INTELLIGENT

BUILDINGS

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Energy in Buildings
Buildings are inherently linked to their usage and
surroundings and hence their indoor environment is
the result of a range of interactions affected by
seasonal and daily changes in climate and by the
requirements of occupants varying in time and
space.
The design of buildings in the mid-late twentieth
century has sought to eliminate the effect of
outdoor daily and seasonal changes through the use
of extensive heating, cooling, lighting and
ventilation equipment, resulting in spiraling energy
consumption and environmental impact.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Introduction-Energy Management
Energy used in buildings accounts for
almost half of the total amount of energy
consumed in the European Community
today.
Almost 85% of the energy used in buildings
is for low temperature applications such as
space and water heating.
Appropriate building designs involving
clean and efficient technologies are
already available and there use may help
to reduce future energy consumption as
well as to provide a better quality of life for
citizens.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Introduction-Energy Management
With fossil fuels the primary energy source, the
building sector currently produces 22% of total
CO2 emissions in the EC. This is more than that
produced by the industrial sector.
Intelligently designed buildings are those that
involve environmentally responsive design taking
into account the surroundings and building usage
and involving the selection of appropriate
building services and control systems to further
enhance building operation with a view to the
reduction of energy consumption and
environmental impact over its lifetime.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Energy in Buildings

The purpose of energy management in buildings,

and hence the role of the building energy
manager, is to identify the areas in building stock
where energy is used in excess.

Energy consumption in building is required for

the following uses:

Heating
Cooling
Ventilation
Lighting
Equipment and machinery
Domestic hot water

telligent Buildings
echnology
Indoor Comfort

Thermal comfort

Visual Comfort

Indoor air quality

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Thermal Comfort

Comfort is defined as the sensation of complete physical

and mental well being.
Thermal neutrality, where an individual desires neither a
warmer nor a colder environment, is a necessary condition
for thermal comfort.
The factors affecting comfort are divided into personal
variables:

activity

Clothing
and environmental variables,

(air temperature,

mean radiant temperature

air velocity

air humidity

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Thermal Comfort Energy Balance

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Visual Comfort
Visual comfort is the main determinant of lighting
requirements.
Good lighting provide a suitable intensity and
direction of illumination on the task area,
appropriate colour rendering, the absence of
discomfort and, in addition, a satisfying variety in
lighting quality and intensity from place to place
and over time.
Peoples lighting preferences vary with age, gender,
time and season. The activity to be performed is
critically important.
Various agencies (ASHRAE, CIBSE, etc.) and text
books list optimal illuminances for different
activities. These are generally based on uniform and
constant levels of artificial light falling on the
working plane.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Visual Comfort Illuminance levels

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Visual Comfort
Natural light comes from
three directions:

Direct Sunlight

Diffuse light from the

sky, and

Light Reflections from

the Environment

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Indoor air Quality
During the last three decades, decreased ventilation rates

for energy conservation, along with increased use of

synthetic (i.e. man-made) materials in buildings have
resulted in increased health complaints from building
occupants. However, energy efficiency and good indoor air
quality in buildings need not be mutually exclusive.

In fact, in 1986 the WHO (World Health Organisation)

reported that "energy-efficient but sick buildings often cost

society far more than it gains by energy savings".
The result of the reductions in ventilation rates in buildings
have led to the so called "Sick Building Syndrome" (SBS)
and "Building Related Illness" (BRI).

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Indoor air Quality Ventilation
There are two types of ventilation: natural and

mechanical.
Natural ventilation includes the movement of outdoor
air through intentional openings such as doors and
windows and through unintentional openings in the
building shell scuch as cracks which result in
infiltration and exfiltration.
Mechanical or forced ventilation is intentional
ventilation supplied by fans or blowers. These fans are
usually part of the buildings HVAC system which
heats, cools, mixes and filters the air being supplied to
the building.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Climate

Climate responsive design in buildings takes into

account the following climatic parameters which

have direct influence on indoor thermal comfort
and energy consumption in buildings:

The air temperature,

The humidity,
The prevailing wind direction and speed,
The amount of solar radiation and the solar path.
Long wave radiation between other buildings and
the surrounding environment and sky also plays a
major role in building performance.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Climate
The outdoor air temperature has a significant effect

on building thermal losses due to conduction

through the walls and roof of the building, as well
as affecting ventilation and infiltration losses due
to either desirable or undesirable air changes.
In warm climates the relative humidity plays an
important role in determining thermal comfort
levels, since during warm weather the high
pressure of water vapour prevents the evaporation
of perspiration from the body thereby inhibiting the
body from being maintained at a comfortable
temperature.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Macroclimate is a term referring to the general climatic

character of a region in terms of temperature, humidity,

precipitation, wind, sunshine and cloud cover. An appreciation
of the overall characterisation of the climate of a region is a
fundamental requirement for climate responsive building
design, this affecting the general design principles which
should be followed.
Regional climatic factors are strongly affected by the local
topography, vegetation and the nature of the area, resulting
in deviations from the regional macroclimate. The effect of
such factors results in climatic characteristics known as the
mesoclimate. Heavily vegetated or densely built-up areas
have a significant impact on the climate of a specific location.
The conditions of the climatic parameters of a specific site or
around a building are termed the microclimate. Temperature,
humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation around a building
can be affected by the deliberate placement of vegetation,
landscaping, water and fountains, and positioning of
constructions

Intelligent
Buildings
Technology
Building Climate interaction

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Building Envelope
The building envelope responds dynamically to the

impact of the outdoor climate on the envelope exterior

and the effect of the occupancy pattern and building
usage on the interior.
However, the performance of the heating, ventilation and
air-conditioning systems, artificial lighting, fenestration
opening and shading can be harmonized and optimized
in response to occupancy needs and climatic conditions
through a building energy management system which
allows direct control of the necessary actuators either
manually or automatically.
In this manner the individual components of the building
can be controlled to produce the best possible indoor
environment with minimum energy consumption.

Intelligent Buildings Technology

Heat transfer
Conduction - C
Radiation - R
Convection - C

Intelligent Construction Limited provides a full

spectrum of preconstruction services

As you would expect from one of the leading

construction firms.
The Intelligent Construction Limited
difference lies in our ability to confidently and consistently interpret and
deliver results as only a true builder can do.

Budget Development and Estimating

Intelligent Construction Limited preconstruction teams understand how
critical our early estimates are to your project's success. We practice a
continuous process of cost control beginning on the day we are selected
as part of the project team. From that day forward, we focus on realistic
budgeting, accurate documentation and ongoing review of costs to help
your maximize your budget dollars.