Development and Application of a Flexible Modeling Approach to Reference Buildings for Energy Analysis

Abstract

This paper proposes a flexible modeling approach to develop a theoretical reference building (RB) for energy analysis. We designed an RB for five non-residential buildings, using dynamic simulation from statistically analyzed data of building stock in South Korea. For modeling, four subsets of data—form, envelope, system, and operation—were assessed. This study uses the autosizing function within EnergyPlus, to develop the RB. The proposed approach allows for a flexible design where capacities and flow rates of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system match the newly defined RB model. This approach would be ideal for closing the gap between the architectural data and equipment elements. The RB developed in this study allows for performing energy performance analysis by end-use. The analysis results by the end-use can provide support for country-level greenhouse gas (GHG)-mitigation-strategy development.

Development of Simplified Building Energy Prediction Model to Support Policymaking in South Korea—Case Study for Office Buildings

“…Prototype building models suited to the South Korean infrastructure have been developed on the basis of mass building data, including their surveys and measurements. For example, flexible research and flexible modeling approaches were developed with a focus on nonresidential buildings, such as offices, sales, accommodation, educational, and cultural structures [17]. Moreover, the impact and effectiveness of building energy policies on GHGs were investigated with the developed reference building models targeting office buildings in South Korea [18].…”