Energuide for houses database – an innovative approach to track residential energy evaluations and measure benefits

The EnerGuide for Houses (EGH) database is a management information tool and central depository for tracking residential energy evaluations and measuring benefits from the energy evaluations delivered across Canada. The EGH database is a comprehensive computer-based system developed by Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) for the management of its energy efficiency oriented programs. Energy advisors perform detailed house energy efficiency evaluations and use the energy analysis software to recommend energy efficiency measures to homeowners.

Encapsulation of validation tests in the esp-r simulation program

It is well recognised that validation of dynamic building simulation programs is a long-term complex task. There have been many large national and international efforts that have led to a well-established validation methodology comprising analytical, inter-program comparison and empirical validation components, and a significant number of tests have been developed.

Elements of a simulation-assisted daylight-responsive illumination systems control in buildings

This paper presents a simulation-assisted daylightresponsive illumination control system. The controller application in this system can dynamically adjust the position of window blinds and the status of the room luminaires to achieve user-specified performance levels. In its main mode of operation, the control application considers in regular time intervals a set of alternative combinations of the states of control devices (e.g. position of window blinds, dimming levels of luminaires) for an immediate next time step.

Effort and expressiveness in simulation-based buildingperformance evaluation

This paper describes a case study to estimate the time and effort needed by novice designers to computationally evaluate the performance of building designs. A group of senior architecture students participated in the study, learning and using a software application to assess the energy performance of six project submissions for a school building design competition.

Dynamic modelling and elements of validation of solar evacuated tube collectors

This paper deals with the dynamical modelling of a solar evacuated tube collector under variable weather conditions. After describing the mathematical model, the paper presents elements of validation. In a first step, the theorical model is validated against the experimental results. Then a parametric sensitivity analysis is applied to the model. Such a study is very interesting for modellers in order to determine the relative importance and the nature of the effect of the parameters. It is important so as to improve the model by controlling this paramaters or accurately measuring it. 

Domestic hot water heating in zero net energy homes

The objective of this paper is to examine different means of producing domestic hot water (DHW) in Zero net energy homes (ZNEH). Four alternatives are examined : i) a regular electric hot water tank; ii) the desuperheater of a ground-source heat pump with electric backup; iii) thermal solar collectors with electric backup; iv) a heat pump water heater (HPWH) indirectly coupled to a space conditioning ground-source heat pump. Energy simulations, using TRNSYS as the simulation engine, are performed to evaluate each alternative.

District level energy management using a bottom-up modeling approach

An efficient urban energy system could be a highly diverse and well-integrated structure of buildings and systems. Such a structure needs an energy management framework capable of providing information on appropriate energy saving measures at any scale of implementation. This paper proposes a method to design such a framework. For quality assurance, a method to deal with the uncertainty in building properties and in operational conditions of buildings and systems is designed into the framework in order to model the energy use during the operation phase of buildings. 

 

Development of an integrated building design information interface

The evaluation and analysis of available simulation tools suggests a thorough research methodology for creating a new front-end interface that solves current usage problems. This research is limited to the interface design of the new front-end which is named Integrated Building Design Information Interface. Criteria for the new front-end interface enable the development of a series of mock-up interface designs that are responsive to the needs of architects. A working graphical user interface of the building information prototype is created and is then put through an empirical user testing.

Development of archetypes of building characteristc slibraries for simplified energy use evaluation of houses

For a quick and reliable energy evaluation of houses, one needs simple energy analysis software. A key requirement for simplified inputs is to have default data for house geometry, thermal and equipment characteristics based on vintage, type and region in which the house is located. Representative numerical approaches were applied to develop archetype house characteristics using the data gathered from various surveys of housing stock in Canada.

Development of single-zone predictive equations using linear regression for advanced controllers synthesis

Regression equations can be used for predicting temperature and relative humidity in single-zone buildings. This paper presents a methodology for computing the parameters of such kind of models based on weather data and room air hygrotermal conditions. In addition, the computed model can be very effective on the synthesis of advanced controllers applied to HVAC systems.

Pages