Journal Home > Volume 6 , Issue 1
Building Simulation 2013, 6(1): 33-50 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-012-0092-5
Research Article | Issue | Published: 04 September 2012

Envelope retrofit and air-conditioning operational strategies for reduced energy consumption in mosques in hot climates

Show Author's Information Ismail M. Budaiwi,  Adel A. Abdou( ),  Mohammad S. Al-Homoud
Architectural Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia
Keywords:
thermal comfort, energy savings, hot-humid climate, intermittent operation, mosques
Cite this article:
Budaiwi IM, Abdou AA, Al-Homoud MS. Envelope retrofit and air-conditioning operational strategies for reduced energy consumption in mosques in hot climates. Building Simulation, 2013, 6(1): 33-50. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12273-012-0092-5
Download citation
EndNote(RIS)
BibTeX

397

Views

16

Downloads

Citations

28

Crossref

N/A

WoS

34

Scopus

0

CSCD

Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Thermal performance of buildings is mainly determined by their thermo-physical and operational characteristics as well as the prevailing climatic conditions. Mosques which represent a unique type of building in terms of construction and operation can be major consumers of cooling energy, particularly in hot climates, if not properly designed and operated. In this study, energy modeling and simulation is utilized to identify potential energy savings due to envelope retrofitting measures and air-conditioning (A/C) operational strategies while maintaining acceptable thermal conditions. Results revealed a good potential for energy reductions when proper thermal retrofitting and operational strategies are employed. As much as 26% reduction in annual cooling energy is obtained when applying roof and wall insulation and reducing air infiltration to 0.5 ACH. By implementing a proper A/C operational strategy and employing system efficiency improvements, the required cooling energy can be reduced by around 36%. The total reduction in cooling energy consumption due to combined A/C system and envelope retrofit measures can be as much as 48%. A number of recommendations pertaining to mosque design, retrofitting and A/C operational strategies are derived. These are expected to be of great use to mosque designers and operators worldwide, but particularly in hot climates.


menu
Abstract
Full text
Outline
Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Envelope retrofit and air-conditioning operational strategies for reduced energy consumption in mosques in hot climates

Show Author's information Ismail M. Budaiwi, Adel A. Abdou( ), Mohammad S. Al-Homoud
Architectural Engineering Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), Dhahran 31261, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Thermal performance of buildings is mainly determined by their thermo-physical and operational characteristics as well as the prevailing climatic conditions. Mosques which represent a unique type of building in terms of construction and operation can be major consumers of cooling energy, particularly in hot climates, if not properly designed and operated. In this study, energy modeling and simulation is utilized to identify potential energy savings due to envelope retrofitting measures and air-conditioning (A/C) operational strategies while maintaining acceptable thermal conditions. Results revealed a good potential for energy reductions when proper thermal retrofitting and operational strategies are employed. As much as 26% reduction in annual cooling energy is obtained when applying roof and wall insulation and reducing air infiltration to 0.5 ACH. By implementing a proper A/C operational strategy and employing system efficiency improvements, the required cooling energy can be reduced by around 36%. The total reduction in cooling energy consumption due to combined A/C system and envelope retrofit measures can be as much as 48%. A number of recommendations pertaining to mosque design, retrofitting and A/C operational strategies are derived. These are expected to be of great use to mosque designers and operators worldwide, but particularly in hot climates.

Keywords: thermal comfort, energy savings, hot-humid climate, intermittent operation, mosques

References(23)

AA Abdou, MS Al-Homoud, IM Budaiwi (2002). A systematic approach for energy audit in mosques. In: Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Energy Research and Development (pp. 77-86), Kuwait University, Kuwait.
AA Abdou, MS Al-Homoud, IM Budaiwi (2005). Mosque energy performance, Part I: Audit and use trends based on the analysis of electric energy utility billing data. King Abdul-Aziz University Journal of Engineering and Sciences, 16(1): 165-184.
DOI Google Scholar
MA Aktacir, O Büyükalaca, T Yılmaz (2010). A case study for influence of building thermal insulation on cooling load and air-conditioning system in the hot and humid regions. Applied Energy, 87: 599-607.
DOI Google Scholar
MS Al-Homoud, AA Abdou, IM Budaiwi (2005). Mosque energy performance, Part Ⅱ: Monitoring of end energy uses in a hot-humid climate. King Abdul-Aziz University Journal of Engineering and Sciences, 16(1): 185-202.
DOI Google Scholar
MS Al-Homoud, AA Abdou, IM Budaiwi (2009). Assessment of monitored energy use and thermal comfort conditions in mosques in hot-humid climates. Energy and Buildings, 41: 607-614.
DOI Google Scholar
Arabian Gulf Cooperation Council, AGCC (1984). Regulations for ther-mal insulation for buildings, Doha, Qatar. Gulf Countries Electric Energy Conservation Committee, Section Ⅱ, Item 2, 30-31
ASHRAE (2003). ASHRAE Applications Handbook. Atlanta, USA: American Society of Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
ASHRAE (2009). ASHRAE Fundamentals Handbook (SI). Climatic design information, Chapter 14, p. 43. Atlanta, USA: American Society of Heating, Ventilating and Air-Conditioning Engineers.
TE Bou-Saada, J Haberl (1995). A Weather-day-typing procedure for disaggregating hourly end-use loads in an electrically heated and cooled building from whole building hourly data. In: Proceedings of the 30th Intersociety Energy Conversion Engineering Conference (IECEC), Orlando, USA.
WL Carroll, RJ Hitchock (1993). Tuning simulated building descriptions to match actual utility data: methods and implementations. ASHRAE Transactions, 99(2): 928-934.
Google Scholar
SE Chidiac, EJC Catania, E Morofsky, S Foo (2011). Effectiveness of single and multiple energy retrofit measures on the energy consumption of office buildings. Energy, 36: 5037-5052
DOI Google Scholar
AA Chowdhury, MG Rasul, MMK Khan (2008). Thermal-comfort analysis and simulation for various low-energy cooling-technologies applied to an office building in a subtropical climate. Applied Energy, 85: 449-462.
DOI Google Scholar
DOE (2010). DOE Simulation Program, Available via http://www.archenergy.com/products/visualdoe. Accessed 15 Jan. 2011.
FF Al-ajmi (2010). Thermal comfort in air-conditioned mosques in the dry desert climate. Building and Environment, 45: 2407-2413.
DOI Google Scholar
BA Habeebullah (2007). Economic feasibility of thermal energy storage systems. Energy and Buildings, 39: 355-363.
DOI Google Scholar
HJ Han, YI Jeon, SH Lim, WW Kim, K Chen (2010). New developments in illumination, heating and cooling technologies for energy-efficient buildings. Energy, 35: 2647-2653
DOI Google Scholar
Y Pan, Z Huang, G Wu (2007). Calibrated building energy simulation and its application in a high-rise commercial building in Shanghai. Energy and Buildings, 39: 651-657.
DOI Google Scholar
YV Perez, IG Capeluto (2009). Climatic considerations in school building design in the hot-humid climate for reducing energy consumption. Applied Energy, 86: 340-348.
DOI Google Scholar
H Radhi (2009). Can envelope codes reduce electricity and CO2 emissions in different types of buildings in the hot climate of Bahrain? Energy, 34: 205-215.
DOI Google Scholar
H Radhi, A Eltrapolsi, S Sharples (2009). Will energy regulations in the Gulf states make buildings more comfortable—A scoping study of residential buildings. Applied Energy, 86: 2531-2539.
DOI Google Scholar
MM Rahman, MG Rasul, MMK Khan (2010). Energy conservation measures in an institutional building in sub-tropical climate in Australia. Applied Energy, 87: 2994-3004.
DOI Google Scholar
SEC (2009). Saudi Electric Company (SEC) Annual Report 2009. In: http://www.se.com.sa/SEC/English/Panel/Reports/. Accessed: 15 May 2012.
M Schuldt, J Romberger (1998). Alternative approaches to baseline estimation using calibrated simulations, ASHRAE Transactions, 104(2): 871-879.
Google Scholar
File
12273_2012_92_MOESM1_ESM.pdf (457.6 KB)
Publication history
Copyright
Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 10 February 2012
Revised: 22 May 2012
Accepted: 27 June 2012
Published: 04 September 2012
Issue date: March 2013

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2012

Acknowledgements

This paper is part of research project Grant No. AT-13-18 funded by King Abdul-Aziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), Saudi Arabia. The financial support of KACST as well as the support and facilities provided by King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) are highly appreciated.

Return