English

The present contribution describes an approach to implement simulation-powered virtual sensors in a building information framework. Measurements from physical sensors are used to calibrate simulation models. Subsequently, virtual sensors can derive information on parameters that are either difficult or expensive to measure. The presented building data service provides a uniform interface to virtual and physical sensors. 

This paper describes the results of monitoring cam-paigns of a solar driven adsorption air-conditioning system. The energy performance figures of the sys-tem are computed and the adsorption chiller is mod-elled also based on measurement. This renewable en-ergy system is able to reach, on a monthly cooling period, 40% energy savings compared to a classical air-conditioning system. Besides, the model built to handle the adsorption thermal behaviour shows per-formance slightly lower than the manufacturer’s per-formance map.

As simulation researchers in the field of performance-driven architecture, we mainly describe in this paper an interactive genetic algorithm (IGA) especially developed for eco-performance and real-time creative design simulations, associated with a simple and intuitive human machine interface.

This paper reports on the development of a luminous efficacy model of global horizontal irradiance. The model is intended to be both simple and applicable to multiple locations. Two sets of measured data were applied toward the development and evaluation of the model. The first set was used to derive the luminous efficacy model. The second set was then used to compare the model predictions with measurements. The proposed luminous efficacy model involves, as the main influencing variable, the Clearness Factor, which is an original derivative from the Clearness Index.

By 2020 all new buildings within the European Union should reach nearly zero energy levels. Their energy needs should be significantly covered by renewable energy sources. As a consequence, it is important to identify which combinations of technologies will be suitable in order to reach such objectives. Climate conditions, final energy and investment costs, technological maturity and stakeholders’ services quality are key elements for the final choice.

Growing interest towards carbon neutrality have led to the proliferation of carbon footprint calculators (both online and software) to aid building professionals in quantifying the carbon impact of buildings. While carbon calculators can ease design-carbon quantifications and expedite design decision-making, the use of such carbon calculators is often tedious, time-consuming, and difficult due to the need for extensive input data, lack of dependable localized carbon data, transparency, scalability, and interoperability.