Ramalingam Rethnam, O and Thomas, A (2024) Urban building energy modelling-based framework to analyze the effectiveness of the community-wide implementation of national energy conservation codes. Smart and Sustainable Built Environment, 13(5), pp. 1213-1239. ISSN 2046-6099
Abstract
Purpose: The building sector contributes one-third of the energy-related carbon dioxide globally. Therefore, framing appropriate energy-related policies for the next decades becomes essential in this scenario to realize the global net-zero goals. The purpose of the proposed study is to evaluate the impact of the widespread adoption of such guidelines in a building community in the context of mixed-mode buildings. Design/methodology/approach: This study decentralizes the theme of improving the energy efficiency of the national building stock in parcels by proposing a community-based hybrid bottom-up modelling approach using urban building energy modelling (UBEM) techniques to analyze the effectiveness of the community-wide implementation of energy conservation guidelines. Findings: In this study, the UBEM is developed and validated for the 14-building residential community in Mumbai, India, adopting the framework. Employing Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) compliance on the UBEM shows an energy use reduction potential of up to 15%. The results also reveal that ECBC compliance is more advantageous considering the effects of climate change. Originality/value: In developing countries where the availability of existing building stock information is minimal, the proposed study formulates a holistic framework for developing a detailed UBEM for the residential building stock from scratch. A unique method of assessing the actual cooling load of the developed UBEM is presented. A thorough sensitivity analysis approach to investigate the effect of cooling space fraction on the energy consumption of the building stock is presented, which would assist in choosing the appropriate retrofit strategies. The proposed study's outcomes can significantly transform the formulation and validation of appropriate energy policies.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | building stock; energy conservation building code; simulation; urban building energy modeling |
| Index terms: | developing country, energy modelling, community-based, compliance, sensitivity analysis, building stock, carbon dioxide, energy policy, framing, methodology, validation, building code, climate change, retrofit strategy, energy efficiency, residential building, energy consumption, building community, effectiveness, India, implementation, energy use, modelling, energy conservation |
| Subjects: | regulatory law, communities and social development, environmental hazards, asset management, health safety and environment, Geography, professional development, development economics, renovation and retrofit, performance management, research methods, contractual arrangements, conceptual models, energy systems, analytical methods, sustainability and energy, public policy, climate science, community and social dimensions, construction type |
| Topics: | Health and Safety, Business Strategy, Information Management, Engineering Principles, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Stakeholder Management, Governance, Sustainability, Construction Technology, Procurement, Legal Issues, International Construction, Quality Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
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