Development of an Early-Stage Decision Support Tool for Optimizing Building Performance Using I-DIFFER Systems
Authors
Slatinac, Dean ; Semertzakis, Georgios
Term
4. Term
Education
Publication year
2026
Submitted on
2026-05-04
Pages
140
Abstract
This thesis presents a simple hourly calculation tool for early design stages that compares heating and cooling needs in traditional renovation solutions with the novel I-DIFFER concept. The tool is implemented in an Excel spreadsheet and combines basic heat-balance calculations (accounting for heat gains and losses) with mode-switching logic for preheating, cooling, and transparent insulation (insulation that lets light pass through). It supports a structured comparison of design alternatives before investing in more detailed simulations. The tool was validated in two steps: first against measurements from a full-scale double-skin façade test facility at Aalborg University, and then against a modified IDA-ICE reference model using the DRY10 climate dataset. Validation showed good agreement for preheating and cooling modes, while larger deviations occurred in transparent insulation mode. The results indicate that, under the investigated assumptions, I-DIFFER may reduce annual energy need. However, detailed dynamic simulation is still necessary for final design decisions and system sizing.
Afhandlingen præsenterer et enkelt timebaseret beregningsværktøj til de tidlige faser, der sammenligner behovet for varme og køling i traditionelle renoveringsløsninger med det nye I-DIFFER-koncept. Værktøjet er bygget i et Excel-regneark og kombinerer simple varmebalanceberegninger (opgør varme-tilskud og -tab) med logik, der skifter mellem driftsformer: forvarmning, køling og transparent isolering (isolering, der lader lys passere). Formålet er at understøtte en struktureret sammenligning af designmuligheder, før der bruges tid på mere detaljerede simuleringer. Værktøjet blev valideret i to trin: først mod målinger fra et fuldskala forsøgsanlæg med en dobbeltskindet facade på Aalborg Universitet og dernæst mod en modificeret IDA-ICE-referencemodel med klimadatasættet DRY10. Valideringen viste god overensstemmelse for forvarmning og køling, mens der var større afvigelser i drift med transparent isolering. Resultaterne peger på, at I-DIFFER kan reducere det årlige energibehov under de undersøgte forudsætninger. Endelige designvalg og dimensionering kræver dog stadig detaljerede, dynamiske simuleringer.
[This apstract has been rewritten with the help of AI based on the project's original abstract]