Facade Vision-Based Building Energy Performance Estimation Approach

In the U.S., building sectors account for a large proportion of the energy consumption. This research goal is to investigate and determine the significant impact of building physics information (i.e., basic façade features), as well as climatic impact, on building energy performance. Compared with these easily accessible façade features, parameters (including envelope thermal properties, internal systems, and operating schedules) are regulated by current codes and regulations. For instance, Title 24 in California or ASHRAE, is based on different building functionalities and activities. Such façade parameters are variables that have large potential for affecting building energy performance. Many façade attributes are not limited to building floor space, building height, aspect ratio, or window to wall ratio. Other key determinants of a building’s energy performance include the vintage and geographic regions of the building that were extracted to conduct a data mining process to establish a correlation between building energy consumption and relative physics information. A mathematical data-driven benchmark performance model will be developed as a building EUI estimation baseline. Traditional energy predictions require multiple details and information about a building when preparing for energy modeling. This is a very complicated and time-consuming process that incorporates a transformative building energy performance estimation approach that will enable stakeholders to easily assess their existing building energy consumption and facilitate an energy efficient façade design, as well as establish a viable integrated energy master plan.