Conference Paper

Proceedings of SimBuild Conference 2024

Quantifying the Value of Energy Efficiency for Energy Resilience Using Building Simulation

Ellen Franconi ¹, Luke Troop ¹, Manan Singh ¹, Xuechen Lei ¹, Christopher Perry ^2
1 Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
² U.S. Department of Energy

Abstract: Considering the impact of energy efficiency on energy resilience is a relatively new application area for building performance simulation analysis. Such an analysis can assess the impact of increased efficiency on occupant exposure to extreme heat and cold. Exposure is based on building performance occurring during a location-specific extreme heat or cold event. It is expressed in terms of thermal resilience metrics that characterize indoor conditions and occupant comfort. This paper expands upon the scope of the foundational exposure analysis to more fully consider the analysis components needed to quantify the benefits of resilience investment. In addition to exposure analysis, the research study investigates hazard risk identification, vulnerability assessment, and mitigation valuation. The effort demonstrates three areas of application: investment decision matrix, net present value analysis, and resilience benefit of current energy code adoption. While the research advances methods to quantify resilience benefits, continued development can help improve the robustness of some analysis components. In an effort to advance analytical methods, the methods applied in the study are being posted on an open source platform to encourage broader development through industry collaboration. This paper summarizes the research project, describes the analysis methods, presents results, and discusses follow-on collaboration opportunities.
Keywords: resilience, climate, efficiency, metrics, health
Pages: 374 - 385
Paper: