CFD Simulation and Analysis of Energy Consumption in Residential Buildings in Northeastern U.S.

Buildings and the energy they consume will continue to be an important topic, nationally and globally. There are international efforts in the building sector to develop and implement regulations for building and construction... [ view full abstract ]

Buildings and the energy they consume will continue to be an important topic, nationally and globally. There are international efforts in the building sector to develop and implement regulations for building and construction of more efficient buildings. The International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) is one outcome of such efforts, and its multiple iterations have been adopted by multiple countries. The Building Energy Code Program (BECP) administered by the U.S. Department of Energy, is intended to improve the efficiency of residential and commercial buildings, and is based on the IECC regulations. The existing codes are necessary, but alone are not sufficient to achieve the maximum potential economic and environmental benefits of energy conservation. While there have been developments in numerous technologies and passive design features to reduce energy consumption in buildings, their implementation has been lagging mostly due to a lack of knowledge or awareness of their potential impacts, which could be significant considering the lifetime of residential buildings. The goal of this study is to simulate and analyze the interaction and effects of multiple passive design features integrated to the building design, and technologies including small-scale renewable energy generation. Designbuilder software tool was used to simulate building designs. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models have also been employed to dynamically analyze behavior and indoor environmental conditions, rather than a static, averaged approach. Results were compared to a baseline model designed to mimic the existing size and state of residential buildings in the Northeast region of the U.S. The designs and features considered were geared towards the climatic conditions of the region selected, with more heating days rather than cooling days. The total amount of potential energy savings as a result of implementing new technologies on buildings have been provided. A cost analysis have also been conducted to evaluate the feasibility of analyzed design features and technologies.