Li, H X; Nair, S; Li, Y; Yahaya, A; Timms, W and Owolabi, A B (2026) Evaluating energy performance of educational buildings: A case study in Australia. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 33(15), pp. 137-158. ISSN 0969-9988
Abstract
Purpose – Assessing the energy efficiency of buildings has great significance, as a large portion of energy is used for building operations. However, the energy performance of educational buildings is less studied compared to other buildings and there is an increased interest in assessing the energy use performance of educational buildings in different climates and understanding the energy performance at various temporal scales. Design/methodology/approach – With the aim of identify key driving factors and their impact on energy efficiency in educational buildings, this paper employs an integrated approach that combines monitoring data, regression modelling, psychrometric analysis and validation. The Centre for Advanced Design in Engineering Training (CADET) in Victoria, Australia, is selected as the case building with the monitored data at 15-minute intervals. Findings – The results reveal that the annual energy intensity was 211 kWh/m2, outperforming national and state averages but underperforming the City of Melbourne's future target of 60 kWh/m2. Seasonal analysis also shows higher energy consumption for space heating during winter compared to cooling in summer. The regression involving gas used for space heating in winter demonstrated a stronger correlation with temperature than heating, ventilation and air-conditioning electricity in summer for the monthly temporal resolutions. Furthermore, psychrometric analysis investigates potential energy savings of approximately 42% annually while ensuring indoor thermal comfort through passive design strategies. Originality/value – This study provides novel contributions by offering multi-scale insights into the energy use dynamics of Australian educational buildings through a case study and identifying energy-saving potential through passive design strategies based on psychrometric analysis. It can also be used to benchmark similar buildings in the region and guide improvements toward achieving net-zero energy targets.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | educational buildings; energy consumption; psychrometric analysis; regression analysis; space heating and cooling |
| Index terms: | monitoring, energy consumption, dynamics, energy-saving, thermal comfort, summer, energy use, resolution, energy performance, regression analysis, energy efficiency, case study, Victoria, Australia, methodology, space heating, validation, building operation, winter, integrated approach, educational building, strategy, regression modelling, ventilation, passive design |
| Subjects: | construction type, climate science, contractual arrangements, research methods, Geography, mechanical systems, air quality, data collection methods, control systems, sustainability and energy, regions and continents, energy systems, management, professional development, conflict resolution, systems engineering, statistical analysis, environmental engineering |
| Topics: | Business Strategy, Research Practice, Information Management, Stakeholder Management, Construction Technology, Design Practice, Site Management, Geographical Context, Engineering Principles, Procurement, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 5 PCTEA |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here