Thermal energy performance of an academic building with sustainable probing and optimization with evolutionary algorithm

Abstract The built environment contributes around half of the total energy consumed. This study evaluates various sustainability options simulated on the Central Library, IIT Delhi which falls in the composite climatic zone. Simulation of real-time existing infrastructure provides insightful and accurate results and hence increases credibility. The sustainability options simulated together and analyzed in this study are Phase change materials (PCM), green roof and a cool roof. PCMs due to its own virtue of high latent heat and phase change occurring in ambient conditions reduce the heat gains inside a built environment. Green and cool roofs effectively reduce solar gains from the roof. These three mitigation strategies are coupled together on the count of multiple cases to assess how they affect the thermal and energy performance of the building. The sustainability potential in this study is taken forward by optimizing key building design parameters using Genetic Algorithm which reports a significant reduction in the cooling loads required. The energy modelling is done using DesignBuilder and EnergyPlus. The library is meticulously digitized with intricate modelling and schedules. From the four PCMs, cool and green roof studied, OM32 and cool roof have the highest quotient of savings. A coupled system has shown a maximum savings of 25,293.32 kWh for an annual time period.

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