C08 - Methodology Towards Low-Energy Building Design in Bchamoun Area - Lebanon Case Study ✓ Most Recent

https://doi.org/10.63044/eb24el8

This paper aims to investigate a methodology for a low electrical energy design for residential buildings’ common services. Firstly, a baseline residential building energy consumption was modeled. Secondly, smart automation features were implemented to reduce and organize the building's electrical energy consumption for the common services load including lighting, power, and mechanical equipment. This integration resulted in a reduction of 30% in the annual electrical consumption. Additionally, a hybrid rooftop photovoltaic system was installed to power the common services equipment and areas, thus reducing the reliance on the local electrical network. HOMER software is used to determine the sizing and optimization of photovoltaic system components, system cost, and estimated electrical power production. For decades, Lebanon's electricity sector has faced significant challenges, including chronic supply shortages and deteriorating infrastructure within its aging power grid which led to long periods of load shedding. Bchamoun area was taken as a case study because it is a similar example to other cities in Lebanon which are relying on local distributors to generate electricity with high-cost rates per kilowatt-hour and surely higher pollution rates. The simulation results show that 21 PV panels and 15 kWh (51.182 kbtu) battery storage capacity were able to reduce the annual electrical energy consumption by up to 80% which validated the effectiveness of the proposed system design. Since most of Bchamoun buildings share similar buildup areas as determined by the local construction laws, this study forms a modular design that could be implemented on any similar buildings. The study's goal is to persuade residents to use this modular design, which not only reduces energy consumption but also lowers long-term operating costs and CO2 emissions.