Mohammad Hosseini , Silvia Erba , Ahmad Mazaheri , Amin Moazami , Vahid M. Nik
{"title":"From flexible building to resilient energy communities: A scalable decentralized energy management scheme based on collaborative agents","authors":"Mohammad Hosseini , Silvia Erba , Ahmad Mazaheri , Amin Moazami , Vahid M. Nik","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115651","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115651","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Extreme conditions caused by climate change and other crises call for enhancing the resilience of buildings and urban energy systems. This paper investigates the role of collaborative decision-making to improve the performance of single buildings and the unified whole in the form of a cohesive cluster of energy consumers to enhance resilience. CIRLEM, the previously developed energy management approach, provides flexibility in energy systems through collective behavior of entities and deploying a lightweight Reinforcement Learning algorithm. This research contributes to developing a novel signal generation structure including price- and demand-based function to stimulate the cohesion attribute. Extended thermal comfort margins are introduced to broaden the flexibility potential, and reward function includes thermal zones categories. The energy management approach and extended comfort constraints is tested under an extreme cold winter in a pilot ecosystem located in Norway made of several buildings characterized by different sizes, use types, performance and energy systems. Acting individually, buildings could save 28 % and 13 % energy and cost, while acting as a collaborative cluster, energy use and cost are reduced by 42 % and 40 %. Through collaboration between buildings, high-performance buildings could help others under high energy demand periods to keep their functionality toward the cluster’s goal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"337 ","pages":"Article 115651"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143725342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Thermal design of quadratic segmental precast concrete driven energy piles","authors":"Habibollah Sadeghi , Olai Stensland Lillevold , Mohammad Liravi , Rao Martand Singh","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115652","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115652","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper introduces a novel thermal design methodology for segmental quadratic precast concrete energy piles. While thermal analysis methods for energy piles have been extensively studied, no previous research has specifically focused on long segmental quadratic concrete driven energy piles. Additionally, previous studies have applied fixed temperature boundary condition at the pile/ground top surface, which is the incorrect representation of the interface between the pile/ground surface and the building at the top. The main contributions of the present study are the development of semi-empirical G-function design charts, using a heat flux boundary at the pile/ground surface, and covering a wider range of energy pile lengths and soil and concrete material properties. A 3D finite element model was validated with thermal response tests on quadratic energy piles, and later employed to produce G-functions, applicable to longer segmental quadratic piles. The G-function design charts simplify the thermal design for practicing engineers and require minimum computational effort for long-term analysis. The results reveal that the pile/ground surface boundary conditions can affect long-term thermal performance by approximately 20%, though their influence is negligible in short-term analyses. The developed G-functions were employed to investigate two case studies in terms of ground temperature prediction for a quadratic driven energy pile under apartment blocks located in Oslo and Røros, respectively. The case studies showed that quadratic driven energy piles can cover 60%, and 48% of the heating demand for well insulated buildings in Oslo and Røros, during the design life of the buildings without adversely affecting the ground temperature.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"337 ","pages":"Article 115652"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143747379","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Development of representative city region models for south China’s Pearl River Delta: Data statistics and model definition","authors":"Siwei Lou , Chunguang Huang , Yukai Zou , Yu Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115653","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115653","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Urban energy planning is essential for sustainable city development, especially with the rising energy demand driven by dense urbanization and increased reliance on renewable energy systems. This study proposes a methodology for defining representative city regions for energy planning by analyzing building morphology and energy consumption patterns in Shenzhen, China. Residential and commercial regions were identified using a combination of Point of Interest (POI) analysis and morphological clustering based on building coverage ratio, floor area ratio, and average building height. Representative regions were then populated with simplified building models to simulate energy demand, accounting for spatial distribution and inter-shading effects. The results reveal distinct energy consumption patterns between residential and commercial regions, with compact commercial areas exhibiting significantly higher cooling energy demand, particularly during peak summer months. These findings highlight the importance of considering urban morphology and building usage in regional energy planning to optimize energy production and distribution. The methodology and insights derived from this study provide a scalable framework for improving the efficiency and sustainability of urban energy systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"337 ","pages":"Article 115653"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143714514","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Kamilla Heimar Andersen , Anders Rhiger Hansen , Anna Marzsal-Pomianowska , Henrik N. Knudsen , Daniel Leiria , Per Kvols Heiselberg
{"title":"A mixed-method approach to understand energy-related occupant behavior and everyday practices in multi-story residential buildings","authors":"Kamilla Heimar Andersen , Anders Rhiger Hansen , Anna Marzsal-Pomianowska , Henrik N. Knudsen , Daniel Leiria , Per Kvols Heiselberg","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115650","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115650","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In recent decades, attention has increased to investigating energy-related occupant behavior and everyday practices to contribute to bridging buildings’ well-known energy performance gap. Understanding some of the mechanisms behind this gap, such as, the energy-related decisions and/or shared heating practices among occupants, could foster effective strategies for promoting energy efficiency. However, such mechanisms are not yet well identified, especially in residential contexts and low-energy buildings, where the relative impact of occupants’ behavior is predominant. Aiming to contribute to tackling this knowledge gap, this article presents the results of a sequential mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methods to study the energy-related practices of six occupants in five households of a multi-story low-energy household block located in Denmark. The households are monitored with sensors measuring heating use, room temperature, and heating setpoint temperature, enabling to capture human-building interactions at a high resolution. The quantitative analyses (data analyses) showed substantial differences in heating behavior and practices and thermal comfort preferences across households and over the seasons (from 90 to 301 heating days a year). Nevertheless, the qualitative analysis (semi-structured interviews) indicates shared practices regarding the use of the feedback display installed in each dwelling. This suggests that despite individual differences in preferences and habits, households living in the same building still share heating practices. The findings underpin the importance of the building managers’ support and trust in improving feedback implementation and ensuring heating practices to support building energy efficiency.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"337 ","pages":"Article 115650"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760408","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"A dialectical system framework for building occupant energy behavior","authors":"Mei Yang, Hao Yu, Xiaoxiao Xu","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115649","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115649","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Building occupant energy behavior is a key driving factor influencing energy consumption during the operational phase of buildings, making a deeper understanding of occupant behavior crucial for achieving energy savings. However, existing research tends to focus on isolated aspects and lacks a comprehensive understanding of its complexity and the interconnections among its elements. This research innovatively proposes a dialectical system framework for building occupant energy behavior, constructing the relationships between elements within the system from three dimensions: conceptual, methodological, and value, and examining the antagonism and unity between different subsystems. In the conceptual dimension, building occupant energy behavior is deconstructed into two core components, building and occupant energy behavior, which are further divided into multiple subsystems with detailed elaboration on their scope and content. In the methodological dimension, this research summarizes the strengths and limitations of existing quantitative and qualitative methods, discusses the trade-offs among different methods, and integrates these methodologies within the conceptual framework to analyze their applications in the context of building and occupant energy behavior. In the value dimension, it identifies the needs of various stakeholders and analyzes the multi-dimensional value that building occupant energy behavior research provides to them. Based on this framework, this research identifies existing research gaps and proposes future research directions, aiming to promote further exploration in the field and providing researchers with a novel dialectical systemic framework to understand the complexity of occupant behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"337 ","pages":"Article 115649"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143760508","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lessons learnt from embodied GHG emission calculations in zero emission neighbourhoods (ZENs) from the Norwegian ZEN research centre","authors":"Marianne Rose Kjendseth Wiik","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This article presents, evaluates, discusses, and extracts lessons learnt on the calculation methodologies and design choices relating to embodied greenhouse gas (GHG) emission calculations from zero emission neighbourhood (ZEN) case studies from the Norwegian ZEN research centre. In all, eight case studies are assessed, varying in size, phase of development, typology, and location. The embodied GHG emission results show life cycle modules B8 operational transport (24 – 75 %), B6 operational energy (12 – 57 %), and A1 − A3 material production (20 – 38 %) contribute the most to total GHG emissions, as well as the main building (24 – 91 %), heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) installations (15 – 30 %), and electric power (4 – 22 %). In summary, more consistent calculation methodologies and system boundaries are required at the neighbourhood level to improve transparency, and further climate mitigation strategies are required to achieve a net zero GHG emission balance.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"336 ","pages":"Article 115655"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143697069","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Gianpiero Evola , Andrea Longhitano , Vincenzo Costanzo , Francesco Nocera
{"title":"Application of synthetic indices for thermal discomfort assessment in historical buildings according to the adaptive approach","authors":"Gianpiero Evola , Andrea Longhitano , Vincenzo Costanzo , Francesco Nocera","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115648","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115648","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper presents a novel methodology that combines thermal modelling, free-floating energy simulation and the use of synthetic comfort indices for assessing potential discomfort issues in buildings. The research methodology includes detailed modelling in TRNSYS, supported by extensive surveys and on-site measurement of indoor environmental variables such as air temperature and relative humidity. Suitable synthetic indices are introduced such as FTD (Frequency of Thermal Discomfort), ITD (Intensity of Thermal Discomfort) and FD (Fluctuation of thermal Discomfort). These indices are adaptable to different thermal comfort theories, in line with major thermal comfort standards such as ASHRAE-55 and EN 16798-1. The methodology is tested in a historical office building in Catania (Italy); the results show that significant thermal discomfort issues can be identified in the zones more exposed to solar gains and located on the upper floors, particularly during summer months. The combined implementation of non-invasive mitigation strategies (such as internal shading, free cooling by nighttime ventilation) led to a reduction in the Intensity of Thermal Discomfort (ITD) by up to 95% in the critical zones. The proposed methodology proves to be a versatile tool for assessing thermal discomfort and evaluating the effectiveness of possible mitigation strategies for reducing indoor overheating and improving indoor conditions in historical buildings.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"336 ","pages":"Article 115648"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143703639","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Sebastiano Anselmo , Piero Boccardo , Stefano Paolo Corgnati , Maria Ferrara
{"title":"Integration of aerial thermography and energy performance certificates for the estimation of energy consumption in cities","authors":"Sebastiano Anselmo , Piero Boccardo , Stefano Paolo Corgnati , Maria Ferrara","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115644","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115644","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Based on the major role of the building sector in the energy transition, multiple policies on the topic have been issued at the European level, resulting in a need for methodologies to support energy retrofitting campaigns. Based on a preliminary segmentation of the building stock in terms of year of construction and surface-to-volume, this study aims to model the energy demand of buildings at urban scale from the integration of data elaborated from the available Energy Performance Certificates with thermographic data returning the actual heat losses of the buildings. The new proposed approach proved to be more reliable than methods currently available in the literature, providing energy performance classification of all buildings with 80 % accuracy. Conclusions remark on the potential of such analysis, with ready-made solutions to be used by Public Administrations for city-scale energy assessments, thus making them able to comply with European legislation and – potentially – design Renewable Energy Communities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"336 ","pages":"Article 115644"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143697059","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Zhijun Tian , Yanfeng Liu , Yaowen Chen , Cong Song , Dengjia Wang
{"title":"Description of liquid–vapor transition behaviors in evaporative cooling technologies: A critical review","authors":"Zhijun Tian , Yanfeng Liu , Yaowen Chen , Cong Song , Dengjia Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115646","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115646","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Evaporative cooling technology benefits from the substantial latent heat released during the liquid–vapor phase transition process. A comprehensive understanding of the physical nature of phase transition is fundamental to this technology. This review provides an analysis of the theoretical foundations of the liquid–vapor transition, drawing on thermodynamics, kinetic theory, and relevant practical formulas. Additionally, the pertinent knowledge of hydrodynamics, particularly the description of vapor transport, is summarized. Subsequently, current models are reviewed from the perspective of the interplay between the liquid–vapor transition and vapor transport processes. The descriptions and limitations of phase transition processes in these models are then discussed. According to these analyses, a key distinction in the description of the liquid–vapor transition lies in the presence or absence of evaporative mass flux. Kirchhoff-type formulas describe a macroscopic steady-state liquid–vapor transition in equilibrium. The use of these formulas negates external environmental influences on the transition process, including boundary layer effects. Hertz-Knudsen-type formulas capture the essence of the process, although they make overly strict assumptions about surface geometry. It is, therefore, recommended that these accommodation coefficients be verified experimentally. The enthalpy difference models, also known as Merkel models, impose additional isobaric constraints on the isothermal process, making them suitable for working conditions where pressure remains relatively constant throughout the process.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"336 ","pages":"Article 115646"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143687582","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lorena de Carvalho Araujo , Marion Bonhomme , Serge Faraut , Nathalie Tornay
{"title":"Unveiling renovation patterns in the French building stock using archetype classification and energy performance certificates data","authors":"Lorena de Carvalho Araujo , Marion Bonhomme , Serge Faraut , Nathalie Tornay","doi":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115647","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.enbuild.2025.115647","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The energy renovation of buildings plays a pivotal role in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and adapting cities to climate change. However, the pace of renovation in the European building stock remains relatively slow. The objective of this study is to enhance our understanding of the renovation status of the French building stock by cross-analysing multiple databases. In order to assess the levels of renovation, a methodology is proposed which combines Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) data with Danube, an archetypal architectural database. By mapping the Danube archetypes to the EPC geospatial data, an examination of the renovation status across different buildings can be conducted, taking into account factors such as construction period, building usage, urban form, and geographical location. The methodology employed entails the establishment of a correspondence between the aforementioned databases, the calculation of U-values for building envelope components of the Danube database, and the conduct of a comparative analysis of their thermal performances with the EPC referential. The findings of this study reveal a complex pattern of renovation rates across different construction periods and housing types. Notably, buildings constructed after the Second World War exhibit the highest rates of renovation. Additionally, individual dwellings undergo more extensive roof renovations than collective housing. This research makes a significant contribution to the understanding of the complexities of building renovations in urban environments, and provides insights that can inform the development of effective strategies for enhancing urban sustainability and resilience.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11641,"journal":{"name":"Energy and Buildings","volume":"336 ","pages":"Article 115647"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6,"publicationDate":"2025-03-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143705866","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}