Novel Neural Network Optimized by Electrostatic Discharge Algorithm for Modification of Buildings Energy Performance

Arash Mohammadi Fallah, Ehsan Ghafourian, Ladan Shahzamani Sichani, Hossein Ghafourian, Behdad Arandian and Moncef L. Nehdi ()
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Arash Mohammadi Fallah: Department of Architecture, Urmia Branch, Islamic Azad University, Urmia 5719976453, Iran
Ehsan Ghafourian: Department of Computer Science, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50010, USA
Ladan Shahzamani Sichani: Department of Art and Architecture, Semirom Branch, Islamic Azad University, Semiron 7357586619, Iran
Hossein Ghafourian: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, MA 01375, USA
Behdad Arandian: Department of Electrical Engineering, Dolatabad Branch, Islamic Azad University, Isfahan 8194975178, Iran
Moncef L. Nehdi: Department of Civil Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 4, 1-15

Abstract: Proper analysis of building energy performance requires selecting appropriate models for handling complicated calculations. Machine learning has recently emerged as a promising effective solution for solving this problem. The present study proposes a novel integrative machine learning model for predicting two energy parameters of residential buildings, namely annual thermal energy demand (D ThE ) and annual weighted average discomfort degree-hours (H DD ). The model is a feed-forward neural network (FFNN) that is optimized via the electrostatic discharge algorithm (ESDA) for analyzing the building characteristics and finding their optimal contribution to the D ThE and H DD . According to the results, the proposed algorithm is an effective double-target model that can predict the required parameters with superior accuracy. Moreover, to further verify the efficiency of the ESDA, this algorithm was compared with three similar optimization techniques, namely atom search optimization (ASO), future search algorithm (FSA), and satin bowerbird optimization (SBO). Considering the Pearson correlation indices 0.995 and 0.997 (for the D ThE and H DD , respectively) obtained for the ESDA-FFNN versus 0.992 and 0.938 for ASO-FFNN, 0.926 and 0.895 for FSA-FFNN, and 0.994 and 0.995 for SBO-FFNN, the ESDA provided higher accuracy of training. Subsequently, by collecting the weights and biases of the optimized FFNN, two formulas were developed for easier computation of the D ThE and H DD in new cases. It is posited that building engineers and energy experts could consider the use of ESDA-FFNN along with the proposed new formulas for investigating the energy performance in residential buildings.

Keywords: optimization; sustainable energy; building energy performance; thermal load (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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