Decision-making environment for optimal envelope retrofit of the office building

Energy-efficiency upgrades of existing buildings offer substantial energy and greenhouse gas emission reductions. Infrared thermography (IRT) of the building envelope is a non-destructive test that can be used to target retrofit actions and motivate energy efficiency improvements. Recent advances in IRT technology include using drones to collect thermal imaging data from the buildings efficiently, thoroughly, and without disturbing the occupants. The goal of this project is twofold. The first objective is to develop logic to integrate building information obtained through advanced IRT-drone technology into a comprehensive whole-building energy simulation tool, EnergyPlus. The second objective is to create a decision-making environment for the optimal retrofit of a low-rise office building located in Markham. The proposed research is the first stage in developing the cognitive retrofit environment for optimal energy-efficiency upgrades of envelopes of typical commercial and institutional facilities across Canada.

Faculty Supervisor:

Miroslava Kavgic

Student:

Mohamed Ramadan Hussien Mahmoud;Yasaman Dadras

Partner:

QEA Tech Inc

Discipline:

Engineering - civil

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Ottawa