Evaluating the Ability of eQUEST Software to Simulate Low-energy Buildings in a Cold Climatic Region

• Main Author: Srivastava-Modi, Shalini
• Other Authors: Harvey, L. D. Danny
• Language: en_ca
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: Building Simulation; eQUEST; Low-Energy Commercial Buildings; Cold Climatic Region; 0543; 0775
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/1807/31451

Building Simulation is widely used for understanding how a building consumes energy and for assessing design strategies aimed at improving building energy efficiency. The present research study uses eQUEST, a popular simulation software. Various simulations are done here to analyse and critically comment on the best design strategies to be used in order to vastly reduce the energy consumption of a recently constructed small (1800 m2 floor area) commercial building in Brampton, Ontario, which is a heating dominated region. The limitations faced with eQUEST while simulating the modified design are critiqued. A complete understanding of the building science and heat flow through the building envelope has been applied to modify the building in question. After all the changes applied, the overall heat load of the building was reduced to 15 kWh/m2/yr and the overall energy consumption reduced by 60 percent.