Lu Aye; Charters, WWS; Fandino, A & Robinson, J 2006 'Quantifying performance of energy efficient design features in new office buildings', Rethinking Sustainable Construction 2006 (RSC06): Next Generation Green Buildings, 12th Rinker International Conference,19-22 September 2006, Sarasota, Florida. pp. 1-38.

Abstract

Selection of energy efficient design features (EEDFs) has the greatest impact on the life cycle energy (LCE) used of office buildings. However, the lack of standardised procedures, as well as best practice information and guidelines, precludes designers from using them widely. A building simulation model was developed in TRNSYS to investigate the characteristic behaviour of EEDFs on the LCE used of new office buildings. The study quantified embodied energy and primary energy (PE) consumed for space cooling and heating of a recently constructed office building in Melbourne, Australia. This building incorporates EEDFs including North orientation, low u-values, double glazing and energy efficient HVAC systems. Through a series of computer simulations with different scenarios, the impacts of the variability of EEDFs on the LCE of the building are assessed. Outcomes from this study include a building simulation model that quantifies the energy performance of office buildings, whereby a best achievable design derived from the relationship between EEDFs and building’s LCE is determined. It was found for the building investigated that PE used for space cooling and heating for a 25 year life is about three times that of embodied energy of building materials. Proportion of window to wall was found to be the most sensitive EEDF with respect to the building energy used.

Keywords: Office buildings; Energy efficient design features; Life cycle energy analysis; Embodied energy; Operational energy; TRNSYS.