Influence of User-Related Parameters on Calculated Energy Use in Low-Energy School Buildings

Branko Simanic, Birgitta Nordquist, Hans Bagge and Dennis Johansson
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Branko Simanic: Building Services, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
Birgitta Nordquist: Building Services, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
Hans Bagge: Building Physics, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, 223 63 Lund, Sweden
Dennis Johansson: Building Services, Faculty of Engineering LTH, Lund University, 223 63 Lund, Sweden

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 11, 1-14

Abstract: Literature and experience show that there are large discrepancies between the calculated and measured building energy usages, where user-related parameters are significant factors with regard to energy use in low-energy buildings. Furthermore, the difficulties encountered when quantifying these parameters compound these discrepancies. The main aim of this study was to provide feedback that would help the building industry and research communities to predict more accurately the impact of the user-related parameters on energy performance. The results of the study would, subsequently, contribute to minimizing the discrepancies between calculated and measured energy use. This article analyses simulated building energy use based on randomly chosen combinations of measured user-related parameters in three recently built low-energy schools in Sweden. The results show that energy performance can span from 30 to 160 kWh/(m² y) simply by varying the combination of previously measured user-related parameters in building energy simulations. The study shows that the set points for indoor air temperatures during the heating season and the energy required to run a demand-controlled ventilation system have an extensive influence, while tenant electricity use has a slightly lower influence on building energy use. Variations in occupancy rates and energy for hot water usage have the smallest influences on building energy use.

Keywords: low-energy schools; user-related parameters; calculated energy use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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