Basic Envelope Change results in opposite EUI results of those expected

asked 2019-04-03 10:20:05 -0500

Mark
63 ●5

updated 2019-04-03 16:30:14 -0500

__AmirRoth__

4436 ●5 ●17 http://bleedinggreenna...

This is a very basic question. I have two OpenStudio files. The only difference is one wall construction with a higher R value between the two. After running the simulation, the file with the higher R value in an exterior wall has returned a higher EUI. I can't find the issue. Any ideas?

I have a link to Dropbox below. The Alt file has the improved Envelope.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/a3m0azq6g8...

Comments

what climate? what causes the EUI increase - heating, cooling, or both? what kind of system? You need to include much more detail on your model for the forum to be able to help.

mdahlhausen ( 2019-04-03 10:32:10 -0500 )edit

It is in a Western Canadian Climate. Heating is increasing, no cooling system is installed. Am I able to upload the files somehow? Just change the extension?

Mark ( 2019-04-03 10:35:16 -0500 )edit

upload it to google drive or other service and then post the link above.

mdahlhausen ( 2019-04-03 10:44:04 -0500 )edit

Added link above in question.

Mark ( 2019-04-03 10:51:38 -0500 )edit

add a comment

answered 2019-04-06 14:59:17 -0500

aparker

8107 ●4 ●18 http://www.openstudio.net/

Running the models and looking at the OpenStudio Results, I noticed some suspicious things:

The heating and cooling design load is zero.

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This is because there is no heating and cooling setpoint schedule assigned to the ThermalZone in the model

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Once you add thermostat setpoint schedules to both models you'll get results that make sense. Picture below shows where these schedules get added on the Thermal Zones tab.

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With more complex system types missing thermostats usually result in failing simulations, but with very simple system types like this single-zone furnace, sometimes the simulation will succeed but you'll see nonsensical results.

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Comments

It CAN occur just as you describe with a properly created HVAC system. When the building is cooling-dominated and in a moderate climate like climate zone 5, the envelope ihelps remove heat that otherwise needs to be removed by the cooling system. That, in turn reduces cooling energy. If you increase wall insulation, cooling energy and overall energy increases in that situation. My colleague Javed Iqbal presented on this topic at last fall's ASHRAE Building Performance analysis conference as it affected energy codes in Hungary. [link text](https://www.linkedin.com/in/javed-iqbal-5a85101