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Modeling of Building System Operational Faults for Improved Energy Efficiency

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Smart Buildings and Technologies for Sustainable Cities in China

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Abstract

Efficient building system operation is vital for achieving the energy and sustainability goals established during the building design phase. However, operational faults are prevalent in existing building heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems of existing buildings. These faults often result in a significant discrepancy between actual HVAC operation performance and design expectations, leading to decreases in energy efficiency and occupant comfort. To address this issue, modeling and simulating technology can serve as an effective approach to evaluating and analyzing building operational faults. By adopting a holistic approach, this method can adequately account for the coupling between various operational components, the synchronized effect of simultaneous faults, and the dynamic nature of fault severity. Consequently, a deeper understanding of these faults can be attained, facilitating a more accurate estimation of their severity, and supporting timely decision-making for fault corrections. This chapter aims to explore the reasons behind the occurrence of representative building operational faults and the potential risks associated with them. Furthermore, it compares different fault detection and diagnostic methods developed for identifying and analyzing HVAC operational faults at the component or subsystem level. Additionally, the chapter introduces recent research and developments in the field of fault modeling and simulation tools.

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Correspondence to Rongpeng Zhang .

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Zhang, R., Yang, Y., Lin, C. (2023). Modeling of Building System Operational Faults for Improved Energy Efficiency. In: Zhou, T., Chen, Y., Deng, W., Cheshmehzangi, A. (eds) Smart Buildings and Technologies for Sustainable Cities in China. Urban Sustainability. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6391-1_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-6391-1_5

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