Energy Savings with Energy-Efficient HVAC Systems in Commercial Buildings of Hong Kong

Abstract

Hong Kong has seen a dramatic increase in energy consumption in recent years, particularly electricity use in commercial buildings. The growth of electricity demand in future years is crucial both economically and environmentally. As over half of the electricity in Hong Kong is consumed by commercial buildings, and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC) is the largest end-user in such buildings, improving the efficiency of HVAC systems in commercial buildings, is the key measure to take in Hong Kong for sustainable development. In this study, the major factors influencing the electricity use of HVAC systems are studied with the building energy simulation program EnergyPlus, which include chiller efficiency, space cooling temperature, variable vs. constant air flow, fan efficiency, lighting intensity and building envelope. From the analysis of the simulation results, it can be found that substantial energy-saving potential exists through improving the efficiency of HVAC systems in commercial buildings, and a combination of desirable system parameters for energy efficiency of commercial building is proposed.