The behavior of building occupants has been studied by researchers for building control as well as for predicting energy use. In this study, we analyzed the effect of the application of single and complex behavior models on the simulation results of residential buildings. Two occupant behaviors—window opening and closing and air conditioner (AC) usage—were simulated, which are known to be interconnected. This study had two purposes: The first was to integrate data analysis tools (R in this study) and building simulation tools (EnergyPlus in this study) so that two behaviors with interconnectivity could be reflected in building simulation analysis. The second purpose was to apply the behavior models in residential buildings to an integrated simulation environment in stages to analyze their relative influence on the building energy and indoor environment. The results of the study prove that the application of complex behavior is important for research regarding the prediction of actual energy consumption. The results help identify the gap between reality and the existing simulation methods; thereby, they can help improve methods related to energy consumption analysis. We hope that this study and its results will serve as a guide for researchers looking to study occupants’ behavior in the future.

Global warning and climate change adaptation policies have become a major issue for all nations. To establish and implement a GHG (Greenhouse gas) reduction plan in the construction sector, we need to secure data for actual GHG emissions. However, information on energy consumption and GHG emissions in the construction sector is lacking. The purpose of this study is to calculate 1) GHG emissions generated in the construction sector, 2) the annual variation in emissions, and 3) emission characteristics from emission intensity of the construction sector. This study provides information on the amount of GHG emissions and its characteristics within the construction industry and in the overall view. As a result of GHG emissions calculations from the construction sector, GHG emissions in 2007 were 2.51 million ton CO_2-eq, almost the same as the emission reported by the government. Annual GHG emissions have decreased at a mean rate of (-)1.2% from 2006 until 2019. The calculated emission intensity of the construction sector was about 0.02 ton CO_2-eq/million KRW, showing a continuously decreasing tendency until 2019, at an annual mean rate of (-)0.3%.

This paper proposes a flexible modeling approach to develop a theoretical reference building (RB) for energy analysis. We designed an RB for five non-residential buildings, using dynamic simulation from statistically analyzed data of building stock in South Korea. For modeling, four subsets of data—form, envelope, system, and operation—were assessed. This study uses the autosizing function within EnergyPlus, to develop the RB. The proposed approach allows for a flexible design where capacities and flow rates of the heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system match the newly defined RB model. This approach would be ideal for closing the gap between the architectural data and equipment elements. The RB developed in this study allows for performing energy performance analysis by end-use. The analysis results by the end-use can provide support for country-level greenhouse gas (GHG)-mitigation-strategy development.