Mitigation of Peak Cooling Demand through the Combination of Residential Zoned Cooling and Window Shading: A Building Simulation Case Study

Abstract

The present study expands on previous building simulation work con-cerning the potential benefits of residential zoned cooling systems during peak summer days. Such zoned systems provide an opportunity for peak reduction on hot and humid days when the electricity peak is largely caused by increased space cooling demand. In the previous study, control strategies for different occupancy profiles were consid-ered and their impact on peak and cooling energy reduction were compared. The present study builds on these results by considering the benefits of shading as a passive means of reducing the peak cooling load. The analysis is based on integrated building energy simulations of a newer-vintage house using the zoned cooling system model in con-junction with the expanded set of shading models. Total cooling ener-gy demand, peak cooling power reductions and their impact on even-ing recovery times are examined. It was found that zoned control strategies alone can yield signifi-cant peak power reductions, but the long recovery periods limit their practical application. Only with between-pane or outdoor shade con-figurations can very large reductions can be realized without compro-mising occupant comfort during the evening recovery period.