Building Design

Building Design

Graphic depicting low-energy building topic areasHuman Behavior, Standards and Tools to Improve Design and Operation
We are working to gain a deep understanding of energy-related occupant behavior in buildings. Technologies alone do not guarantee low energy use in buildings: Human behavior plays an essential role. We are collecting human-building interaction data, standardizing the description of human energy-related behavior, and integrating behavior models into whole-building performance simulation tools.
Read more: Research Summary File

Hybrid Ventilation Optimization and Controls
This project will determine the potential of natural ventilation to provide comfortable conditions and reduce or eliminate the need for air conditioning over the important climatic zones in China and the United States. We will propose design guidelines and efficient control algorithms for naturally and mechanically ventilated buildings.
Read more: Research Summary File

Key Technical Achievements

  • On-line comparative energy benchmarking tool
  • Expanded use of measured data from real-time monitoring
  • Behavioral impacts integrated into simulation models

Participants

Berkeley Lab
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Tsinghua University
Chongqing University
Tianjin University