Understanding the Impact of Occupancy Trends in Sustainable Housing Designs

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Piacenza ◽  
Salvador Mayoral ◽  
Sean Lin ◽  
Lauren Won ◽  
Xava Grooms
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Student Housing ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Sustainable Housing ◽  
Course Scheduling ◽  
Housing Complex ◽  
The Impact

As sustainable building mandates become more prevalent in new commercial buildings, it is a challenge to create a broad, one-size-fits-all certification process. While designers can estimate energy usage with computation tools such as model based design, anticipating the post occupancy usage is more difficult. Understanding energy usage trends is especially complicated in university student housing buildings, where occupancy varies significantly as a function of enrollment and course scheduling. This research explores the effect of student occupancy on both predicted and actual energy usage in a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certified student housing complex. A case study is presented from the California State University Fullerton (CSUF) campus, and examines diversity factor, defined as a building’s instantaneous energy usage as a percentage of the maximum allowable usage during a period of time, trends throughout the academic year. The CSUF case diversity factor is compared to the diversity factor used in predictive models for obtaining LEED certification, and the mandates that govern the models (e.g., ASHRAE 90.1). The results of the analysis show the benefits of considering post occupancy usage in sustainable building designs, and recommendations are presented for creating unique and application based computational models, early in the design process. This research has broad applications, and can extend to sustainable building design in other organizations, whose operational schedule falls outside of current prediction methods for sustainability mandates.

Understanding the Importance of Post Occupancy Usage Trends During Concept-Stage Sustainable Building Design

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph Piacenza ◽  
Salvador Mayoral ◽  
Bahaa Albarhami ◽  
Sean Lin
Keyword(s):  
Computational Models ◽  
Energy Use ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Student Housing ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Actual Usage ◽  
Mixed Use ◽  
Housing Complex ◽  
The Impact

As sustainable building mandates become more prevalent in new commercial and mixed use buildings, it is a challenge to create a broad, one-size-fits-all certification process. While designers can estimate energy usage with computational tools such as model based design, anticipating the post occupancy usage is more challenging. Understanding and predicting energy usage trends is especially complicated in unique mixed use building applications, such as university student housing buildings, where occupancy varies significantly as a function of enrollment, course scheduling, and student study habits. This research explores a computational modeling approach used to achieve LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification for a student housing complex design. A case study is presented from the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) campus, and examines the impact of post occupancy building usage trends, and diversity factor, defined as a building’s instantaneous energy usage normalized by the maximum allowable usage, on energy use estimates. The CSUF case model, which was originally created using EnergySoft’s EnergyPro 5 software, is examined. An annual predictive energy use comparison is performed in EnergyPro 5 using general building design mandates (i.e., ASHRAE 90.1, California Title 24), and CSUF case specific building usage details (e.g., student scheduling, diversity factor). In addition, the energy usage estimates of these two predictive models are compared to the actual usage data collected during the 2014 academic year. The results of this comparison show the benefits of considering post occupancy usage, and recommendations are presented for creating unique and application based computational models, early in the design process. This research has broad applications, and can extend to sustainable building design in other organizations, whose operational schedule falls outside of current prediction methods for sustainability mandates.

Understanding the Impact of Climate Zones for Occupancy Trends in Sustainable Housing Designs

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Lin ◽  
Bahaa Albarhami ◽  
Salvador Mayoral ◽  
Joseph Piacenza
Keyword(s):  
Simulation Models ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Simulation Software ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Climate Zones ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Sustainable Housing ◽  
Electrical Consumption ◽  
The Impact

The purpose of the paper is to provide a model prediction to capture how energy usage in sustainable buildings on college campuses is affected by different climate zones. A case study focus is on the California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) Student Housing Phase III which received a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the Building Design and Construction category. In a previous CSUF study, the energy usage and cost data for the 2014–2015 academic year was compared to the predicted data from the LEED NC 2.2. The comparison revealed there was a small discrepancy, 10%, between the values for predicted electrical consumption versus actual consumption; however, a greater difference, 135%, between the gas consumption exists. Using LEED approved simulation software, the ASHRAE 90.1 and LEED California Nonresidential Title 24 (NRT 24) compliant energy simulation models is compared; the results will provide input over which variables within student dormitory life affect the energy usage of the building. Some solutions may update the LEED project certification as well as reduce student energy usage.

Understanding the Effects of Capturing Climate and Occupancy Trends During Concept-Stage Sustainable Building Design

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean Lin ◽  
Bahaa Albarhami ◽  
Salvador Mayoral ◽  
Joseph Piacenza
Keyword(s):  
Green Building ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Phase Iii ◽  
State University ◽  
Energy Usage ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Climate Zones ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Actual Energy Consumption

Abstract This paper presents a model prediction to capture specifically how energy usage in sustainable buildings on college campuses is affected by different variables of student life. The California State University, Fullerton (CSUF) Student Housing Phase III, which received a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the Building Design and Construction category, with its performance in a LEED California Nonresidential Title 24 (NRT24) and ASHRAE 90.1 climate zones, is used as a case study to illustrate the method. Through LEED-approved software, the standard compliant energy models are compared with the occupancy-scheduled models along with the actual energy consumption in different climate zones. The results provide insight into how variables within student dormitory life affect the total building energy usage. The total amount of energy consumed per area is one new factor providing understanding into occupancy trends. This new data set reveals more understanding regarding how and where the energy is consumed to maintain a comfortable learning environment. The LEED certification program is one benchmark used to determine sustainable building design. Designers must adhere to set standards before being awarded a U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) certification such as LEED. The results from this paper will provide input over which variables within student dormitory life affect the energy usage of the building. With the model results, some solutions are presented to update the LEED project certification as well as to reduce student energy usage.

Assessing design buildability through virtual reality from the perspective of construction students

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Don Amila Sajeevan Samarasinghe ◽  
Imelda Saran Piri
Keyword(s):  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Tertiary Education ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Building Information ◽  
2D Drawing ◽  
The Impact

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate the impact of visual models on the ability of construction students to assess design buildability.Design/methodology/approachThe study engaged 45 construction students from one selected tertiary education institute in New Zealand. The data collection process involved meeting the students face-to-face and demonstrating the VR model to them, after which the students completed an online questionnaire and assessed design buildability using both 2D drawing and virtual reality (VR) models. To make this assessment, the participants considered a residential earth building modelled to promote sustainable building features. The assessment process required the participants to evaluate the design buildability of the same building design using a 2D drawing and a 3D VR model.FindingsThe study found that VR models have significant advantages for assessing design buildability. Students measured 16.80% higher average buildability with the 3D VR model compared to the 2D drawing. The participants in the evaluation felt that the visual model significantly improved the comprehensibility of complex designs, which helped identify and manage design buildability (overall, 83% of participants strongly supported this).Originality/valueThe paper showed construction digitisation such as VR, augmented reality and building information modelling is highly cooperative as it can easily be made available for online learning. Thus, the findings support construction educators use online-based VR learning to promote efficient teaching of design buildability to students.

scholarly journals The Circular Retrofit Lab: a multi-disciplinary development of a building envelope according to circular design qualities

2021 ◽  
Vol 855 (1) ◽  
pp. 012013
Author(s):  
Charlotte Cambier ◽  
Jeroen Poppe ◽  
Waldo Galle ◽  
Stijn Elsen ◽  
Niels De Temmerman
Keyword(s):  
Building Design ◽  
Pilot Project ◽  
Student Housing ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Construction Process ◽  
Existing Buildings ◽  
Learning History ◽  
Funded Project ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Circular Design

Abstract From 2016 until 2019, the Circular Retrofit Lab (CRL) was realised within the H2020-funded project Building As Material Banks (BAMB). The CRL was an experimental pilot project concerning the refurbishment of eight student housing modules in Brussels, Belgium. The lab aims to demonstrate how to implement circular building design in a retrofitting project. This paper discusses the design choices and the outcome of the CRL’s building envelope. That envelope consists of a modular façade system of prefabricated panels. The innovative, adaptable and reusable building solutions applied in the CRL have been developed in collaboration with various construction stakeholders and included, exceptionally in the design and construction process, also industrial partners. In this study, we go deeper into the impact of the multi-disciplinary approach on the resulting implementation of a circular building envelope. Through a reflexive learning-history workshop, we can show how the involvement of various actors and unconventional circularity requirements increase the complexity of the project, but also how they positively impact the reactivation of existing buildings and proved to be a lasting learning opportunity to all partners involved.

scholarly journals The Impact of Enhanced Commissioning Process on AEC Professionals - A Case Study of LEED New Construction in Egypt

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 36
Author(s):  
Osama E. Mansour ◽  
Omar O. Elrawy
Keyword(s):  
Positive Impact ◽  
Green Building ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Leed Certification ◽  
Green Building Design ◽  
Comprehensive Comparison ◽  
New Construction ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Design And Construction

In this study, the authors explore the impact of the enhanced commissioning process required by LEED certification on the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) professionals through a case study of a (LEED) New Construction in New Cairo, Egypt. While research has consistently shown the positive impact of green-rated buildings on building occupants, little research discusses the impact of green building rating on AEC professionals. Observation, document analysis, and interview of AEC professionals were used throughout the course of design and construction to identify the impact of the enhanced commissioning process on the quality of Project delivery and experience of AEC professionals. All technical and managerial issues of the entire enhanced commissioning process were recorded and thoroughly analyzed. As a result, a comprehensive comparison between mainstream projects and the current LEED-certified building is established. The study introduces a novel insight on green building design and construction practice as a potential culture of quality for the building industry in developing countries.

scholarly journals Climate change and building technologies: investigations of future weather scenarios on building energy performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 01074
Author(s):  
Daniel Kierdorf ◽  
Jakob Hahn ◽  
Werner Lang
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Climate Model ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Sensitivity Analyses ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Building Systems ◽  
Building Services Engineering ◽  
The Impact

This paper aims to investigate the impact of future climate on building systems, taking account of a strict building standard. A building is modelled in TRNSYS regarding a sustainable heating and cooling energy production by solar heating and radiative cooling in combination with water storage tanks. Sensitivity analyses (Morris Method) are performed for the technical building configurations for the years 2030, 2050 and 2100 (REMO climate model). They are compared and evaluated with the current reference climate (TRY) of 2017. The objective is to show which components have a significant influence on the energy consumption of buildings. Furthermore, due to the climate change sustainable building technologies are necessary. This paper demonstrates how the influence of the climate can be counteracted from the perspective of building services. Global warming requires a rethink of the interaction between building design, building technologies and climate. In this point building services engineering offers the most flexibility. By performing parameter studies, early knowledge about the building and its required technology can be gained. The target value of this study is the indoor air temperature as a function of the outdoor temperature. The objective function corresponds to specifications according to the European standard EN 15251. Following the parameter studies, optimization processes are carried out.

Sustainable Building Design Case History C.K. Choi Building, UBC

2002 ◽  
Vol 86 (18) ◽  
pp. 36-42
Author(s):  
Gilbert Raynard ◽  
Diana Klein
Keyword(s):  
Case History ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Sustainable Building ◽  
Design Case
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