enlarge the peak-to-valley difference, imposing a great challenge to the reliable operation of distribution systems under cold climates. The objective of this paper is to establish a distributionally robust demand response (DR) model for building energy systems for suppressing peak-to-valley load ratios by exploiting cooperative complementarity and flexible transformation characteris-tics of various household appliances. The thermodynamic effect of buildings is modeled for harvesting intermittent renewable energy sources (RESs) on the building roof in the form of thermal energy storages to reduce RES curtailments and eliminate thermal comfort violations in cold weather. Furthermore, the Wasserstein metric is adopted to develop the ambiguity set of the uncertainty probability distributions (PDs) of RESs, and thus, only historical data of RES output is needed rather than prior knowledge about the actual PDs. Finally, a computationally tractable mixed-integer linear programming reformulation is derived for the original distributionally robust optimization (DRO) model. The proposed DRO-based DR strategy was performed on multiple buildings over a 24 h scheduling horizon, and comparative studies have validated the effectiveness of the proposed strategy for building energy systems in reducing the peak/valley ratio and decreasing operation costs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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21 pages, 8392 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Resilience-Oriented Planning of Urban Distribution System Source–Network–Load–Storage in the Context of High-Penetrated Building-Integrated Resources

by Sheng Zhu, Ping Wang, Wei Lou, Shilin Shen, Tongtong Liu, Shu Yang, Shizhe Xiang and Xiaodong Yang

Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1197; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051197 - 23 Apr 2024

Viewed by 759

Abstract

Building-integrated flexible resources can offer economical availability to accommodate high-penetrated renewable energy sources (RESs), which can be potentially coordinated to achieve cost-effective supply. This paper proposes a resilience-oriented planning model of urban distribution system source–network–load–storage in the context of high-penetrated building-integrated resources. In [...] Read more.

Building-integrated flexible resources can offer economical availability to accommodate high-penetrated renewable energy sources (RESs), which can be potentially coordinated to achieve cost-effective supply. This paper proposes a resilience-oriented planning model of urban distribution system source–network–load–storage in the context of high-penetrated building-integrated resources. In this model, source–network–load–storage resources are cost-optimally planned, including the lines, soft open point (SOP), building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPVs), building-integrated wind turbine (BIWT), building-integrated energy storage system (ESS), etc. To enhance fault recovery capability during extreme faults, fault scenarios are incorporated into the distribution system operation via coupled multiple recovery stages. The resilience-oriented planning is a thorny problem due to its source–network–load–storage couplings, normal-fault couplings, etc. The original resilience-oriented planning is reformulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem, which can then be solved with a two-stage method and evaluated via a multi-dimensional evaluation metrics. The proposed planning methodology is benchmarked over a Portugal 54-node urban distribution system to verify the superiority and effectiveness on the system economy and resilience levels. Case studies show that the proposed methodology can exploit the optimal synergies of different source–network–load–storage components and enhance system dispatchability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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14 pages, 3745 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Application of Novel Phase Change Material Constructive Solution for Thermal Regulation of Passive Solar Buildings

by António Figueiredo, Tiago Silva, Margarida Gonçalves and António Samagaio

Buildings 2024, 14(2), 493; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020493 - 10 Feb 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1377

Abstract

A comprehensive investigation regarding the hygrothermal behavior of a constructive solution containing phase change materials (PCMs) was performed on a full-scale test cell, divided into two similar compartments. This involved hygrothermal monitoring (indoor air temperature) of the two compartments, in which one had [...] Read more.

A comprehensive investigation regarding the hygrothermal behavior of a constructive solution containing phase change materials (PCMs) was performed on a full-scale test cell, divided into two similar compartments. This involved hygrothermal monitoring (indoor air temperature) of the two compartments, in which one had PCM incorporated into the floor mortar. The main goal of this research was to investigate the potential of this kind of solution for overheating mitigation. The numerical study was conducted using EnergyPlus^® software (version 9.0), exploring different natural ventilation flow rates to gauge the novel solution’s potential to reduce overheating rates. The results from the monitoring studies revealed prolonged periods of thermal discomfort in both test cells, particularly overheating. However, it was proven that the PCM application in one of the test cells led to a reduction of almost 10 °C in the maximum peak of air temperature. In the simulation analysis, the increase in the ventilation rate led to a linear decrease in the overheating hours of up to one renovation per hour, and then the reductions were attenuated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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22 pages, 3862 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Interactive Control of Distribution Systems with Multi-Building Microgrids Based on Game Theory

by Wei Lou, Shenglong Zhu, Bin Xu, Taiyun Zhu, Licheng Sun, Ming Wang and Xunting Wang

Buildings 2024, 14(2), 325; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14020325 - 24 Jan 2024

Viewed by 911

Abstract

In the transactional processes within a multi-building microgrid system, it is imperative to safeguard stakeholders’ interests and ensure stable, economically efficient operation. Therefore, this paper proposes an integrated interactive control of distribution systems with multi-building microgrids based on game theory. Initially, an interactive [...] Read more.

In the transactional processes within a multi-building microgrid system, it is imperative to safeguard stakeholders’ interests and ensure stable, economically efficient operation. Therefore, this paper proposes an integrated interactive control of distribution systems with multi-building microgrids based on game theory. Initially, an interactive framework encompassing superior power grids, distribution network operators, and multi-building microgrids is proposed. This framework establishes a master–slave game model between distribution network operators and multi-building microgrids. Additionally, it introduces the concept of Soft Open Points between building microgrids to enhance system operational safety while also reducing economic costs for distribution network operators. Subsequently, to maintain solution accuracy and optimality, it employs linearization and cone relaxation methods to transform the original model into a mixed-integer second-order cone programming model. Furthermore, it enhances an iterative search method and the price mechanism based on supply and demand ratios. The revised price mechanism serves to boost the participation of building microgrid users in energy regulation, while the iterative search method effectively resolves the equilibrium point of interest among all game participants. Finally, a simulation analysis is conducted on an IEEE-33 test system, and the effectiveness of the proposed strategy is verified by comparing three schemes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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21 pages, 3065 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Peer-to-Peer Transactive Computation–Electricity Trading for Interconnected Virtual Power Plant Buildings

by Zhiping Gao, Wenwen Kang, Xinghua Chen, Sheng Ding, Wei Xu, Degang He, Wenhu Chen and Da Xu

Buildings 2023, 13(12), 3096; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13123096 - 13 Dec 2023

Viewed by 1051

Abstract

Advancements of the virtual power plant (VPP) concept have aggregated buildings as their power plants and/or service providers. This paper proposes a peer-to-peer transactive computation–electricity trading framework for multiple-building virtual power plants (BVPPs). In this framework, the interconnected BVPPs can proactively trade their [...] Read more.

Advancements of the virtual power plant (VPP) concept have aggregated buildings as their power plants and/or service providers. This paper proposes a peer-to-peer transactive computation–electricity trading framework for multiple-building virtual power plants (BVPPs). In this framework, the interconnected BVPPs can proactively trade their available computation–electricity with each other. Multiple BVPP trading is an intractable optimization problem due to its strong computation–electricity decision-making couplings. Thus, the original problem is described as a game theoretic problem and resolved into the sequential subproblems of social computation–electricity allocation and payoff allocation. By considering the local decision-making of heterogeneous BVPPs, a fully distributed algorithm is further designed to optimize the trading problem by sharing only limited trading information. Finally, a three-BVPP system is used to verify the merits of system resource utilization and operational economy. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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21 pages, 4569 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Optimal Cluster Scheduling of Active–Reactive Power for Distribution Network Considering Aggregated Flexibility of Heterogeneous Building-Integrated DERs

by Yu Fu, Shuqing Hao, Junhao Zhang, Liwen Yu, Yuxin Luo and Kuan Zhang

Buildings 2023, 13(11), 2854; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings13112854 - 14 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1036

Abstract

This paper proposes an active–reactive power collaborative scheduling model with cluster division for the flexible distributed energy resources (DERs) of smart-building systems to resolve the high complexity of the centralized optimal scheduling of massive dispersed DERs in the distribution network. Specifically, the optimization [...] Read more.

This paper proposes an active–reactive power collaborative scheduling model with cluster division for the flexible distributed energy resources (DERs) of smart-building systems to resolve the high complexity of the centralized optimal scheduling of massive dispersed DERs in the distribution network. Specifically, the optimization objective of each cluster is to minimize the operational cost, the power-loss cost, and the penalty cost for flexibility deficiency, and the second-order cone-based branch flow method is utilized to convert the power-flow equations into linearized cone constraints, reducing the nonlinearity and heavy computation burden of the scheduling model. Customized virtual battery models for building-integrated flexible DERs are developed to aggregate the power characteristics of flexible resources while quantifying their regulation capacities with time-shifting power and energy boundaries. Moreover, a cluster division algorithm considering the module degree index based on the electrical distance and the flexible balance contribution index is formulated for cluster division to achieve information exchange and energy interaction in the distribution network with a high proportion of building-integrated flexible DERs. Comparative studies have demonstrated the superior performance of the proposed methodology in economic merits and voltage regulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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Review

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17 pages, 4521 KiB

Open AccessReview

Passive Envelope Measures for Improving Energy Efficiency in the Energy Retrofit of Buildings in Italy

by Silvia Brunoro

Buildings 2024, 14(7), 2128; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14072128 - 11 Jul 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1194

Abstract

The Italian territory is characterized by a big increase in energetic demand, especially for cooling, mainly related to climate change but also to the poor quality of a consistent construction sector, such as the suburban 1960–1980 building stock. At the same time, the [...] Read more.

The Italian territory is characterized by a big increase in energetic demand, especially for cooling, mainly related to climate change but also to the poor quality of a consistent construction sector, such as the suburban 1960–1980 building stock. At the same time, the cost of fuel and electricity due to the recent war events forces us to find alternative solutions to save energy in buildings. This study proposes building envelope passive design strategies to improve the energy efficiency of residential buildings in the Mediterranean climate, which is typical of the Italian territory. The main purpose is to provide an overview of potential passive measures to improve the energetic quality of construction in response to the above-mentioned issues and consequently to the increasing restrictions of energy regulations (passive buildings and NzeB). A categorization of passive measures is provided by exploring three different passive behaviors: heat reduction, heat gain, and heat protection. Specific energy-efficient measures for building retrofit are investigated according to this classification, including solar greenhouses, natural ventilation techniques, and radiative, convective, and conductive heat transfer through opaque and transparent envelopes. As the building envelope is mainly responsible for heating exchange and accounts for 50% of the overall energy balance, it is concluded that the “ad hoc” design of building envelopes can significantly improve the overall thermal performance of residential buildings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Strategies for Building Energy Efficiency)

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