Optimization of Modernization of a Single-Family Building in Poland Including Thermal Comfort

• Main Authors: Bernard Zawada, Joanna Rucińska
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-05-01
• Series: Energies
• Subjects: optimization; modernization; energy efficiency
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/10/2925

The impact of thermal comfort demand on the renovation process was carried out on an optimization basis for the thermo-modernization process of an exemplary single-family home located in Warsaw. The verified TRNSYS simulation program was used to generate a set of variants of building modernization solutions. This variants set was used afterwards as a database for optimization. The analysis performed includes the internal air temperature, indicators of thermal comfort (PPD), and annual energy demand for heating and cooling, and investment costs of modernization building. The results indicated the importance of analyzing various variants of building modernization solutions. Performing modernization without analyzing its effects can have positive as well as negative consequences, e.g., achieving a significant reduction in the primary energy demands at the expense of the deteriorated thermal comfort of users. It was shown that separate analysis of indicators leads to completely different solutions and should not be recommended during modernization of single-family buildings.