Transition toward sustainable building design to approach sustainability

Engineering notes

Engineering notes will be added by the Power for Solar editorial team.

Chinese explanation / 中文解读

中文解读待补充：本站会优先为光伏效率、钙钛矿太阳能电池、储能技术、太阳能热利用、BIPV、并网技术等高价值论文补充中文说明。

Original abstract

Sustainable construction practices are evolving from traditional designs to innovative approaches referred to as “Green, intelligent.” This evolution is attracting considerable attention amid the ongoing energy crisis, which highlights the limitations of conventional building methods. Recent studies indicate that the construction sector accounts for 30%-40% of global annual energy consumption, exacerbating the challenges posed by rising fossil fuel prices and increasing CO 2 emissions. Consequently, sustainable construction techniques aim to improve environmental responsibility, conserve resources, develop alternative energy sources, and reduce pollution without causing significant harm to ecosystems. However, recent research indicates that current levels of CO 2 emissions could lead to higher temperatures in future centuries, in addition to solar panels installed in “built-in environment” producing heat that leads cooling devices to consume extra loads. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate sustainable construction methods that can significantly contribute to a circular economy—an economic model focused on the continuous reuse of materials to minimize waste. Additionally, technologies such as Building Information Modelling (BIM) and Digital Twin enable real-time virtual simulations that replicate physical entities, enhancing project collaboration, transparency, and engineering efficiency. Thus, this study presents three case studies of conceptual building simulation aiming to reduce energy consumption, CO 2 emissions, and promote environmental comfort. The design emphasizes sustainability through structural integrity, efficient resource use, and the reduction of indoor air pollutants within the building industry. Numerical values for the case studies were estimated. Case study one, focused on the built environment, yielded a basic rooftop photovoltaic (PV) cell capacity of 85,881.61 kWh/year. Case study two examined building solar radiation absorption in the non-built environment, with optimal generation accounting for 55.13% of the consumed load. A mathematical equation was developed to estimate the output of renewable energy. Case study three evaluated energy-efficient packages and operational selectivity, resulting in load-level reductions. In this case, electrical loads increased by 8.7%, while fuel consumption decreased by 50%. The results from these three case studies were subsequently used to examine the building’s energy self-sufficient approach using a mathematical equation. The projected timeframes required for the case studies' approaches were 402, 90, and 70 years, respectively.

Links and sources

Comments