International Journal of Ambient Energy, 2014
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01430750.2014.907207
1
© 2014 Taylor & Francis
Analysis of energy demand in residential buildings for different climates by means of dynamic
simulation
Vincenzo Bianco
∗
, Mattia De Rosa, Federico Scarpa, and Luca A. Tagliafico
DIME/TEC, Division of Thermal Energy and Environmental Conditioning, University of Genoa,
Via All’Opera Pia 15 A –16145 Genoa, Italy
∗Corresponding author: Email: vincenzo.bianco@unige.it
(Received 20 November 2013; accepted 18 March 2014)
Abstract
The aim of the present paper is to present an analysis of energy consumption of a standard building in different
climates. The analysis is developed by simulating the dynamic behavior of the building subjected to different climatic
conditions according to the considered location. Simulations are performed by means of an in-house developed code
which is validated by comparison with the outcomes from leading software packages, particularly TRNSYS and
EnergyPlus. The use of a self-developed code guarantees a high degree of flexibility and allows the implementation of
new capabilities if necessary.
The impact on the energy consumption of various parameters, namely internal and external wall insulation, window
surface areas, thermal capacity and orientation, is investigated. Results show that the insulation of the external walls has
a fundamental role in reducing energy consumption, because it allows to take advantage of the thermal capacity of the
walls. This is particularly useful for buildings which necessitate to keep the internal temperature constant (e.g.
hospitals).
Keywords: building dynamic simulation; space heating; energy consumption; energy efficiency; energy modeling.
Accepted manuscript