Organizational Unit:

School of Architecture

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https://hdl.handle.net/1853/70770

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Organizational Unit

College of Design

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https://finding-aids.library.gatech.edu/agents/corporate_entities/1120

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Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 14

Optimizing microgrid distributed energy resources with varying building loads: Analysis and simulation

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018-08-09) Haroon, Sohail

As microgrids continue to evolve and become more prevalent, there arises a need to understand how best to design while addressing the fundamental objective of meeting energy loads. As a localized energy entity, a microgrid brings together distributed energy resources such as photovoltaics and energy storage systems with an array of building loads within a well-defined electrical boundary. Microgrids can vary considerably in scope, co-existing with the utility grid infrastructure, or being able to operate independently of it, or some combination in between of grid-tie and off-grid operation. Many challenges face the design and operation of a microgrid involving intelligent controllers and dispatchers, balancing generation resources, interacting with the utility grid, and doing all this in a cost-effective manner. This study examines the role of building load profiles in optimization of distributed energy resources, in particular, photovoltaics and storage system. The grid is assumed to be stable and contrasting rate structures are explored. Similarly, contrasting load profiles can shed light on a microgrid’s ability to meet demand versus energy loads. Modeling and simulation is done via an industry standard tool, HOMER GRID. Detailed hourly load profiles for various building mix profiles are generated via an expanded building energy modeling tool, Energy Performance Calculator (EPC), developed at the Georgia Institute of Technology. Demand response is also handled via EPC. Optimization is across the spectrum of net present cost, operating cost, return on investment, and a redefined levelized cost of electricity metric. A simple methodology is derived that can aid in the general design of balancing and optimizing distributed energy resources based on the findings of optimization across scenarios. Of vital importance to a microgrid stakeholder is risk mitigation in the deployment and usage of distributed energy resources, operating costs, and load fulfillment. This study paves the path of better understanding of integration of microgrids within an evolving smarter utility grid. Future studies will explore an even wider mix of buildings, the effect of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations via the building load profiles, and the evolution of microgrid rate structures from the perspective of Independent System Operators (ISO) and Regional Transmission Organizations (RTO). In addition, scope will be expanded to include microgrids that service villages and islands where grid stability cannot be assumed thus covering the gamut of microgrid presence worldwide.
The synergistic effects of thermal environment and visibility upon the popularity of street retail area: A case study of a retail arcade in Guangzhou

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2018-08-01) Li, Yifan

For every building design process, three elements should be taken into considerations: building type, geometry and environment. These elements mutually influence one another; the aim of architectural design is to find the most appropriate combination of them. The three elements could be analyzed and modeled by using tools and methods in the fields of architecture typology, space syntax, and building performance simulation. The use of such tools supports not only qualitative research and evaluation, but also quantitative comparison. This work focuses on the arcade, a type of street retail space in South China. The overhanging 2nd floor not only moderates the thermal and environmental quality of the passage beneath it, but also affects the visibility of store fronts. In this study the conditions created in arcaded environments are compared to those in a normal street retail environment. Several analysis tools are used: Isovist and daylighting analyses are combined in order to model the visibility of store fronts; environmental simulation is used to assess thermal performance (e.g. temperature, wind speed, and humidity). The results are used to characterize the attraction of stores which are similar regarding size, location and retail type but are interfaced to different types of outdoor space. By combining the results of the analysis with observations of the stores’ popularity the research concludes with recommendations about the design of store environments that are more likely to attract visitors. Tools: Depthmap, Grasshopper, Diva, Ladybug, Honeybee, IES-VE
Multi-aspect energy performance of building form in eight U.S. climate zones

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2017-07-19) Feng, Tianyu

This research examines how building massing and building form impacts on multiple levels of building energy usage and inspects sensitivity of form parameters against other components using a building energy simulation-based framework. Based on literature review, a new concept, Relative Compactness (RC) is implemented throughout the research as the leading form characteristic to evaluate and validate the energy performance impact of building massing and form parameters. From an architectural design perspective, the RC is coupled with window sizes, window distribution and orientation; they are collectively treated as defining building form. It was found that a decrease of RC shows strong correlation with the increase of building energy usage in comparison to a cubic form for major building types located in different climate zones. In the study of the building form, a comprehensive comparison of multiple energy saving measures is conducted to rank the energy saving potentials of various parameters, include HVAC system type, cooling EER, heating COP, lighting power density, daylighting sensor, occupancy sensor, window U-value window and roof R-value, in a building energy simulation-based model. Building form impacts energy usage significantly depending on the range of the parameters defined in this study, especially the window related properties including the unit U-value, window area and distribution over different building facade orientations. Overall, the energy saving variation of all the evaluated strategies is highly interactive, and one component could affect the total energy consumption greatly. It is important to make sure each aspect of a project guarantees a proper efficiency level to maximize its effect. The results are discussed and shown to vary by climate zone.
The use of building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) towards ultra energy efficient buildings

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2017-01-03) Kishore, Pranav

This study talks about the energy efficient buildings from demand side of management as well as supply side of management too. It mainly covers feasibility and challenges of BIPV integration in the buildings. This study can also be used for deciding that whether a dynamic simulation modeling is required about the feasibility of BIPV integration in a commercial building.
Solar shift: A perspective on building energy performance under haze pollutions in China

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016-05-31) Jia, Yiyuan

The severe haze pollution in China has arisen concerns among the public and government officials, due to its impacts on pubic health, visibility, climate and agriculture. To augment these findings of the negative impacts of haze pollution, this study investigates the “solar shift” effect due to haze pollutions and the potential (unreported) impacts on buildings’ energy performance in China. This study takes the aerosol optical depth (AOD) as a measure of the solar blocking effect of haze pollutions. By plugging in the measured and projected AOD data in solar models, three weather files for Beijing are developed that represent different haze pollution for the following scenarios: the 2014 situation, the optimistic projection of 2050 (2050A) and the pessimistic projection of 2050 (2050B). Together with the TMY, these weather files serve as the boundary conditions in building energy modeling practices. The results indicate the district heating energy consumption under the 2014 aerosol emission levels would increase 5 % compared to the current practice using TMY weather file. In the pessimistic scenario where we assume to keep the current pace of aerosol emissions, the district heating energy would increase 10 %. The current ASHRAE design day sizing method would assure the heating load being met under all possible scenarios investigated in this study.
Application of the functional scenarios method on alternative settings

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2016-05-09) Bushehri, Yousef

Goals of this study are to set up the frame-work for analyzing residential buildings using the functional scenarios method and to tests the applicability of the method on large scale projects. The metrics for the analysis are based on guidelines for designing spaces that promote healthy aging. In addition, the study was providing an opportunity to developing and refined the method. The result of the analysis determines that the functional scenarios method is applicable to large scale buildings as effectively as smalls scale buildings; design configurations can be extracted from the results of the analysis to inform future designs. The limitations of the analysis are due to the available resources. Opportunities for continued work include 1) developing standard ways of representing the results of the analysis; and 2) developing a systematic approach for extracting design configurations based on the research questions asked.
Towards modeling of retrofit processes

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-08-05) Szymkiewicz, Paul M.

Energy retrofits can be executed by a building owner with or without the supervision of a third-party agent. We define process models to capture third-party energy retrofit inspection activities, and refine, augment, and generalize those models to then examine the impact of third-party retrofit inspections. Buildings included in the study vary considerably in type, and so do retrofit programs applied to those buildings.
Digital representation and constructability of minimal surfaces in concrete

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-07-27) Keskin, Zeynep

This thesis investigates minimal surfaces in design and researches their potential for constructability in concrete through the creation of physical prototypes with the design of two mold making processes, one being sacrificial and the other reusable. The study starts by acknowledging that minimal surfaces have been extensively explored in the field of differential geometry for decades. In spite of the availability of geometric definitions which provide the basic background for digital model generation (which in this text is assumed to be equal to design itself), minimal surfaces inspired very few people in their architectural design. This study attempts to look into the wider implications of minimal surfaces for architecture by taking up the challenge of designing and realizing various processes of mold making for the fabrication of such surfaces in concrete. Throughout this study, a gradient of complexity in the definition and digital modeling of minimal surfaces will be included as well as a variety of production methods in a research and fabrication based process, in order to investigate the correlation between what can be designed and what can be produced. I shall begin with a historical survey of the constructability of surfaces in thin shell concrete to provide background information for the reader. This chapter on the evolution of concrete structures presents a compilation of selected projects to illustrate the progress of thin shell construction throughout the history of architecture. It is here that I review what happened, why, and who made it possible. I draw heavily on published scholarly studies as most of the selected projects are cornerstones of the evolution of architecture and have been discussed by many others. Here, I simply attempt to remind the reader of the achievements of these projects in order to justify why investigation of the constructability of minimal surfaces may be the next step in the evolutionary process. After this section, the mathematics of surfaces in the complex plane is discussed based on information retrieved from many excellent resources. Here, the intention is to acquire information related to descriptions of various minimal surface types in differential geometry in order to be able to generate their representations in the digital environment. It would have been impossible to generate digital representations of minimal surfaces without the knowledge acquired through these descriptions. The last section provides a comparison of ruled surfaces and minimal surfaces meant to reveal the similarities and differences of such surfaces with regard to the principles of digital representation and fabrication. It provides insight into various fabrication techniques and materials to illuminate the design of a making process in which the goal is to know and control every parameter regarding both the design and fabrication of an object. The discussion of the design of a making process for a complexly shaped object provided in this part is followed by discussion of casting prototypes in concrete. In that section, the subject matter is the design and testing of various mold making techniques for the production of concrete prototypes of a selected minimal surface geometry. This section presents an increasing complexity of mold making from a sacrificial mold to a reusable mold.
HVAC operation uncertainty in energy performance gap

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2015-05-19) Wang, Yijia

This study aims at a preliminary characterization of system operation uncertainty. It bases this on an analysis of the energy consumption of 6 existing buildings on the Georgia Tech campus. The analysis is speculative in nature.
Thermo-hygroscopic envelope to support alternative cooling systems: speculative feasibility study in a small office building

(Georgia Institute of Technology, 2014-09-02) Marshall, Marionyt Tyrone

The thesis explores the technical feasibility of an alternative method of decoupling air-conditioning systems function within the context of ecological issues. The system is a variant of dedicated outdoor air systems to separate dehumidification and cooling in air conditioning equipment. The project specifically investigates locating these components within the building envelope. Placement in the envelope moves the systems closer to fresh air and offers architectural expression for components that are normally out of sight. Designers, engineers, building science, mechanical, structural, biologist, and architectural engineers ideally as agents offer beneficial improvement to the system. The reduction in size of components into the building envelope offers risk. The thesis design space uses historical works, biological analogues, and past work to ground the technical understanding of the topic. Specific use of biological inspired design realizes translation from other systems to improve the alternative decoupled air conditioning system. The thesis develops prototype models for lighting analysis and for sensible and latent heat calculations. Psychrometric charts serve as tools to understand the thermodynamic air-conditioning process in conventional direct expansion vapor compression and solar liquid desiccant air conditioning systems. Data, models, and sketches provide tools for improvements to the 'thick' building envelope. Finally, the diagrams translate into functional decompositions for modifications to improve the system. The thesis probes the constraints in the areas of cost, fabrication, and technology that may not yet exist for selective improvement rather than a barrier to development of the thesis.