A review on simulation-based optimization methods applied to building performance analysis

• Published in: Applied energy Vol. 113; pp. 1043 - 1058
• Main Authors: Nguyen, Anh-Tuan, Reiter, Sigrid, Rigo, Philippe
• Format: Journal Article Web Resource
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2014; Elsevier; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Algorithms; Applied sciences; Architecture; Bioclimatic building; Building design optimization; Buildings; Buildings. Public works; Computation methods. Tables. Charts; computer science; Computer simulation; Design engineering; Design of buildings; Engineering, computing & technology; Exact sciences and technology; Ingénierie, informatique & technologie; Mathematical models; Multi-objective optimization; Obstacles; Optimization; Optimization algorithm; Project management. Process of design; Robust design optimization; Searching; Structural analysis. Stresses; Surrogate-based optimization; system optimization; Types of buildings; uncertainty; CFD; ANN; NSGA-II; Surrogate-based optimization; BOP; HJ; Optimization algorithm; BPS; GPS; PSO; HS-BFGS; ES/HDE; Building design optimization; CMA; GA; Multi-objective optimization; NSGA; Robust design optimization; RDO; Performance evaluation; Computer simulation; Multiobjective programming; Robust estimation; Optimization; Design; Green building; Classification; Method study
• ISSN: 0306-2619; 1872-9118; 1872-9118
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.08.061

•Building design optimization techniques are described.•Advances and obstacles in building design optimization are outlined.•Bibliographic information related to building design optimization is analyzed.•New research directions are introduced. Recent progress in computer science and stringent requirements of the design of “greener” buildings put forwards the research and applications of simulation-based optimization methods in the building sector. This paper provides an overview on this subject, aiming at clarifying recent advances and outlining potential challenges and obstacles in building design optimization. Key discussions are focused on handling discontinuous multi-modal building optimization problems, the performance and selection of optimization algorithms, multi-objective optimization, the application of surrogate models, optimization under uncertainty and the propagation of optimization techniques into real-world design challenges. This paper also gives bibliographic information on the issues of simulation programs, optimization tools, efficiency of optimization methods, and trends in optimization studies. The review indicates that future researches should be oriented towards improving the efficiency of search techniques and approximation methods (surrogate models) for large-scale building optimization problems; and reducing time and effort for such activities. Further effort is also required to quantify the robustness in optimal solutions so as to improve building performance stability.