Energy Consumption Analysis for Concrete Residences—A Baseline Study in Taiwan

Estimating building energy consumption is difficult because it deals with complex interactions among uncertain weather conditions, occupant behaviors, and building characteristics. To facilitate estimation, this study employs a benchmarking methodology to obtain energy baseline for sample buildings. Utilizing a scientific simulation tool, this study attempts to develop energy consumption baselines of two typical concrete residences in Taiwan, and subsequently allows a simplified energy consumption prediction process at an early design stage of building development. Using weather data of three metropolitan cities as testbeds, annual energy consumption of two types of modern residences are determined through a series of simulation sessions with different building settings. The impacts of key building characteristics, including building insulation, air tightness, orientation, location, and residence type, are carefully investigated. Sample utility bills are then collected to validate the simulated results, resulting in three adjustment parameters for normalization, including ‘number of residents’, ‘total floor area’, and ‘air conditioning comfort level’, for justification of occupant behaviors in different living conditions. Study results not only provide valuable benchmarking data serving as references for performance evaluation of different energy-saving strategies, but also show how effective extended building insulation, enhanced air tightness, and prudent selection of residence location and orientation can be for successful implementation of building sustainability in tropical and subtropical regions.