A Lagrangian finite element model for estimating the heating and cooling demand of a residential building with a different envelope design

• Published in: Applied energy Vol. 142; pp. 66 - 79
• Main Authors: Seo, Dong-yeon, Koo, Choongwan, Hong, Taehoon
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.03.2015
• Subjects: Building envelope design; Energy simulation; Finite element method; Heating and cooling demand; Interpolation function; Shape function; Finite element method; Shape function; Heating and cooling demand; Building envelope design; Energy simulation; Interpolation function
• ISSN: 0306-2619; 1872-9118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2014.12.051

•A nine-node-based Lagrangian finite element model was developed in this study.•It can be used to estimate heating and cooling demand according to the building envelope design.•For heating demand, RMSE, MAE, and MAPE were determined at 61.2, 45.1, and 1.18%.•For cooling demand, RMSE, MAE, and MAPE were determined at 71.5, 55.3, and 8.24%.•Decision-makers can use the proposed model by simply entering project information. It is important for an architect or a construction manager to easily and accurately estimate the heating and cooling demand of a residential building with a different envelope design in the early design phase. To achieve this objective, this study aimed to develop a nine-node-based Lagrangian finite element model for estimating the heating and cooling demand of a residential building with a different envelope design, which can be useful for an architect or a construction manager in the early design phase. This study was conducted in the following steps: (i) definition of the building envelope design elements; (ii) establishment of a standard database through energy simulation; and (iii) development of a Lagrangian finite element model. The prediction performance of the proposed nine-node-based model was improved in comparison with the four-node-based model. It was concluded that the prediction performance of the proposed nine-node-based model was superior to that of the four-node-based model. For the heating demand, RMSE(9-node, heating) (61.2), MAE(9-node, heating) (45.1), and MAPE(9-node, heating) (1.18%) of the proposed nine-node-based model was lower than that of the four-node-based model (73.9, 53.2, and 1.36%). For the cooling demand, RMSE(9-node, cooling) (71.5), MAE(9-node, cooling) (55.3), and MAPE(9-node, cooling) (8.24%) of the proposed nine-node-based model was lower than that of the four-node-based model (84.1, 61.1, and 8.71%). The series of processes used in this study could be applied to any other energy-saving technique or to a new/renewable energy system. It could also be extended to any other country or sector in the global environment.