Antoni Fonseca i Casas

Formal simulation model to optimize building sustainability

In this work, we present a simulation model that makes it possible to find optimal values for various building parameters and the associated impacts that reduce the energy demand or consumption of the building. In the study, we consider several situations with different levels of thermal insulation. To define and to integrate the different models, a formal language (Specification and Description Language, SDL) is used. The main reason for using this formal language is that it makes it possible to define simulation models from graphical diagrams in an unambiguous and standard way. This simplifies the multidisciplinary interaction between team members. Additionally, the fact that SDL is an ISO standard simplifies its implementation because several tools understand this language. This simplification of the model makes it possible to increase the model credibility and simplify the validation and verification processes. In the present project, the simulation tools used were SDLPS (to rule the main simulation process) and Energy+ (as a calculus engine for energy demand). The interactions between all these tools are detailed and specified in the model, allowing a deeper comprehension of the process that define the life of a building from the point of view of its sustainability.

Simulation model to find the best comfort, energy and cost scenarios for building refurbishment

This article proposes a methodology to assess building behaviour, whilst taking its life cycle into account. Understanding of the system can be obtained by combining well-known energy consumption calculation engines (TRNSYS) with co-simulation processes defined using Specification and Description Language (SDL). In this instance, to find the best comfort, energy and cost scenarios for energy rehabilitation, Co-simulation is conducted in two phases: the best scenes of passive systems are found, those presented as a priority; and, the active systems are made with ‘brute force analysis’. The article provides the results for a case study: a single-family home built between 1991 and 2007 and located in Mediterranean climate zone. The methodology provides a set of passive energy efficiency measures, to improve until two scales in the building energy labelling system. Using the methodology and the proposed model has enabled us to dramatically reduce the run time until 75% and therefore.

Optimal Buildings’ Energy Consumption Calculus through a Distributed Experiment Execution

The calculus of building energy consumption is a demanding task because multiple factors must be considered during experimentation. Additionally, the definition of the model and the experiments is complex because the problem is multidisciplinary. When we face complex models and experiments that require a considerable amount of computational resources, the application of solutions is imperative to reduce the amount of time needed to define the model and the experiments and to obtain the answers. In this paper, we first address the definition and the implementation of an environmental model that describes the behavior of a building from a sustainability point of view and enables the use of several simulations and calculus engines in a cosimulation scenario. Second, we define a distributed experimental framework that enables us to obtain results in an accurate amount of time. This methodology has been applied to the energy consumption calculation, but it can also be applied to other modeling problems that usually require a considerable amount of resources by reducing the amount of time needed to perform modeling, implementation, verification, and experimentation.