Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies
Abstract Buildings are considered one of the main causes of increasing CO2 emissions due to their excessive consumption of energy. The drive towards sustainability represents a challenge especially in existing buildings. The aim of the research is to support the built environment’s move onto a low-c...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Journal of Engineering and Applied Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-023-00327-0 |
| _version_ | 1797397964480577536 |
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| author | Mona Azouz Sarah Elariane |
| author_facet | Mona Azouz Sarah Elariane |
| author_sort | Mona Azouz |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Buildings are considered one of the main causes of increasing CO2 emissions due to their excessive consumption of energy. The drive towards sustainability represents a challenge especially in existing buildings. The aim of the research is to support the built environment’s move onto a low-carbon path using smart technologies. This research highlights the role of smart building technologies in increasing energy savings of office buildings in Egypt, taking into consideration their incremental cost. Based upon data available on Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) website, association rule has been applied using Apriori Algorithm to identify the most used smart technologies in EDGE-certified office buildings, in addition to the different smart-orientated retrofitting scenarios that could be applied. Using EDGE software, energy assessment of an existing office building in Egypt was performed. This assessment acts as a “reference point” to quantify the impact of each smart technology and retrofitting scenario on the energy savings, incremental costs, and payback period. Limitations of the application of the different smart technologies impacted the selection process for the different scenarios. These limitations can be summarized in the suitability of application in the existing building’s systems, the availability and cost in the local market, and the potential of the building’s infrastructure adaptation to the proposed technologies. Based upon the above limitations, the best scenario was selected. Results showed that smart technologies have a great role in retrofitting of office buildings reaching more than 20% energy savings. In addition, the high initial cost of applying smart technologies could be covered within around 3 years of operation. This research could be used as a guide for improving energy performance of existing office buildings in Egypt using smart technologies. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:17:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-abe396fca95f4ecbadf0c2301a991d10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1110-1903 2536-9512 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T01:17:51Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Engineering and Applied Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-abe396fca95f4ecbadf0c2301a991d102023-12-10T12:20:33ZengSpringerOpenJournal of Engineering and Applied Science1110-19032536-95122023-12-0170111710.1186/s44147-023-00327-0Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologiesMona Azouz0Sarah Elariane1Architecture & Environmental Studies, Housing and Building National Research CenterSmart and Sustainable Urban Development, Housing and Building National Research CenterAbstract Buildings are considered one of the main causes of increasing CO2 emissions due to their excessive consumption of energy. The drive towards sustainability represents a challenge especially in existing buildings. The aim of the research is to support the built environment’s move onto a low-carbon path using smart technologies. This research highlights the role of smart building technologies in increasing energy savings of office buildings in Egypt, taking into consideration their incremental cost. Based upon data available on Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies (EDGE) website, association rule has been applied using Apriori Algorithm to identify the most used smart technologies in EDGE-certified office buildings, in addition to the different smart-orientated retrofitting scenarios that could be applied. Using EDGE software, energy assessment of an existing office building in Egypt was performed. This assessment acts as a “reference point” to quantify the impact of each smart technology and retrofitting scenario on the energy savings, incremental costs, and payback period. Limitations of the application of the different smart technologies impacted the selection process for the different scenarios. These limitations can be summarized in the suitability of application in the existing building’s systems, the availability and cost in the local market, and the potential of the building’s infrastructure adaptation to the proposed technologies. Based upon the above limitations, the best scenario was selected. Results showed that smart technologies have a great role in retrofitting of office buildings reaching more than 20% energy savings. In addition, the high initial cost of applying smart technologies could be covered within around 3 years of operation. This research could be used as a guide for improving energy performance of existing office buildings in Egypt using smart technologies.https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-023-00327-0Smart building technologiesOffice buildingsEnergy savingsRetrofitting existing buildingsEDGEAssociation rule |
| spellingShingle | Mona Azouz Sarah Elariane Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies Journal of Engineering and Applied Science Smart building technologies Office buildings Energy savings Retrofitting existing buildings EDGE Association rule |
| title | Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies |
| title_full | Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies |
| title_fullStr | Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies |
| title_short | Towards energy efficiency: retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies |
| title_sort | towards energy efficiency retrofitting existing office buildings using smart technologies |
| topic | Smart building technologies Office buildings Energy savings Retrofitting existing buildings EDGE Association rule |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s44147-023-00327-0 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT monaazouz towardsenergyefficiencyretrofittingexistingofficebuildingsusingsmarttechnologies AT sarahelariane towardsenergyefficiencyretrofittingexistingofficebuildingsusingsmarttechnologies |