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Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems
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Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "G: Energy and Buildings".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 April 2023) | Viewed by 25105

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Effrosyni Giama

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Process Equipment Design Laboratory, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece
Interests: building energy upgrade; environmental impact analysis; renewable energy systems; carbon footprint analysis; life cycle analysis; circular economy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the last twenty years, there is an increasing demand for raw materials and primary energy, linked to rapidly expanding economies. The crucial question is, if there are enough resources to satisfy such a demand and if satisfying the demand in a “business as usual” way, is environmentally but also morally acceptable. Buildings have a considerable energy and environmental impact that corresponds to almost 30% of the global carbon footprint, with a prediction for future growth. Innovative thinking on the urban built environment is needed as a driving force; evolution from sustainability to resilience can act as an effective guide for designing and constructing energy efficient buildings with reduced carbon footprint and environmental impact based on circularity goals. In terms of urban sustainability and resilience, policies and legislative targets promote energy efficiency as well as environmental, economic and social aspects for the integrated design and evaluation of buildings and systems.

In this context, this Special Issue invites research papers that discuss the monitoring and  evaluation of buildings’ energy and environmental performance, technologies and measures to improve it, as well as policy and regulatory aspects. The selection of papers for this Special Issue will be based not only on their innovation and originality, but also on their findings providing a valuable contribution to the scientific community.

Dr. Effrosyni Giama
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Energies is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • energy and environmental performance simulation
  • renewable energy systems
  • indoor air quality
  • environmental impact analysis and management

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Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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20 pages, 1645 KiB  
Article
Empowering Owner-Operators of Small and Medium Commercial Buildings to Identify Energy Retrofit Opportunities
by Fernanda Cruz Rios, Sulaiman Al Sultan, Oswald Chong and Kristen Parrish
Energies 2023, 16(17), 6191; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16176191 - 25 Aug 2023
Viewed by 1054
Abstract
Small and medium commercial buildings account for nearly half of the energy consumed by commercial buildings in the United States. While energy retrofits can significantly reduce building energy consumption, buildings’ owners often lack the capital and experience to perform detailed energy audits and [...] Read more.
Small and medium commercial buildings account for nearly half of the energy consumed by commercial buildings in the United States. While energy retrofits can significantly reduce building energy consumption, buildings’ owners often lack the capital and experience to perform detailed energy audits and retrofit assessments. The purpose of this paper is to introduce a low-investment, bottom-up and simplified methodology for identifying energy retrofit opportunities that benefit the owners of small and medium sized office buildings In particular, the paper addresses small and medium commercial buildings on a university campus as a proof-of-concept for other owner-operators that have small and medium commercial facilities in their portfolio. The methodology consists of an eight-step framework using publicly-available and simplified tools. While energy audits and retrofit opportunity assessments are not new, a low-cost methodology for owner-operators of small and medium commercial buildings to analyze energy consumption and identify retrofit opportunities represents a contribution to knowledge. A medium office building on a university campus in Arizona served as a case study to validate the methodology. The case study showed a maximum potential energy reduction of an estimated 50%, but the figure varies based on the types of retrofit (deep versus light), energy conservation measures selected and implemented, invested resources, and interactive effects between measures. This methodology is extensible to other owner-operators that have building utility data and would like to perform retrofit opportunity assessments themselves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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16 pages, 4851 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of the Hygrothermal Conditions of a Typical Residential Building in the Azores Archipelago
by João Malça, Ricardo M. S. F. Almeida and José A. R. Mendes Silva
Energies 2023, 16(13), 5075; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16135075 - 30 Jun 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1113
Abstract
This article contributes to the assessment of the hygrothermal conditions of residential buildings in the Azores archipelago and defines strategies that may contribute to the improvement in indoor air quality. These objectives were fulfilled by in situ monitoring of the hygrothermal conditions of [...] Read more.
This article contributes to the assessment of the hygrothermal conditions of residential buildings in the Azores archipelago and defines strategies that may contribute to the improvement in indoor air quality. These objectives were fulfilled by in situ monitoring of the hygrothermal conditions of a typical building on Terceira Island. Complementary tests to determine the thermal conductivity of exterior walls and ventilation rates were also conducted. The results were used to validate a simulation model, and different ventilation strategies were simulated using the combined heat, air, and moisture transfer model in EnergyPlus. The model took into account the typical construction methods and materials of the archipelago, as well as the reference weather data sets available for the region. The monitoring campaign showed that the percentage of time in which thermal comfort conditions were achieved was very low, varying from 5% to 32%, being the main cause for discomfort in the humidity level in the indoor environment. The simulation results pointed out the sensitivity of the problem, showing that ventilation may not always be, by itself, beneficial to thermal comfort. In particular, ventilation strategies should be established taking into account additional criteria other than the air change rate, namely the periods of the day and year in which ventilation should be performed, as well as the duration of these periods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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18 pages, 9348 KiB  
Article
Generating Occupancy Profiles for Building Simulations Using a Hybrid GNN and LSTM Framework
by Yuan Xie and Spyridon Stravoravdis
Energies 2023, 16(12), 4638; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16124638 - 11 Jun 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1567
Abstract
Building occupancy profiles are critical in thermal and energy simulations. However, determining an accurate occupancy profile is difficult due to its stochastic nature. In most simulations, the occupant activities are usually represented by fixed yearly schedules, which are often derived from guides and [...] Read more.
Building occupancy profiles are critical in thermal and energy simulations. However, determining an accurate occupancy profile is difficult due to its stochastic nature. In most simulations, the occupant activities are usually represented by fixed yearly schedules, which are often derived from guides and other similar sources and may not represent the simulated building accurately. Therefore, an inaccuracy in defining occupancy profiles can be a source of error in building simulations. Over the past few years machine learning has become very popular due to its ability to reveal hidden patterns and relationships between data and this makes it suitable for investigating patterns in occupancy data. This study proposes a novel hybrid model combining the Graph Neural Network and the Long Short-term Memory neural network (LSTM) to predict the occupancy of individual rooms on a typical office floor. The proposed Graph LSTM model can produce high-resolution occupancy profiles of an office that are in good agreement with the reference occupancy profiles of the same office. The reference occupancy profiles for this office were derived from an agent-based model using AnyLogic and were not used in the training of the neural network. The proposed Graph LSTM model outperformed other neural networks tested such as the Recurrent Neural Network (RNN), the Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) and LSTM. When Graph LSTM is compared to the other neural networks tested, there is a range of improvement between 13.5 and 14.6% in the index of agreement, 38.3 and 46.8% in mean absolute error and 34.4 and 40.0% in root mean square error, when averaging the differences over the whole office. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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20 pages, 13096 KiB  
Article
Numerical Investigation of a Novel Controlled-Temperature Double-Skin Façade (DSF) Building Element
by Loucas Georgiou, Nicholas Afxentiou and Paris A. Fokaides
Energies 2023, 16(4), 1836; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16041836 - 12 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1320
Abstract
This paper investigates a novel controlled-temperature double-skin façade (DSF) building element. A three-dimensional time-dependent numerical model was developed for six different geometries for the investigation of thermal performance under different orientations (azimuth 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°). The boundary conditions of the numerical [...] Read more.
This paper investigates a novel controlled-temperature double-skin façade (DSF) building element. A three-dimensional time-dependent numerical model was developed for six different geometries for the investigation of thermal performance under different orientations (azimuth 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°). The boundary conditions of the numerical model were determined with the PVGIS tool and adjusted with the sol-air temperature equation. The results of the numerical simulation were validated with the use of measurements from an experimental test cell. The numerical results indicated an improved thermal performance when temperature-controlled air and flow were supplied through the building envelope with annual total energy savings in kWh/m2 of 1.99, 1.38, 2.13 and 2.06 for azimuth 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°, respectively. In regard to the total energy savings in %, the maximum benefit was considered to be in the winter season, with values of 65, 29, 80 and 28 for azimuth 0°, 90°, 180° and 270°, respectively. The experimental measurements revealed the test cell’s ability to maintain a relatively constant internal surface temperature and to not be significantly affected by the orientation and diverse ambient conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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15 pages, 3345 KiB  
Article
Building Energy Simulations Based on Weather Forecast Meteorological Model: The Case of an Institutional Building in Greece
by Effrosyni Giama, Georgios Chantzis, Serafim Kontos, Stavros Keppas, Anastasia Poupkou, Natalia Liora and Dimitrios Melas
Energies 2023, 16(1), 191; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010191 - 24 Dec 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2270
Abstract
The vision of decarbonization creates the need to design and construct even more energy-efficient buildings. This current target is even more compelling and challenging. The main issue when designing energy-efficient buildings is to identify present and future building energy requirements. A trending method [...] Read more.
The vision of decarbonization creates the need to design and construct even more energy-efficient buildings. This current target is even more compelling and challenging. The main issue when designing energy-efficient buildings is to identify present and future building energy requirements. A trending method for solving this problem is dynamic building energy simulation. One of the main inputs during energy simulation is weather data. However, the real problem lies in the fact that standard weather data are good at defining the present situation, and they help in designing buildings that behave efficiently under current climate conditions. To achieve the goal of constructing climate proof buildings, the Weather Research and Forecast meteorological model (WRF) was used to predict future climate scenarios. At first, data from previous years (2006–2010) were used to represent the current climate. The model was used to generate future climate data. Thus, results were produced for 5 year periods 2046–2050 and 2096–2100. These data were used for the energy simulation of an office building in Thessaloniki, Greece. The simulation results showed a reduction in heating loads by approximately 20% in the long term and a simultaneous impressive increase in cooling loads by 60%, highlighting the inadequacy of the existing building shell, as well as the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system design. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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28 pages, 3380 KiB  
Article
Modeling and Optimization of Smart Building Energy Management System Considering Both Electrical and Thermal Load
by Muhammad Hilal Khan, Azzam Ul Asar, Nasim Ullah, Fahad R. Albogamy and Muhammad Kashif Rafique
Energies 2022, 15(2), 574; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15020574 - 13 Jan 2022
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3566
Abstract
Energy consumption in buildings is expected to increase by 40% over the next 20 years. Electricity remains the largest source of energy used by buildings, and the demand for it is growing. Building energy improvement strategies is needed to mitigate the impact of [...] Read more.
Energy consumption in buildings is expected to increase by 40% over the next 20 years. Electricity remains the largest source of energy used by buildings, and the demand for it is growing. Building energy improvement strategies is needed to mitigate the impact of growing energy demand. Introducing a smart energy management system in buildings is an ambitious yet increasingly achievable goal that is gaining momentum across geographic regions and corporate markets in the world due to its potential in saving energy costs consumed by the buildings. This paper presents a Smart Building Energy Management system (SBEMS), which is connected to a bidirectional power network. The smart building has both thermal and electrical power loops. Renewable energy from wind and photo-voltaic, battery storage system, auxiliary boiler, a fuel cell-based combined heat and power system, heat sharing from neighboring buildings, and heat storage tank are among the main components of the smart building. A constraint optimization model has been developed for the proposed SBEMS and the state-of-the-art real coded genetic algorithm is used to solve the optimization problem. The main characteristics of the proposed SBEMS are emphasized through eight simulation cases, taking into account the various configurations of the smart building components. In addition, EV charging is also scheduled and the outcomes are compared to the unscheduled mode of charging which shows that scheduling of Electric Vehicle charging further enhances the cost-effectiveness of smart building operation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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21 pages, 3086 KiB  
Article
Study on Air-to-Water Heat Pumps Seasonal Performances for Heating in Greece
by Georgios A. Mouzeviris and Konstantinos T. Papakostas
Energies 2022, 15(1), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010279 - 1 Jan 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2747
Abstract
Air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs) is a very good option for efficient heating in the residential and commercial building sectors. Their performance and therefore the use of primary energy and CO2 gas emissions are affected by various factors. The aim of this paper [...] Read more.
Air-to-water heat pumps (AWHPs) is a very good option for efficient heating in the residential and commercial building sectors. Their performance and therefore the use of primary energy and CO2 gas emissions are affected by various factors. The aim of this paper is to present a study on the seasonal coefficient of performance in heating (SCOP) of AWHPs, which are available in the Greek market. The sample consists of 100 models in total, offered by 12 manufacturers, in a range of heat pump’s thermal capacity up to 50 kW. The calculation of SCOP values was performed according to the methodology proposed by the EN14825 standard. The results indicate how the heating capacity, the local climate, the supply water temperature, the compressor’s technology, and the control system affect the seasonal performance of the various AWHP models examined. Setting the SCOP ≥ 3 value as a criterion, the analysis that was carried out in four climatic zones A, B, C, and D of Greece, shows that there are many models that meet this criterion, and, in fact, their number increases from the coldest to warmer climates, in combination with lower water supply temperatures to the heating system and a control system with weather compensation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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14 pages, 250 KiB  
Article
Review on Ventilation Systems for Building Applications in Terms of Energy Efficiency and Environmental Impact Assessment
by Effrosyni Giama
Energies 2022, 15(1), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15010098 - 23 Dec 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 4381
Abstract
Buildings are responsible for approximately 30–40% of energy consumption in Europe, and this is a fact. Along with this fact is also evident the existence of a defined and strict legislation framework regarding energy efficiency, decarbonization, sustainability, and renewable energy systems in building [...] Read more.
Buildings are responsible for approximately 30–40% of energy consumption in Europe, and this is a fact. Along with this fact is also evident the existence of a defined and strict legislation framework regarding energy efficiency, decarbonization, sustainability, and renewable energy systems in building applications. Moreover, information and communication technologies, along with smart metering for efficient monitoring, has come to cooperate with a building’s systems (smart buildings) to aim for more advanced and efficient energy management. Furthermore, the well-being in buildings still remains a crucial issue, especially nowadays that health and air quality are top priority goals for occupants. Taking all the above into consideration, this paper aims to analyze ventilation technologies in relation to energy consumption and environmental impact assessment using the life cycle approach. Based on the review analysis of the existing ventilation technologies, the emphasis is given to parameters related to the efficient technical design of ventilation systems and their adequate maintenance under the defined guidelines and standards of mechanical ventilation operation. These criteria can be the answer to the complicated issue of energy efficiency along with indoor air quality targets. The ventilation systems are presented in cooperation with heating and cooling system operations and renewable energy system applications ensuring an energy upgrade and reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Finally, the mechanical ventilation is examined in a non-residential building in Greece. The system is compared with the conventional construction typology of the building and in cooperation with PVs installation in terms of the environmental impact assessment and energy efficiency. The methodology implemented for the environmental evaluation is the Life Cycle Analysis supported by OpenLca software. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
26 pages, 6455 KiB  
Article
Influence of Cold Water Inlets and Obstacles on the Energy Efficiency of the Hot Water Production Process in a Hot Water Storage Tank
by Agnieszka Malec, Tomasz Cholewa and Alicja Siuta-Olcha
Energies 2021, 14(20), 6509; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14206509 - 11 Oct 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2054
Abstract
Domestic hot water preparation is one of the main sources of energy consumption in households. One of the most important elements of domestic hot water (DHW) preparation installation is the storage tank. Its design can significantly affect the efficiency of the system and [...] Read more.
Domestic hot water preparation is one of the main sources of energy consumption in households. One of the most important elements of domestic hot water (DHW) preparation installation is the storage tank. Its design can significantly affect the efficiency of the system and energy consumption for hot water preparation. This paper presents the results of an experimental study to examine seven different designs of the cold water inlet to the storage tank and the use of two types of obstacles inside this tank placed at three different heights. The number of stratification and the energy efficiency of the system for each variant were examined. Additionally, tests were carried out for different profiles of hot water consumption in order to examine the temperature changes in the DHW tank. A system with an inlet, as an elbow facing down with a single plate, turned out to be the most advantageous variant (3–8% increase in energy efficiency compared to the basic inlet variant). An analogous analysis of the use of obstacles inside the tank showed that the most optimal solution is to place the partition, which allows the water flow on the sides of the tank, in its lower parts (energy efficiency higher by up to 15% compared to the variant without a partition). These solutions showed the highest energy efficiency for DHW production and the lowest energy demand for hot water heating in the tank among all analyzed variants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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28 pages, 962 KiB  
Review
Selection and Dimensioning of Energy Storage Systems for Standalone Communities: A Review
by Maria Symeonidou and Agis M. Papadopoulos
Energies 2022, 15(22), 8631; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228631 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3367
Abstract
The European Union’s energy and climate policies are geared on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and advancing sustainable energy, focusing on a faster propagation of renewable energy sources to decarbonize the energy sector. The management of locally produced energy, which can be implemented by [...] Read more.
The European Union’s energy and climate policies are geared on reducing carbon dioxide emissions and advancing sustainable energy, focusing on a faster propagation of renewable energy sources to decarbonize the energy sector. The management of locally produced energy, which can be implemented by a microgrid capable of either being linked to the main grid or operating independently, is equally crucial. Additionally, it seems that electricity storage is the only practical way to manage energy effectively within a microgrid. Energy storage is hence one of the main technological parameters upon which future energy management has to be based. Especially during crisis periods (such as the COVID-19 pandemic or the ongoing energy crisis), storage is a valuable tool to optimize energy management, particularly from renewables, in order to successfully cover demand fluctuation, hence achieving resilience, while at the same time reducing overall energy costs. The purpose of the paper is to analyze and present, in brief, the state-of-the-art of the energy storage systems that are available on the market and discuss the upcoming technological improvements of the storage systems and, in particular, of batteries. The analysis will focus on the storage systems that can be used within a stand-alone community such as a microgrid, but not limited to it. In the analysis, short- and long-term storage options are discussed, as well as varying storage capacities of the different technologies. The analysis is based on contemporary optimization tools and methods used for standalone communities. Understanding the state-of-the-art of energy storage technology is crucial in order to achieve optimum solutions and will form the base for any further research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy and Environmental Management of Buildings and Systems)
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