This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.

Unclaimed
Ardeshir Mahdavi
Department of Building Physics and Building Ecology, TU Wien, Karlsplatz 13, 1040 Vienna, Austria

Basic Info

Basic Info is private.

Honors and Awards

The user has no records in this section


Career Timeline

The user has no records in this section.


Short Biography

Professor Ardeshir Mahdavi is a Professor of Building Physics and Building Ecology at TU Wien, Austria. He has conducted research in building science, performance simulation, urban micro-climate and urban energy modeling, and models of building users' presence and behavior in buildings. Professor Mahdavi is the recipient of the IBPSA (International Building Performance Simulation Association) Distinguished Achievements Awards.

Following
Followers
Co Authors
The list of users this user is following is empty.
Following: 0 users

Feed

Journal article
Published: 06 August 2021 in Energies
Reads 0
Downloads 0

This paper presents an occupant-centric theory of buildings’ indoor-environmental control systems and their user interfaces. Buildings typically can have multiple devices and systems to maintain indoor-environmental conditions within certain ranges in order to meet occupants’ health and comfort requirements. Therefore, it is important to understand what those ranges are exactly, who defines them, and for whom. Health and comfort sciences offer some broad directions concerning desirable indoor conditions. These are typically formulated in various codes, standards, and guidelines in terms of target values or the set points of control variables. However, preferable conditions may differ at different times and for different individuals. Another question concerns the agency responsible for maintaining the preferred conditions. In some settings, conditions may be centrally controlled via the buildings’ automation systems, whereas in other settings, occupants might have the possibility to control their immediate surroundings. Given these qualifications, the objective of the present inquiry can be stated more precisely. We outline a human-ecologically inspired theory pertaining to the occupants’ perception of and interaction with a building’s indoor-environmental control systems and their user interfaces. Specifically, we explore the operationalization potential of the proposed theory as a compact assessment protocol for the evaluation of buildings’ responsiveness to occupants’ preferences. Initial experiences with the derivative protocol are promising. Nonetheless, in order to be fully applicable in practice, certain challenges must be addressed. These specifically include the need for more robust procedures toward the translation of occupants’ subjective judgments into quantitative evaluation scales.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Helene Teufl; Christiane Berger. An Occupant-Centric Theory of Building Control Systems and Their User Interfaces. Energies 2021, 14, 4788 .

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Helene Teufl, Christiane Berger. An Occupant-Centric Theory of Building Control Systems and Their User Interfaces. Energies. 2021; 14 (16):4788.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Helene Teufl; Christiane Berger. 2021. "An Occupant-Centric Theory of Building Control Systems and Their User Interfaces." Energies 14, no. 16: 4788.

Journal article
Published: 14 May 2021 in Energy and Buildings
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The consequences of global warming and urban heat islands have led, amongst other things, to a rapid increase in cooling-related energy use and environmental emissions. Given the serious implications of this development, concerted efforts are needed in view of required new strategies. In this context, the present contribution focuses on an alternative user-centric radiant cooling solution. Conventional radiant cooling systems have been promoted in view of their energy efficiency potential, as well as enhanced thermal comfort provision, due to a draft-free cooling process. However, condensation risk can limit the application scope of these conventional systems. The alternative user-centric strategy is intended to address this limitation by positioning vertical radiant panels closer to occupants and incorporating drainage systems for potential surface condensation. A preliminary laboratory study was conducted to gain a first impression of the performance of user-centric vertical radiant panels. To this end, radiant panels were installed and operated in two test rooms. A small group of participants subjectively evaluated thermal comfort under different ambient air and panel surface temperatures. The results point to both the potential and the limitations of the proposed user-centric radiant cooling solution.

ACS Style

Helene Teufl; Matthias Schuss; Ardeshir Mahdavi. Potential and challenges of a user-centric radiant cooling approach. Energy and Buildings 2021, 246, 111104 .

AMA Style

Helene Teufl, Matthias Schuss, Ardeshir Mahdavi. Potential and challenges of a user-centric radiant cooling approach. Energy and Buildings. 2021; 246 ():111104.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Helene Teufl; Matthias Schuss; Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2021. "Potential and challenges of a user-centric radiant cooling approach." Energy and Buildings 246, no. : 111104.

Journal article
Published: 23 April 2021 in Energies
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Ventilated windows have the potential to contribute to both indoor air quality and energy efficiency in cold climates. A typical ventilated window functions as a solar collector under inward air flow direction and incident solar radiation. The ventilated window is a modification of the multiple pane windows in which air is drawn in from outside and is heated through conduction, convection, and radiation in the cavity. In this study, a detailed parametric analysis was conducted to investigate the thermal performance of ventilated windows and their capacity to preheat ventilation air. High-resolution 3D steady RANS computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations were performed for six ventilated window geometries. Model results were compared with measurements. The following geometric characteristics were evaluated in detail: (i) The height of the window, (ii) the width of the cavity, (iii) the location of double-layered glazing, and (iv) the width of the supply air opening. The results suggested that taller cavities and a smaller cavity depth can provide higher incoming air temperature. Windows with inner double-layered glazing and a smaller width of supply air opening displayed a better thermal performance.

ACS Style

Shiva Najaf Khosravi; Ardeshir Mahdavi. A CFD-Based Parametric Thermal Performance Analysis of Supply Air Ventilated Windows. Energies 2021, 14, 2420 .

AMA Style

Shiva Najaf Khosravi, Ardeshir Mahdavi. A CFD-Based Parametric Thermal Performance Analysis of Supply Air Ventilated Windows. Energies. 2021; 14 (9):2420.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Shiva Najaf Khosravi; Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2021. "A CFD-Based Parametric Thermal Performance Analysis of Supply Air Ventilated Windows." Energies 14, no. 9: 2420.

Review
Published: 12 March 2021 in Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Buildings’ expected (projected, simulated) energy use frequently does not match actual observations. This is commonly referred to as the energy performance gap. As such, many factors can contribute to the disagreement between expectations and observations. These include, for instance, uncertainty about buildings’ geometry, construction, systems, and weather conditions. However, the role of occupants in the energy performance gap has recently attracted much attention. It has even been suggested that occupants are the main cause of the energy performance gap. This, in turn, has led to suggestions that better models of occupant behavior can reduce the energy performance gap. The present effort aims at the review and evaluation of the evidence for such claims. To this end, a systematic literature search was conducted and relevant publications were identified and reviewed in detail. The review entailed the categorization of the studies according to the scope and strength of the evidence for occupants’ role in the energy performance gap. Moreover, deployed calculation and monitoring methods, normalization procedures, and reported causes and magnitudes of the energy performance gap were documented and evaluated. The results suggest that the role of occupants as significant or exclusive contributors to the energy performance gap is not sufficiently substantiated by evidence.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger; Hadeer Amin; Eleni Ampatzi; Rune Andersen; Elie Azar; Verena Barthelmes; Matteo Favero; Jakob Hahn; Dolaana Khovalyg; Henrik Knudsen; Alessandra Luna-Navarro; Astrid Roetzel; Fisayo Sangogboye; Marcel Schweiker; Mahnameh Taheri; Despoina Teli; Marianne Touchie; Silke Verbruggen. The Role of Occupants in Buildings’ Energy Performance Gap: Myth or Reality? Sustainability 2021, 13, 3146 .

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Christiane Berger, Hadeer Amin, Eleni Ampatzi, Rune Andersen, Elie Azar, Verena Barthelmes, Matteo Favero, Jakob Hahn, Dolaana Khovalyg, Henrik Knudsen, Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Astrid Roetzel, Fisayo Sangogboye, Marcel Schweiker, Mahnameh Taheri, Despoina Teli, Marianne Touchie, Silke Verbruggen. The Role of Occupants in Buildings’ Energy Performance Gap: Myth or Reality? Sustainability. 2021; 13 (6):3146.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger; Hadeer Amin; Eleni Ampatzi; Rune Andersen; Elie Azar; Verena Barthelmes; Matteo Favero; Jakob Hahn; Dolaana Khovalyg; Henrik Knudsen; Alessandra Luna-Navarro; Astrid Roetzel; Fisayo Sangogboye; Marcel Schweiker; Mahnameh Taheri; Despoina Teli; Marianne Touchie; Silke Verbruggen. 2021. "The Role of Occupants in Buildings’ Energy Performance Gap: Myth or Reality?" Sustainability 13, no. 6: 3146.

Journal article
Published: 13 October 2020 in Sustainability
Reads 0
Downloads 0

A discussion of sustainability in architecture cannot be meaningfully carried out without the inclusion of most buildings’ central purpose, namely the provision of indoor environments that are accommodating of occupants’ needs and requirements. To this end, building designers and operators are expected to demonstrate compliance with codes and standards pertaining to indoor environmental quality (IEQ). However, the majority of conventional IEQ standards, codes, and guidelines have a single-domain character, in that they address IEQ in terms of a number of isolated domains (i.e., thermal, visual, acoustic, air quality). In this context, the present contribution explores the current state of multi-domain IEQ evaluation approaches and the necessary conditions for their further development and application. Toward this end, a number of common building rating schemes were selected and analyzed in detail. The results of this assessment imply the necessity of both short-term improvements of the existing schemes in terms of the transparency and plausibility of the applied point allocation and weighting strategies and the fundamental need for a deeper empirically grounded understanding of the nature of occupants’ perception of and behavior in the built environments.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger; Veselina Bochukova; Leonidas Bourikas; Runa Hellwig; Quan Jin; Anna Pisello; Marcel Schweiker. Necessary Conditions for Multi-Domain Indoor Environmental Quality Standards. Sustainability 2020, 12, 8439 .

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Christiane Berger, Veselina Bochukova, Leonidas Bourikas, Runa Hellwig, Quan Jin, Anna Pisello, Marcel Schweiker. Necessary Conditions for Multi-Domain Indoor Environmental Quality Standards. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (20):8439.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger; Veselina Bochukova; Leonidas Bourikas; Runa Hellwig; Quan Jin; Anna Pisello; Marcel Schweiker. 2020. "Necessary Conditions for Multi-Domain Indoor Environmental Quality Standards." Sustainability 12, no. 20: 8439.

Conference paper
Published: 30 June 2020 in E3S Web of Conferences
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Numbers of factors such as noise exposure may constrain the use of natural ventilation, especially in the urban settings. Noise exposure was the motivation behind a previous research effort, recognizing that noise exposure hampers the operation of windows for natural ventilation. Thereby, specific designs of double-leaf façade solutions for concurrent natural ventilation and noise protection were empirically investigated. Tested variables included the position and size of the openings, the relative displacement of openings in the façade’s two layers, as well as acoustical dampening (sound absorption) in the interstitial space between the two layers. The study of the models estimated the resulting sound insulation level of double-layered façades as a function of the aforementioned variables. In the present contribution, we further examine the airflow implications of the aforementioned double-façade configurations via computational fluid dynamic application based on a generic single-zone space. Natural ventilation efficiency in the building is evaluated by means of computed mean velocity and age of air inside the zone. High-resolution 3D steady CFD simulations of single-sided ventilation are performed for 9 configurations (sizes and positions) of the openings in the double-layered façade. The results illustrate the effects of these configuration on air flow circumstances in the test space.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Shiva Najaf Khosravi. Acoustical and airflow considerations concerning double-layered façades with openings for natural ventilation. E3S Web of Conferences 2020, 172, 24002 .

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Shiva Najaf Khosravi. Acoustical and airflow considerations concerning double-layered façades with openings for natural ventilation. E3S Web of Conferences. 2020; 172 ():24002.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Shiva Najaf Khosravi. 2020. "Acoustical and airflow considerations concerning double-layered façades with openings for natural ventilation." E3S Web of Conferences 172, no. : 24002.

Articles
Published: 19 June 2020 in International Journal of Ventilation
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Buildings typically are expected to provide their inhabitants with the opportunity to influence the indoor environment using various control devices. These include, for example, windows, luminaires, radiators, and shading elements. The quality and adequacy of the indoor environment is thus dependent on the availability and effectiveness of such devices. There is arguably a lack of generally agreed-upon evaluation procedures for this aspect of buildings’ indoor environment, namely its controllability by building users, or – in the terminology of Human Ecology – its “ecological valency”. In this context, the present contribution explores the possibility to specify buildings’ ecological valency in a systematic and reproducible manner. Toward this end, first appropriate theoretical foundations for this purpose are explored and previous related efforts are briefly reviewed. Subsequently, a specific approach toward an ecological valency evaluation method is presented. As part of this approach, five main categories of control devices are documented in various rooms of a building, including windows, shading, lights, heating and cooling systems. Whereas, the first part of this method deals with the basic availability of these control devices and elements, the second part looks at their spatial distribution, effectiveness (both objective and subjective), interface quality (to support user interaction), and ecological quality. The presented evaluation method is tested for six different rooms of an office area in an educational building in Vienna, Austria. Thirty participants independently evaluated this area based on the proposed method and associated protocol. The results point to high degree of congruence between the evaluation results of different participants while judging the principle availability and typology of the control devices. Higher variation was observed in the evaluation of the quality of devices and their interfaces. As a whole, the results suggest that methods similar to the one presented in this contribution may indeed provide an opportunity to extend building performance evaluation procedures beyond energy and cost criteria so as to cover aspects pertaining to user control and satisfaction.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Helene Teufl; Christiane Berger. A structured approach to the evaluation of indoor environments’ecological valency. International Journal of Ventilation 2020, 1 -12.

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Helene Teufl, Christiane Berger. A structured approach to the evaluation of indoor environments’ecological valency. International Journal of Ventilation. 2020; ():1-12.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Helene Teufl; Christiane Berger. 2020. "A structured approach to the evaluation of indoor environments’ecological valency." International Journal of Ventilation , no. : 1-12.

Journal article
Published: 07 May 2020 in Building and Environment
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Despite the fact that buildings are designed for occupants in principle, evidence suggests buildings are often uncomfortable compared to the requirements of standards; difficult to control by occupants; and, operated inefficiently with regards to occupants’ preferences and presence. Meanwhile, practitioners –architects, engineers, technology companies, building managers and operators, and policymakers – lack the knowledge, tools, and precedent to design and operate buildings optimally considering the complex and diverse nature of occupants. Building on the success of IEA EBC Annex 66 (“Definition and simulation of occupant behavior in buildings”; 2013–2017), a follow-up IEA EBC Annex 79 (“Occupant-centric building design and operation”; 2018–2023) has been developed to address gaps in knowledge, practice, and technology. Annex 79 involves international researchers from diverse disciplines like engineering, architecture, computer science, psychology, and sociology. Annex 79 and this review paper have four main areas of focus: (1) multi-domain environmental exposure, building interfaces, and human behavior; (2) data-driven occupant modeling strategies and digital tools; (3) occupant-centric building design; and (4) occupant-centric building operation. The objective of this paper is to succinctly report on the leading research of the above topics and articulate the most pressing research needs – planned to be addressed by Annex 79 and beyond.

ACS Style

William O'Brien; Andreas Wagner; Marcel Schweiker; Ardeshir Mahdavi; Julia Day; Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard; Salvatore Carlucci; Bing Dong; Farhang Tahmasebi; Da Yan; Tianzhen Hong; H. Burak Gunay; Zoltan Nagy; Clayton Miller; Christiane Berger. Introducing IEA EBC annex 79: Key challenges and opportunities in the field of occupant-centric building design and operation. Building and Environment 2020, 178, 106738 .

AMA Style

William O'Brien, Andreas Wagner, Marcel Schweiker, Ardeshir Mahdavi, Julia Day, Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard, Salvatore Carlucci, Bing Dong, Farhang Tahmasebi, Da Yan, Tianzhen Hong, H. Burak Gunay, Zoltan Nagy, Clayton Miller, Christiane Berger. Introducing IEA EBC annex 79: Key challenges and opportunities in the field of occupant-centric building design and operation. Building and Environment. 2020; 178 ():106738.

Chicago/Turabian Style

William O'Brien; Andreas Wagner; Marcel Schweiker; Ardeshir Mahdavi; Julia Day; Mikkel Baun Kjærgaard; Salvatore Carlucci; Bing Dong; Farhang Tahmasebi; Da Yan; Tianzhen Hong; H. Burak Gunay; Zoltan Nagy; Clayton Miller; Christiane Berger. 2020. "Introducing IEA EBC annex 79: Key challenges and opportunities in the field of occupant-centric building design and operation." Building and Environment 178, no. : 106738.

Guest editorial
Published: 11 December 2019 in Journal of Building Performance Simulation
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Andrea Gasparella; Ardeshir Mahdavi. Special issue on the microclimatic boundary conditions in building simulation models. Journal of Building Performance Simulation 2019, 13, 137 -138.

AMA Style

Andrea Gasparella, Ardeshir Mahdavi. Special issue on the microclimatic boundary conditions in building simulation models. Journal of Building Performance Simulation. 2019; 13 (2):137-138.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Andrea Gasparella; Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2019. "Special issue on the microclimatic boundary conditions in building simulation models." Journal of Building Performance Simulation 13, no. 2: 137-138.

Data descriptor
Published: 26 November 2019 in Scientific Data
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Within a study, an open plan area and one closed office in a university building with a floor area of around 200 m2 were monitored. The present data set covers a period of one year (from 2013-01-01 to 2013-12-31). The collected data pertains to indoor environmental conditions (temperature, humidity) as well as plug loads and external factors (temperature, humidity, wind speed, and global irradiance) along with occupants’ presence and operation of windows and lights. The monitored data can be used for multiple purposes, including the development and validation of occupancy-related models.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger; Farhang Tahmasebi; Matthias Schuss. Monitored data on occupants’ presence and actions in an office building. Scientific Data 2019, 6, 1 -5.

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Christiane Berger, Farhang Tahmasebi, Matthias Schuss. Monitored data on occupants’ presence and actions in an office building. Scientific Data. 2019; 6 (1):1-5.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger; Farhang Tahmasebi; Matthias Schuss. 2019. "Monitored data on occupants’ presence and actions in an office building." Scientific Data 6, no. 1: 1-5.

Comment
Published: 26 November 2019 in Scientific Data
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Climate change cannot be addressed without improving the energy efficiency of the buildings in which we live and work. The papers in this collection describe and release a series of datasets that help us understand how occupants influence and experience building energy use, both to aid future research and policy-development, and to spark wider data sharing in this important area.

ACS Style

Gesche Margarethe Huebner; Ardeshir Mahdavi. A structured open data collection on occupant behaviour in buildings. Scientific Data 2019, 6, 1 -4.

AMA Style

Gesche Margarethe Huebner, Ardeshir Mahdavi. A structured open data collection on occupant behaviour in buildings. Scientific Data. 2019; 6 (1):1-4.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Gesche Margarethe Huebner; Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2019. "A structured open data collection on occupant behaviour in buildings." Scientific Data 6, no. 1: 1-4.

Articles
Published: 20 November 2019 in Journal of Building Performance Simulation
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Is there firm evidence suggesting that the deployment of building performance simulation in the design process has actually a significant impact on buildings’ subsequent long-term environmentally relevant performance? More importantly, do we have conclusive evidence for the frequently stated environmental mitigation potential of the building sector, given a number of essential global boundary conditions, including, for instance, population and urbanization growth? The pursuit of these questions could contribute to a more realistic appraisal of the environmentally relevant potential and limitations of both performance simulation deployment and sustainable building practices.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi. In the matter of simulation and buildings: some critical reflections. Journal of Building Performance Simulation 2019, 13, 26 -33.

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi. In the matter of simulation and buildings: some critical reflections. Journal of Building Performance Simulation. 2019; 13 (1):26-33.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2019. "In the matter of simulation and buildings: some critical reflections." Journal of Building Performance Simulation 13, no. 1: 26-33.

Original research article
Published: 08 November 2019 in Frontiers in Energy Research
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The term “performance prediction” commonly denotes the analysis of building designs, for instance, in view of their future energy demand. The notion of “performance gap” is invoked, when actual performance of buildings does not match preceding predictions. There has been a recent trend to attribute the so-called energy performance gap predominantly (sometimes even entirely) to user behavior. As a consequence, a number of research efforts (subsumed hear as “the performance gap research program”) pursue more accurate predictions of user behavior and the exploitation of user-related energy efficiency potential via behavioral modification. In the present contribution, we critically revisit the premises and orientation of these efforts. Firstly, we suggest to situate the related discourse within a structured conceptual framework to objectively discuss the spectrum of potential contributors to the errors in building energy use predictions. Secondly, we examine the frequently purported utility of probabilistic methods and uncertainty analysis as an effectual remedy to the problem of performance gap.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger. Predicting Buildings' Energy Use: Is the Occupant-Centric “Performance Gap” Research Program Ill-Advised? Frontiers in Energy Research 2019, 7, 1 .

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Christiane Berger. Predicting Buildings' Energy Use: Is the Occupant-Centric “Performance Gap” Research Program Ill-Advised? Frontiers in Energy Research. 2019; 7 ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Christiane Berger. 2019. "Predicting Buildings' Energy Use: Is the Occupant-Centric “Performance Gap” Research Program Ill-Advised?" Frontiers in Energy Research 7, no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 25 October 2019 in Building and Environment
Reads 0
Downloads 0

This paper is motivated by a perceived disconnect between standards and guidelines for supporting building design and operation professionals on the one hand and contemporary fundamental research findings in pertinent human sciences. In other words, the plethora of recent highly detailed studies do not appear to have been crystalized into versatile explanatory theories accessible to practice-oriented professionals in the building delivery process. In fact, to locate instances of high-level and intuitively comprehensible explanatory models of human perception and behavior, one may need to revert back to intellectual traditions originated as far back as in late nineteenth century. A review of a number of such explanatory models suggests that they display, despite their differences in levels of detail and degrees of sophistication, a few recurrent motifs. To revisit these models is rewarding not only from the historical point of view. Their conceptual transparency has arguably the potential to inspire the development of a new generation of accessible high-level explanatory theories of human perception and behavior.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi. Explanatory stories of human perception and behavior in buildings. Building and Environment 2019, 168, 106498 .

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi. Explanatory stories of human perception and behavior in buildings. Building and Environment. 2019; 168 ():106498.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2019. "Explanatory stories of human perception and behavior in buildings." Building and Environment 168, no. : 106498.

Conference paper
Published: 23 October 2019 in IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Detailed simulation of buildings' thermal performance can provide useful information for building designers and engineers. However, deployment of detailed simulation involves a number of challenges, including time and effort expenditures not accounted for in many typical building delivery processes. In this context, careful application of simplified methods may provide – at least for a specific class of applications – a reasonable alternative. The present contribution explores this possibility via a specific case study involving a large sample of residential buildings in Gaza, Palestine. This sample includes some fifty multi-unit apartment buildings representing the bulk of residential building stock in Gaza. These buildings were subjected to computational cooling energy demand assessment, whereby both numeric simulation and derivative simplified methods were applied. Numeric simulations were performed using EnergyPlus. For simplified calculations, a regression-based procedure was derived. Toward this end, a number of candidate independent variables (e.g., compactness, effective window-to-wall ration, LEK value, mean effective U-value) were considered and the level of their association with the computed values of the designated building performance indicators was observed. The comparison of the results of the simplified and simulation-based methods revealed a reasonable level of agreement. In other words, the application of the simplified method provides in the majority of the cases performance indicator values that are close enough to the corresponding results of the simulation-based method. This implies that simplified methods and associated prescriptive procedures may provide an attractive alternative to highly detailed simulation studies in cases were the paucity of information and/or computational resources may represent a challenge (e.g., early design stages, insufficient preparedness of the professional community, contextual constraints).

ACS Style

M Alhayek; A Wadi; U Pont; A Mahdavi. Prediction of buildings’ cooling energy demand: A comparison of simulation-based and prescriptive approaches. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 2019, 609, 072016 .

AMA Style

M Alhayek, A Wadi, U Pont, A Mahdavi. Prediction of buildings’ cooling energy demand: A comparison of simulation-based and prescriptive approaches. IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering. 2019; 609 (7):072016.

Chicago/Turabian Style

M Alhayek; A Wadi; U Pont; A Mahdavi. 2019. "Prediction of buildings’ cooling energy demand: A comparison of simulation-based and prescriptive approaches." IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering 609, no. 7: 072016.

Fachthemen
Published: 12 February 2019 in Bauphysik
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Die Vorteile der Darstellung der Vielfalt in Fensteröffnungsmodellen für die Gebäudesimulation. Um die potenziellen Vorteile der Bereitstellung von Nutzerverhaltensmodellen mit verschiedenen Nutzerinformationen zu untersuchen, wurde der Fensteröffnungsbetrieb durch Nutzer eines Großraumbüros aggregiert und auf individueller Ebene modelliert. Anschließend wurde ein Modell des Großraumbüros unter Einbeziehung der entwickelten Modelle und Ströme aufgezeichneter Daten kalibriert, um die Vorhersageleistung der Modelle und ihren Beitrag zur Verbesserung der Zuverlässigkeit von Gebäude performance‐Bewertungen zu analysieren. Den Ergebnissen zufolge übertrafen die individuellen Fensteroperationsmodelle das aggregierte Modell, indem sie den Spitzenwert und die Variation des Fensterbetriebs über alle Nutzer im freilaufenden Betrieb erfassten, was zu einer besseren Bewertung des thermischen Komforts führte. Die individuellen Modelle ergaben jedoch eine Überschätzung des Spitzenwärmebedarfs im Vergleich zum Referenzwert, der auf dem tatsächlichen Fensterbetrieb in einem einzigen Jahr basiert.

ACS Style

Farhang Tahmasebi; Univ. Prof. Dipl.‐Ing. Dr.Techn. Ardeshir Mahdavi. Revisiting the benefits of diversity representation in window operation models for building performance simulation. Bauphysik 2019, 41, 30 -37.

AMA Style

Farhang Tahmasebi, Univ. Prof. Dipl.‐Ing. Dr.Techn. Ardeshir Mahdavi. Revisiting the benefits of diversity representation in window operation models for building performance simulation. Bauphysik. 2019; 41 (1):30-37.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Farhang Tahmasebi; Univ. Prof. Dipl.‐Ing. Dr.Techn. Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2019. "Revisiting the benefits of diversity representation in window operation models for building performance simulation." Bauphysik 41, no. 1: 30-37.

Fachthemen
Published: 04 December 2018 in Bauphysik
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Strukturierte Darstellung von nutzerbezogenen Gebäudedaten. Ingenieure und Bauphysiker benötigen qualitativ hochwertige und detaillierte Daten für die systematische Unterstützung von Gebäudeentwurf und ‐betrieb. Derartige Daten werden unter anderem benötigt, um die für die Gebäudesimulation notwendigen Modelle der Nutzerpräsenz und des Nutzerverhaltens entwickeln und validieren zu können. Dabei ist eine wichtige Voraussetzung für den Datenaustausch das Vorhandensein geeigneter Ontologien und standardisierter Datenformate. Der vorliegende Beitrag präsentiert eine Ontologie sowie ein hierarchisches Datenformat zur Darstellung multipler nutzerbezogener Gebäudedaten beliebiger Größe und Komplexität.

ACS Style

Mahnameh Taheri; Ardeshir Mahdavi. Structured representation of monitored occupancy data. Bauphysik 2018, 40, 434 -440.

AMA Style

Mahnameh Taheri, Ardeshir Mahdavi. Structured representation of monitored occupancy data. Bauphysik. 2018; 40 (6):434-440.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Mahnameh Taheri; Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2018. "Structured representation of monitored occupancy data." Bauphysik 40, no. 6: 434-440.

Journal article
Published: 07 August 2018 in Energy and Buildings
Reads 0
Downloads 0

The present study aims at investigating the potential advantages of integrating inter-occupant diversity information into occupant behaviour models used in building performance simulation. To this end, the authors model the operation of windows by occupants in a monitored open-plan office at aggregate and individual levels. The models use indoor and outdoor temperature as well as the interaction of these variables to estimate the probability of opening and closing windows in the building located in Vienna, Austria. Subsequently, a number of existing and novel metrics serve to compare the predictive performance of the aggregate and individual models. In addition, a calibrated energy model of the office area incorporates the window operation models to evaluate their potential contribution to the reliability of building performance assessments. The results of this exploratory case study suggest that individual window operation models outperform the aggregate model in capturing the peak and variations of window operation across occupants. This resulted in a more reliable thermal comfort assessment in the free-running season. The individual models, however, overestimated peak heating demand, as compared with the benchmark value resulting from the actual window operations in a single year.

ACS Style

Farhang Tahmasebi; Ardeshir Mahdavi. On the utility of occupants’ behavioural diversity information for building performance simulation: An exploratory case study. Energy and Buildings 2018, 176, 380 -389.

AMA Style

Farhang Tahmasebi, Ardeshir Mahdavi. On the utility of occupants’ behavioural diversity information for building performance simulation: An exploratory case study. Energy and Buildings. 2018; 176 ():380-389.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Farhang Tahmasebi; Ardeshir Mahdavi. 2018. "On the utility of occupants’ behavioural diversity information for building performance simulation: An exploratory case study." Energy and Buildings 176, no. : 380-389.

Chapter
Published: 29 October 2017 in Exploring Occupant Behavior in Buildings
Reads 0
Downloads 0

Building data monitoring, in general, and occupancy-related data collection in particular have the potential to provide deep performance feedback for: (1) operational optimization of existing facilities and (2) improving future designs. For instance, building monitoring can support energy and performance contracting, preventive building maintenance, smart load balancing, and model-predictive building systems control. Nevertheless, currently this potential is not sufficiently realized. To address a major gap in the current practice, the present chapter first introduces an ontology for the representation and incorporation of various kinds of building monitoring data in a number of applications such as building performance simulation tools and building automation systems. Subsequently, common data processing requirements are addressed and a number of typical queries are exemplified that building monitoring data repositories must support. Finally, data repository specifications and implementations for structured collection, storage, processing, and multi-user exchange of monitored data are described.

ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Mahnameh Taheri; Matthias Schuss; Farhang Tahmasebi; Stefan Glawischnig. Structured Building Data Management: Ontologies, Queries, and Platforms. Exploring Occupant Behavior in Buildings 2017, 261 -286.

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Mahnameh Taheri, Matthias Schuss, Farhang Tahmasebi, Stefan Glawischnig. Structured Building Data Management: Ontologies, Queries, and Platforms. Exploring Occupant Behavior in Buildings. 2017; ():261-286.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Mahnameh Taheri; Matthias Schuss; Farhang Tahmasebi; Stefan Glawischnig. 2017. "Structured Building Data Management: Ontologies, Queries, and Platforms." Exploring Occupant Behavior in Buildings , no. : 261-286.

Book chapter
Published: 31 March 2017 in BAUPHYSIK KALENDER 2017
Reads 0
Downloads 0
ACS Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Egzon Bajraktari; Josef Lechleitner; Ulrich Pont. Doppelfassaden mit Kombination von Schallschutz und (natürlicher) Lüftungsmöglichkeit. BAUPHYSIK KALENDER 2017 2017, 531 -542.

AMA Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi, Egzon Bajraktari, Josef Lechleitner, Ulrich Pont. Doppelfassaden mit Kombination von Schallschutz und (natürlicher) Lüftungsmöglichkeit. BAUPHYSIK KALENDER 2017. 2017; ():531-542.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ardeshir Mahdavi; Egzon Bajraktari; Josef Lechleitner; Ulrich Pont. 2017. "Doppelfassaden mit Kombination von Schallschutz und (natürlicher) Lüftungsmöglichkeit." BAUPHYSIK KALENDER 2017 , no. : 531-542.