Development of an energetic profile of buildings: From current status to achievable improvement

The term "Profile" is often used in different disciplines to identify fundamental properties of an object, while analyzing future steps to use them. In this research, the concept of Energetic Profile for Existing Office Buildings and its features are presented. The Energetic Profile consists of seven architectural parameters ranging from macro to micro, taking into consideration its surrounding environment, the building’s morphological characteristics up to the typical floor plan design. The Energetic Profile enables the identification of energy saving opportunities and enables distinction between energetic-architectural typologies of office buildings which are not commonly discussed in environmental conscious standards. For each of the parameters a methodology was developed to investigate its total energy impact (divided into cooling, heating and lighting) in a theoretical office building located in a hot and humid climate. Performed case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the tool to identify potential action directions for energy savings, compare design alternatives, and examine the influence of various construction phases of the building. The case studies proved up to 50% in savings potential compared to current condition, when implementing the conclusions of the profile. Future contribution is expected as an auxiliary tool for designing also new office buildings.