Combining a building simulation with energy systems analysis to assess the benefits of natural ventilation

This article shows the combination of a thermal-airflow simulation program with an energy systems analysis model in order to assess the use of natural ventilation as a method for saving energy within residential buildings in large-scale scenarios. The aim is to show the benefits for utilizing natural airflow instead of active systems such as mechanical ventilation or air-conditioning in buildings where the indoor temperature is over the upper limit of the comfort range. The combination is done by introducing the energy saving output - calculated with a model of natural ventilation using a thermal-airflow simulation program - into the energy systems analysis model. Descriptions of the energy systems in two geographical locations, i.e. Mexico and Denmark, are set up as inputs. Then, the assessment is done by calculating the energy impacts as well as environmental benefits in the energy systems analysis. Results show that for an energy system such as the Mexican, with a relatively simple connection between supply and demand of electricity, natural ventilation mainly creates savings, whereas in the Danish system, the system operation is also affected by energy savings through natural ventilation.