Operational Carbon Change in Commercial Buildings under the Carbon Neutral Goal: A LASSO–WOA Approach

The rapid growth of energy consumption in commercial building operations has hindered the pace of carbon emission reduction in the building sector in China. This study used historical data to model the carbon emissions of commercial building operations, the LASSO regression was applied to estimate the model results, and the whale optimization algorithm was used to optimize the nonlinear parameter. The key findings show the following: (1) The major driving forces of carbon emissions from commercial buildings in China were found to be the population size and energy intensity of carbon emissions, and their elastic coefficients were 0.6346 and 0.2487, respectively. (2) The peak emissions of the commercial building sector were 1264.81 MtCO2, and the peak year was estimated to be 2030. Overall, this study analyzed the historical emission reduction levels and prospective peaks of carbon emissions from China’s commercial buildings from a new perspective. The research results are helpful for governments and decision makers to formulate effective emission reduction policies and can also provide references for the low-carbon development of other countries and regions.

The Impact of Integrating Phase Change Material Upon Indoor Air Temperature in Hot Climates

The aim of this paper is to identify the effect of PCM as a building material of commercial building envelope on the indoor air temperature within a hot climatic context as Egypt. This paper will expose the potentials of using Phase Change Material (PCM) as an integral part of the building process to save energy, where it first introduces the current environmental challenges and identifies the impact of Thermal Energy Storage as a sustainable approach. Two different types of PCM will be tested in an experimental space in Egypt on different building model orientations and different PCM allocations, to test their effect on indoor air temperature. This will be practically examined by DesignBuilder simulation, to explore the possibilities of improving indoor thermal comfort within the studied types. Finally, conducting a set of recommendations for PCM application as a building material within the Egyptian context.

Study on Air-to-Water Heat Pumps Seasonal Performances for Heating in Greece

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.