Abstract
Building thermal performance and its energy consumption are affected by the energy exchange processes taking place between the outer skin or envelope of the building and the surrounding environment. It is a dynamic system in which there are continuous changes in a daily and seasonal range. Quantity and quality of the exposed envelope as well as albedo, vegetation, and urban geometry are significant factors in determining the impact of urban microclimates on energy building consumption. Existing buildings and their microclimates can be monitored in situ. This practice is very useful but time and resource consuming. Only some punctual cases can be evaluated thoroughly, and it is impossible to measure buildings that are still in project. Building energy simulation (BES) programs are capable of modelling building energy performance in detail in a dynamic model. The weather variables in an urban microclimate may be subtly different from the conditions prevailing over the area as a whole. Nevertheless, the input of meteorological conditions is usually taken from long-term averages provided by local weather stations. These data series ignore the modifying effect on the surroundings. This chapter presents a case study in a high-density area in the city of Mendoza, Argentina, in which year-round in situ measurements of temperature, humidity, radiation, and air movement were taken in two different scales: within the streets in a neighborhood and outside and inside a building. The micro-urban scale and the building scale were covered. A specific weather file was created for each scale, to be integrated in simulation software ENVI-met and EnergyPlus, respectively. Models were calibrated with the monitored data, to be run again with the information provided by local weather stations. Also, as a third term of comparison, the simulation workflow moves from the micro-urban- to a building-scale assessment by linking the ENVI-met software microclimatic results to the building energy simulation program EnergyPlus. Results obtained (a) with the local weather stations average climate input, (b) with the on-site microclimatic measurements, and (c) with ENVI-met software are compared in order to assess each case reliability in assessing the impact of local urban climate on building energy performance. Simulated-monitored results present differences of ±3.5%. This study reveals the capabilities and advantages of working with this tool for the generation of microclimatic data, which when integrated with EnergyPlus presents a less expensive and fast alternative to in situ monitoring.
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Ganem Karlen, C., Balter, J., Alchapar, N.L. (2021). Impact of Local Urban Climate on Building Energy Performance: Case Studies in Mendoza, Argentina. In: Palme, M., Salvati, A. (eds) Urban Microclimate Modelling for Comfort and Energy Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-65421-4_22
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