The aim of this study is to develop representative simulation building energy data sets and benchmark models for the Egyptian residential sector. This study reports the results of a recent field survey for residential apartment buildings in Egypt. Two building performance simulation models are created reflecting the average energy consumption characteristics of air-conditioned residential apartments in Alexandria, Cairo and Asyut. Aiming for future evaluation of the cost and energy affects of the new Egyptian energy standard this study established two detailed models describing the energy use profiles for air-conditioners, lighting, domestic hot water and appliances in respect to buildings layout and construction. Using EnergyPlus simulation tool the collected surveyed data was used as input for two building simulation models. The simulation models were verified against the apartment characteristic found in the survey. This paper presents details of the building models including the energy use patterns and profiles created for this study. Development of Benchmark Models for the Egyptian Residential Buildings SectorThe aim of this study is to develop representative simulation building energy data sets and benchmark models for the Egyptian residential sector. This study reports the results of a recent field survey for residential apartment buildings in Egypt. Two building performance simulation models are created reflecting the average energy consumption characteristics of air-conditioned residential apartments in Alexandria, Cairo and Asyut. Aiming for future evaluation of the cost and energy affects of the new Egyptian energy standard this study established two detailed models describing the energy use profiles for air-conditioners, lighting, domestic hot water and appliances in respect to buildings layout and construction. Using EnergyPlus simulation tool the collected surveyed data was used as input for two building simulation models. The simulation models were verified against the apartment characteristic found in the survey. This paper presents details of the building models including the energy use patterns and profiles created for this study.

Lime-Hemp (LH) composites are innovative building materials. They can be used in renovated or thermally upgraded as well as new buildings. This article reviews hygrothermal properties of LH wall assemblies and compares their transient performance to five traditional assemblies using WUFI Õ simulation. While the annual quantity of energy was similar, LH assemblies showed a strong ability to improve indoor comfort.

Abstract:The thermal conductivity of straw bales is an intensively discussed topic in the international straw bale community. Straw bales are, by nature, highly heterogeneous and porous. They can have a relatively large range of density and the baling process can influence the way the fibres are organised within the bale. In addition, straw bales have a larger thickness than most of the insulating materials that can be found in the building industry. Measurement apparatus is usually not designed for such thicknesses, and most of the thermal conductivity values that can be found in the literature are defined based on samples in which the straw bales are resized. During this operation, the orientation of the fibres and the density may not be preserved. This paper starts with a literature review of straw bale thermal conductivity measurements and presents a measuring campaign performed with a specific Guarded Hot Plate, designed to measure samples up to 50 cm thick. The influence of the density is discussed thoroughly. Representative values are proposed for a large range of straw bales to support straw-bale development in the building industry.

An inverse modelling approach to estimate the hygric parameters of clay-based masonry during a moisture buffer value test,

The construction materials with high moisture exchange capacity may have a strong impact on indoor climate conditions as well as on energy performance of buildings. Crop-based materials, characterized by their high porosity and hygroscopic properties, belong to this category. Modeling their hygrothermal behavior with accuracy is thus particularly relevant for an efficient building design. A transient Building Element Heat Air and Moisture (BEHAM) model is developed in COMSOL Multiphysics to simulate the moisture exchange between a Lime-Hemp Concrete bloc and surrounding air during a Moisture Buffer Value (MBV) evaluation test.The simulation results are compared to well-validated BEHAM software with the help of performance criteria. The proposed model shows a slightly better efficiency in the characterization of both moisture exchange and latent heat effect phenomena. In addition, it offers advantages in terms of flexibility and transparency as well as further evolution potential.

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Modelling the hygrothermal behaviour of crop-based insulation products is essential to assess their impact on the energy performance of the building, predict indoor climate conditions, and prevent any risk of unexpected degradation. Traditionally, transient numerical models that predict internal conditions of construction materials consider that the variation of moisture storage with temperature is negligible although the sorption behaviour is known to be temperature dependent. This paper investigates this particular effect for crop-based materials and uses a refinement of standard mathematical representations. For this purpose, the effects of a thermal shock on the evolution of hygrothermal conditions inside a straw-bale wall are studied with several versions of a flexible research model. The latter is capable of incorporating the temperature dependency of the sorption curve with both a physically-based and an empirical description. A large climate chamber is used to gather experimental data and is able to host a fullsize straw bale prefabricated panel. Internal conditions of straw bales are obtained with proper sensors bars. Results show that when large temperature gradients occur in a crop-based material, a model that considers temperature effect on moisture storage enhances greatly the prediction of internal conditions.

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