Thermal performance and energy consumption analysis of retail buildings through daylighting: A numerical model with experimental validation

Abstract

The simultaneous impact of a building's electricity consumption and thermal performance is analyzed in this paper by taking a thermal model of a retail building located in Ranchi, India. A Baseline design of retail building having a rectangular footprint area is compared with four buildings with different footprint areas (Rectangular, T, L, H and U), in the South-West orientation. The thermal models for lighting of retail building are developed using eQuest software, and results obtained were validated experimentally. Intensity of light is reduced by 35% in baseline building corresponding to the amount of energy saved by upgrading to a T8 fluorescent fixture from a T12 fluorescent fixture. Average daylight factor of retail building in hot summer was found to be 34.80% experimentally and 28.98% through simulation. Based on energy consumption it is found that, for temperate buildings with rectangular footprints, buildings with L footprints, and buildings with H footprints are preferable when targeting net-zero energy status. The results encourage architects and engineers to work out an effective framework to enhance the use of natural illumination energy and suitable lighting according to buildings layout.

Keywords

• Building shape
• Electricity consumption
• Building orientation
• Energy efficiency
• Daylight factor