Simulation-Driven Multi-Objective Optimization for Building Retrofits in Iran: Balancing Energy, Emissions, Comfort, and Indoor Air Quality Considering Climate Change

Climate change significantly impacts energy efficiency and occupant comfort in residential buildings. This study presents a simulation-based multi-objective optimization framework for architectural design to address these challenges and promote environmental sustainability. Using EnergyPlus for energy simulations and jEPlus to define objective functions and design parameters, the research leverages the NSGA-II algorithm via jEPlus+EA for multi-objective optimization. A Morris sensitivity analysis evaluated the influence of ۲۵ design variables—including heating and cooling setpoints, air infiltration rates, insulation types, window configurations, airflow rates, and HVAC systems on critical performance metrics. Applied to a residential building in Sari, Iran, the study examined various climate change scenarios to minimize five key objectives: primary energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, indoor air quality, predicted percentage of dissatisfied occupants, and visual discomfort hours. The weighted sum method was employed to identify optimal solutions from the Pareto front. Findings indicate that the proposed energy retrofit strategies could reduce primary energy consumption by up to ۶۰%, greenhouse gas emissions by ۶۰%, predicted thermal dissatisfaction by ۶۵%, and visual discomfort hours by ۸۳%, while maintaining indoor air quality within ASHRAE standards. However, implementing these energy-efficient solutions requires careful evaluation of design trade-offs to effectively address climate change challenges.

کلیدواژه ها:

Energy retrofit measures ، Simulation-based multi-objective optimization ، Energy efficiency ، Greenhouse gas emissions ، Comfort metrics