Energy Simulation in Commercial Buildings: A Comprehensive Guide

Building energy simulation has become an essential tool for designing high-performance, energy-efficient commercial buildings. In this guide, we’ll explain the process of conducting an energy simulation for a commercial building using a popular tool called IES VE.

Step 1: Building Geometry and Layout

Our first step in the energy simulation process is to establish the building’s geometry. For our hypothetical commercial building, we’re considering a 5-story office structure, with each floor having an area of 1000 m^2.

Step 2: Building Fabric Data

The next step involves inputting the specifications of the building’s construction materials, including the U-values of the envelope, thermal properties of the construction materials, and glazing specifications.

Step 3: HVAC System

Defining the HVAC system using the ApacheHVAC module in IES VE is the next critical step. This involves specifying the type of system, its configuration, efficiency, controls, etc.

Step 4: Location and Weather Data

Our example commercial building is located in New York City, USA. Hence, we use the NYC specific EPW (Energy Plus Weather) file for local weather data in the simulation.

Step 5: Building Occupancy and Operational Hours

This involves defining the schedule for occupancy, lighting, equipment usage, etc., which influences the internal heat gains and the energy demand of the building.

Running the Simulation

With all the data inputted, we run the simulation. The tool estimates the building’s annual energy consumption, heating and cooling loads, and other parameters.

Let’s assume our initial simulation provided the following results:

Implementing Energy Efficiency Measures

Following the initial simulation, we propose a series of energy efficiency measures (EEMs) such as LED lighting, high-efficiency HVAC equipment, and better building envelope insulation. We re-run the simulation with these EEMs.