A new method for simulation-based sensitivity analysis of building efficiency for optimal building energy planning: a case study of Iran

This work provides a Simulation-Based Sensi-tivity Analysis (SBSA) framework for optimal buildingenergy planning during the conceptual design phase. Theinnovative approach integrates EnergyPlus with local sen-sitivity analysis (LSA) and global sensitivity analysis(GSA) algorithms, thereby facilitating direct sensitivityanalysis (SA) capabilities without reliance on externalplugins or third-party tools. The effectiveness of thisapproach is exemplified through its application to a resi-dential building situated in a hot semi-arid climate regionof Iran. The efficacy of the developed approach isdemonstrated by applying it to a residential buildinglocated in a hot semi-arid climate region in Iran. The studyutilizes four primary building performance criteria as out-put variables: annual heating energy consumption (AHC),annual cooling energy consumption (ACC), annual lightingenergy consumption (ALC), and the predicted percentageof dissatisfied (PPD). The study employs one-at-a-time(OAT) analysis for LSA and Sobol's analysis for GSA toinvestigate the behavior of output variables in response tochanges in building design parameters. In the LSAapproach, a newly developed sensitivity indicator, termedthe Dispersion Index (DI), is introduced to precisely mea-sure the overall sensitivity of outputs to inputs (ST). Resultsindicate that annual AHC is most sensitive to the heatingsetpoint (ST= 80%) and solar absorptance of exterior walls(ST= 79%), while annual cooling consumption (ACC) isprimarily influenced by the cooling setpoint (ST= 72%)and solar absorptance of exterior walls (ST= 63%). Additionally, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), visible trans-mittance of window glass, and building rotation signifi-cantly affect annual lighting consumption (ALC) (ST=33%, 25%, and 21% respectively). Furthermore, coolingand heating setpoints, solar absorptance of exterior walls,and WWR play crucial roles in PPD (ST= 81%, 40%, 36%,and 21% respectively). Notably, ALC shows no depen-dence on variable air volume (VAV) setpoint temperaturesand thermophysical properties of walls and windows.Besides, the proposed DI in OAT-based LSA shows strongalignment with the results achieved by the Sobol-basedGSA. This systematic approach, termed SBSA, empowersbuilding designers and decision-makers to pinpoint criticaldesign parameters early in the conceptual phase, ensuringoptimal building performance. The flexibility of the SBSAframework accommodates diverse building configurations,facilitating comprehensive SA without constraints.