Nexus of thermal resilience and energy efficiency in buildings: A case study of a nursing home

Abstract

Extreme weather events become more frequent and severe due to climate change. Although energy efficiency technologies can influence thermal resilience of buildings, they are traditionally studied separately, and their interconnections are rarely quantified. This study developed a methodology of modeling and analysis to provide insights into the nexus of thermal resilience and energy efficiency of buildings. We conducted a case study of a real nursing home in Florida, where 12 patients died during Hurricane Irma in 2017 due to HVAC system power loss, to understand and quantify how passive and active energy efficiency measures (EEMs) can improve thermal resilience to reduce heat-exposure risk of patients. Results show that passive measures of opening windows and doors for natural ventilation, as well as miscellaneous load reduction, are very effective in eliminating the extreme dangerous occasions. However, to maintain safe conditions, active measures such as on-site power generators and thermal storage are also needed. The nursing home was further studied by changing its location to two other cities: San Francisco (mild climate) and Chicago (cold winter and hot summer). Results revealed that the EEMs' impacts on thermal resilience vary significantly by climate and building characteristics. The study also estimated the costs of EEMs to help stakeholders prioritize the measures. Passive measures that may not save energy may greatly improve thermal resilience, and thus should be considered in building design or retrofit. Findings from this study indicate energy efficiency technologies should be evaluated not only by their energy savings performance but also by their influence on a building's resilience to extreme weather events.

Aged Care Energy Use and Peak Demand Change in the COVID-19 Year: Empirical Evidence from Australia

“…Air conditioning is often the largest energy user and a significant asset for healthcare and commercial or public buildings [50][51][52]. Critical evaluation of the two KPIs (kWh/bed/day and kWh/bed/CDD24) reveals that those healthcare buildings could become more responsive to the reduced needs of space cooling if those buildings are designed with more energy-efficient and resilient features, such as natural ventilation [53] and better operation strategies [54].…”

Occupant-Centric key performance indicators to inform building design and operations

“…In this context, occupantcentric KPIs are important to quantify the impact of those extreme events and guide building design and operations. For example, Sun et al (Sun, Specian, and Hong 2020) utilized the heat index to measure the impacts of heat waves on building thermal conditions and risks, and recommended improvements to mitigate the risks. Despite those efforts, a summary of occupant-centric KPIs that can be used to quantify different aspects of resilience (e.g., thermal, air quality) is still missing.…”

Opaque Envelopes: Pathway to Building Energy Efficiency and Demand Flexibility: Key to a Low-Carbon, Sustainable Future

“…In the same way, efficient building envelopes can support microgrids by reducing heating and cooling requirements, thus providing increased flexibility in HVAC equipment operation. The case study in Sun et al [104] illustrates that high-performance building envelopes can also increase the time from when an interruption occurs to when the building becomes uninhabitable because of temperature conditions.…”