Climate change sensitive sizing and design for nearly zero-energy office building systems in Brussels

As climate change continues, it is expected that the risk of overheating will rise in both new and existing buildings in mixed humid climate zones in Europe. This study introduced a novel climate change sensi-tive sizing and design approach for cooling and heating systems in nearly zero-energy office buildings in Brussels, Belgium, for different weather scenarios. This approach considered the long-term effects of cli-mate change on building performance. The climate change effects were assessed using current and future climate data from the regional atmospheric model, MAR. To demonstrate the approach, a case study of a nearly zero-energy office building in Brussels was conducted. The reference building model was first cal-ibrated using monthly energy use data from the year 2019 using ASHRAE Guideline 14. Then, the building was evaluated with different HVAC strategies and their performances were quantified. The results indi-cated an increase in overheating as high as 1.2 degrees C and cooling energy use as high as 13.5 kWh/m2 and a decrease in overcooling as low as 0.3 degrees C and heating energy use as low as 10.9 kWh/m2 in the reference building by the end of the century. In addition, due to climate change sensitive sizing and design approach coupled with optimal sizing, the reference building was climate change resistant towards the worst-case scenario by end of the century with up to 3.7 for climate change overheating resistivity and 20.2 for climate change overcooling resistivity. Finally, the paper provided recommendations for future practice and research based on the study findings.(c) 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

As climate change progresses, the risk of overheating and excessive cooling in buildings in mixed humid climates in Europe is expected to increase. This study introduces a new approach to design cooling and heating systems in nearly zero-energy office buildings in Brussels, Belgium, taking into account the long-term effects of climate change. By using current and future climate data, the study assesses the impact of climate change on building performance and provides strategies to mitigate overheating and excessive cooling.