BEopt: Searching for Optimal Building Designs

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Craig Christensen Center for Buildings and
Thermal Systems, NREL Scott Horowitz, Adam
Courtney, Todd Givler Building Systems Program,
University of Colorado Greg Barker Mountain
Energy Partnership
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Outline

• Objective
• Conceptual Approach
• Optimization Methodology
• Validation Benefits
• Conclusions
• Software Demo

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Objective
To identify optimal building designs (with
minimum energy-related annual costs) on the
path to zero net energy
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Conceptual Approach
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The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
cash flow
mortgage
2,000
utility bills
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
6
The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
cash flow
mortgage
2,000
utility bills
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1
2
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
7
The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
cash flow
mortgage
2,000
utility bills
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1
3
2
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
8
The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
cash flow
4
mortgage
2,000
utility bills
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1
3
2
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
9
The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
2,000
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
10
The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
Higher Utility Rates
2,000
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
11
The Path to Zero Net Energy
2,500
2,000
1,500
Mortgage Energy Costs (/year)
1,000
500
0
0
100
Source Energy Savings ()
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Optimization Methodology
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Simulation / Optimization Software
PV
TRNSYS
SDHW
Optimal Building Designs
BEopt
TMY2
Heating Cooling Lighting Appliances
DOE2
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Sequential Search Technique
1
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2
3
4
Source Energy Savings ()
15
Large-Step Special Case
1 (A1, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2 (A1, B2)
(A2, B1)
Source Energy Savings ()
16
Large-Step Special Case
1 (A1, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2 (A1, B2)
3 (A2, B2)
3 (A2, B1)
Source Energy Savings ()
17
Large-Step Special Case
1 (A1, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2 (A1, B2)
3 (A2, B2)
3 (A2, B1)
Source Energy Savings ()
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 Invest/Divest Special Case
1 (A1, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2 (A1, B2)
3 (A1, B3)
(A0, B3)
Source Energy Savings ()
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 Invest/Divest Special Case
1 (A1, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2 (A1, B2)
3 (A1, B3)
3 (A0, B3)
Source Energy Savings ()
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 Invest/Divest Special Case
1 (A1, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
2 (A1, B2)
3 (A1, B3)
3 (A0, B3)
Source Energy Savings ()
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Positive Interaction Special Case
1 (A0, B1)
(A1, B2)
2 (A1, B1)
(A2, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
3
Source Energy Savings ()
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Positive Interaction Special Case
1 (A0, B1)
(A1, B2)
2 (A1, B1)
(A2, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
3
3 (A2, B2)
Source Energy Savings ()
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Positive Interaction Special Case
1 (A0, B1)
(A1, B2)
2 (A1, B1)
(A2, B1)
Total Annual Costs (/year)
3
3 (A2, B2)
Source Energy Savings ()
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Validation Benefits
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75 options/simulations
Total Annual Costs (/year)
Source Energy Savings ()
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Conclusions
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Current BEopt Capabilities

• Runs detailed hour-by-hour simulations DOE2 and
  TRNSYS
• Accurately accounts for interactions across
  categories (e.g., glass type and HVAC)
• Evaluates realistic (discrete) options for
  building efficiency and solar water heating
• Finds and stores optimal designs over the entire
  range of energy savings from base case to zero
  net energy
• Identifies near-optimal alternative designs
• Includes a detailed user-accessible options
  library
• Automatically implements the BA Benchmark