The Impact of HVAC Operational Strategies on Energy Use in an Office Building in a Hot Climate
Publication: Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 29, Issue 2
Abstract
Office buildings, characterized by high internal heat gains, represent a major share of energy use, mainly due to HVAC systems, especially in commercial facilities. Such energy use becomes more significant in locations with harsh climatic conditions. The careful design, selection, and operation of HVAC and energy systems, however, can contribute to major reductions in the energy use in buildings. In this paper, we present the outcomes of a study conducted to assess the impact of HVAC operational strategies on energy use in office buildings in the hot and humid climate of Saudi Arabia. The study utilized detailed building-energy simulation coupled with utility-use data. The results revealed annual electrical energy savings ranging from an average of 1.9% for each 1°C increase in the thermostat setpoint temperature up to 42.4%, when limiting HVAC system operation to occupied hours only. On an average, there was about a 1.4% penalty in the annual energy for each hour of increase in the HVAC system start-up time. However, this penalty should not be avoided at the expense of compromising thermal comfort. In summary, a combination of appropriate HVAC operational strategies can have a significant impact on a building’s annual energy savings, as demonstrated in the presented case study.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the support provided by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) that made this research possible.
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Information & Authors
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Published In
Journal of Architectural Engineering
Volume 29 • Issue 2 • June 2023
Copyright
© 2023 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Feb 25, 2022
Accepted: Feb 15, 2023
Published online: Apr 10, 2023
Published in print: Jun 1, 2023
Discussion open until: Sep 10, 2023
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