Building effectiveness communication ratios (BECs): an integrated ‘life-cycle’ methodology for mitigating energy-use in buildings

摘要

Current building regulations are generally prescriptive in nature. It is widely accepted inudEurope that this form of building regulation is stifling technological innovation andudleading to inadequate energy efficiency in the building stock. This has increased theudmotivation to move design practices towards a more ‘performance-based’ model in orderudto mitigate inflated levels of energy-use consumed by the building stock.udA performance based model assesses the interaction of all building elements and theudresulting impact on holistic building energy-use. However, this is a nebulous task due toudbuilding energy-use being affected by a myriad of heterogeneous agents. Accordingly, itudis imperative that appropriate methods, tools and technologies are employed for energyudprediction, measurement and evaluation throughout the project’s life cycle. This researchudalso considers that it is imperative that the data is universally accessible by alludstakeholders. The use of a centrally based product model for exchange of buildingudinformation is explored.udThis research describes the development and implementation of a new building energy-useudperformance assessment methodology. Termed the Building EffectivenessudCommunications ratios (BECs) methodology, this performance-based framework isudcapable of translating complex definitions of sustainability for energy efficiency anduddepicting universally understandable views at all stage of the Building Life Cycle (BLC)udto the project’s stakeholders. The enabling yardsticks of building energy-useudperformance, termed Ir and Pr, provide continuous design and operations feedback inudorder to aid the building’s decision makers.udUtilised effectively, the methodology is capable of delivering quality assuranceudthroughout the BLC by providing project teams with quantitative measurement of energyudefficiency. Armed with these superior enabling tools for project stakeholderudcommunication, it is envisaged that project teams will be better placed to augment audknowledge base and generate more efficient additions to the building stock.