DE LA SALLE UNIVERSITY-DASMARIÑAS

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING, ARCHITECTURE AND TECHNOLOGY

ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT

Module 10.1: Energy-Efficient

Buildings
 GOSPEL READING OR PRAYER

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/word-of-the-day.html
Building Energy-
Modeling (BEM)
Building Energy-Modeling (BEM)
Building Energy-Modeling (BEM), also known as energy modeling, is a
digital simulation process designed to predict a building's energy
consumption. Through BEM, designers evaluate energy-saving
decisions using a model of the building’s architecture and its
interactions with environmental factors over a typical year. The
purpose of BEM is to optimize energy savings, reduce costs, and
lower carbon emissions by implementing effective Energy
Conservation Measures (ECMs).
 The BEM Process: Virtual Architecture
and Components
In BEM, a virtual architecture is created using software, modeling building elements in a 3D
digital space. This architecture includes:

• Surface Area and Volume: Used to calculate heat transfer and internal conditions.
• Thermal Properties: Materials, insulation, and thermal mass.
• Room Descriptions: Occupancy, purpose, and layout.
• Windows and Doors: Type, location, size, and finishes.

This virtual model is combined with a weather file that provides synthetic year-long climatic
information, including average temperatures, solar radiation, and other key variables.
Typical weather files, such as Typical Meteorological Year 2 (TMY2) or Weather Year for
Energy Calculations 2 (WYEC2), help simulate the building’s energy behavior over a year.
 Inputs and Simplification in BEM
Most BEM software allows simplifications for time and efficiency. Examples include:

• Lighting: Simplified as watts per square foot rather than detailed fixture input.
• HVAC Systems: Require detailed entries (fan horsepower, pump horsepower, system
type, and efficiency) due to their complexity and effect on energy use.
• Occupant Load and Air Requirements: Used to estimate internal loads and ventilation
needs.
 Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs)
ECMs are specific projects or technologies designed to
reduce energy consumption. In BEM, ECMs are
analyzed over the life cycle of the building, covering
design, construction, operation, and demolition stages.
This analysis ensures that ECM benefits are assessed in
terms of long-term savings and sustainability.
 Simulation Stages in BEM
BEM simulations range from preliminary models for
early design phases to detailed simulations closer to
project completion. Preliminary models allow designers
to explore design alternatives and optimize energy
savings with early adjustments, while detailed
simulations, requiring greater data input and expertise,
are used for final performance assessments.
 Case Example: eQUEST Energy-Modeling Software
In an example using eQUEST, a respected energy-
simulation tool, a building simulated in Orlando,
Florida, demonstrated the impact of shading devices:

• Without Shading: Higher energy use and costs.

• With Shading: Achieved a 10% reduction in
energy usage and an 11% cost savings.

Shading devices, as ECMs, illustrate the role of BEM

in reducing energy costs and enhancing thermal
comfort. This example shows how the right ECMs can
balance energy savings, cost reduction, and carbon
efficiency.
Solar Energy Design
 Solar Energy Design
Sunlight becomes solar energy when transferred to a medium that can provide
useful heat. This solar energy can heat water, the inside of a building, or create
power for electrical utilities. Most areas of the Earth receive about 60% direct
sunlight annually, and in clear areas, up to 80%. When the sun’s rays reach the
Earth, air and features become heated. Dense materials like concrete absorb
more heat than less dense materials like wood. During the day, dense materials
absorb and store solar energy, which is released at night as heat. Some
substances, like glass, absorb thermal radiation while transmitting light,
making solar heating possible. Solar radiation enters a structure through
glass panels and warms interior surfaces, keeping heat inside by absorbing
radiation.
 Solar energy design
Uses of Solar Energy

• Residential and Commercial: Heating spaces and hot water.

• Industrial: Drying materials such as lumber, masonry, or crops.
• Desalinization: Providing fresh water from mineral or saltwater.

Types of Solar Heating Systems

• Passive Solar Systems: Use no mechanical devices to retain, store, or
radiate solar heat.
• Active Solar Systems: Use mechanical devices to absorb, store, and use
solar heat.
 Site Orientation
A southern exposure provides the best site orientation for solar construction. A perfect
solar site allows for unobstructed southern exposure.

Room Placement
• Living Areas: Should be on the south side of the house.
• Inactive Rooms: Bedrooms, bathrooms, and laundry rooms should be located on the
north side for a cooler environment.
• Garage Placement: Should be on the north, northeast, or northwest side to act as a
barrier insulating living areas from cold elements. Inactive rooms shelter living areas
from northern exposure. Masonry walls allow the house to be built into a slope on its
northern side, or berms to be used as shelter from the elements.
 Air-lock entry
An air-lock entry, known as a vestibule, provides
a hall or chamber between an exterior and
interior door. The vestibule should be designed
so that the interior and exterior doors are not
open simultaneously. The distance between the
doors should be at least 7' (2100 mm) to ensure
occupants close one door before reaching the
other. The main idea is to provide a chamber
that remains closed to the living area by a door.
When the exterior door opens, the air lock loses
heat, but heat loss is confined to the small
vestibule space, minimizing heat loss from the
living area.
Living with Solar
Energy Systems
Living with solar energy systems
Living with solar energy systems and energy-
efficient construction requires a
commitment to conserving energy. Each
individual must evaluate costs against
potential savings and recognize the
responsibility of energy conservation.
Living with solar energy systems
Solar systems can be designed to provide heat from the sun with
minimal involvement from occupants. Active solar systems
provide substantial heat energy automatically and require little
homeowner involvement, while passive solar systems may
require significant participation from occupants. For example,
homeowners must operate mechanical shades to block summer
sun rays from southern-exposure windows.
CODES AND SOLAR RIGHTS
Building permits are generally required for installing active solar
systems and constructing passive solar systems. It is essential to
verify requirements with local building officials and check local
zoning ordinances during planning to determine feasibility.

Access to sunlight is not always guaranteed. A solar home may have

excellent solar orientation initially, but nearby tall structures or
growing trees can block sunlight. It is important to assess potential
issues before construction begins. Some local zoning ordinances,
laws, or deed restrictions can protect the right to light.
Roof Overhang
A roof overhang can
effectively shield large glass
areas from the heat of the
summer sun. Properly
designed overhangs can
significantly aid in the
effective use of solar heat.
Roof Overhang
To calculate an overhang that provides nearly 100% shading
at noon on the longest day of the year, use a formula that
divides the window height by a factor determined in relation
to latitude. For example, to calculate the recommended
southern overhang for a location at 36° latitude with a
windowsill height of 6'-8", consider that the recommended
overhang increases for more northerly latitudes.
Roof Overhang
Roof Overhang
Passive Solar Systems
Passive solar systems
In passive solar architecture, the design allows the sun to
directly warm the interior of the structure. A passive solar
system enables sunlight to enter and be absorbed by a
structural mass, which then warms the living space. Control
of sunlight is managed through shutters or curtains, while
vents help regulate temperature. In this type of
construction, the structure itself serves as the solar system.
Passive solar systems
The amount of material required for heat storage depends on
several factors:

• the amount of sunlight

• the desired interior temperature
• the material’s ability to store heat.

Materials such as water, steel, concrete, and masonry have

good heat capacity, while wood does not.
 Passive solar systems
Several passive solar architectural methods
can be employed, including:

South-Facing Glass (or Direct Solar Gain):

Large south-facing windows can provide up
to 60% of a building's heating needs when
insulated at night with tight-fitting
shutters or insulated curtains. Without this
insulation, daytime heat gain is quickly lost.
The sun’s energy needs to heat dense
materials to be retained effectively, so floors
and walls should be constructed of or
covered with tile, brick, or concrete.
Passive solar systems
Clerestory Windows: These are
rows of windows set along the
upper part of a wall that can
enhance light and direct solar
gain to second-floor living
areas. They can also assist in
ventilating the structure during
summer months when cooling is
more necessary than heating.
Passive solar systems
Skylights: Skylights are
windows in a roof that admit
sunlight. However, in summer,
skylights can lead to
overheating unless ventilation
or shading is provided. Some
skylights are operable and can
help ventilate the space.
Thermal Storage Walls
Thermal Storage walls
Thermal storage walls are made
of heat-absorbing materials
such as concrete, masonry, or
water-filled cylinders. These
walls can be constructed inside
and next to large southern-
exposed windows. They absorb
energy during the day and
release heat slowly at night.
 Thermal storage walls
Trombe Wall: A well-known thermal storage wall
designed by Dr. Felix Trombe. It consists of a
massive dark-painted masonry or concrete wall
positioned a few inches inside and next to south-
facing glass. The sun heats the air between the wall
and the glass, causing the heated air to rise and
enter the room through vents at the top. Cool air
from adjacent rooms is pulled in through vents at
the bottom. The vents must be closable to prevent
heat loss at night. The Trombe wall also cools the
structure during summer by venting warm air
outside, creating air currents that draw in cooler air
from open north-side windows.
 Thermal storage walls
Some passive solar structures use water as the
storage medium. Large vertical water-filled tubes
or drums painted dark can serve as a Trombe wall,
storing heat during the day and releasing it at
night.
Roof Ponds
 Roof ponds
Roof ponds are typically more
common in commercial construction
but can also be used in residential
architecture. A roof pond consists of
containers filled with antifreeze and
water placed on a flat roof.
 Green roof
A green roof, or rooftop garden, is
planted over existing roof structures
to reduce building temperatures,
filter pollution, and decrease water
runoff. This type of roof helps
mitigate the urban heat island effect
and can lower heating and cooling
loads within the building.
 SOLARIUMS
A solarium, also known as a
sunroom or solar greenhouse, is
designed on the south side of a
house, adjacent to the living
area. Solariums promote year-
round plant growth and absorb
and transmit solar energy to the
rest of the building.
 SOLARIUMS
Heat from the solarium can circulate
throughout the house via natural
convection or a forced-air system.
However, solariums can overheat during
hot summer days. This can be managed
with mechanical ventilators,
humidifiers, or exterior shading devices.
Landscaping with southern deciduous
trees can also provide shade and help
regulate temperatures.
End of Lecture