Parametric-based analysis on heating and cooling demands of ultra-low energy commercial buildings in Shanghai

Ultra-low energy buildings have been promoted in Shanghai in recent years. At present, the ultra-low energy technical routes for residential buildings and office buildings are relatively well-established, while there are few completed ultra-low energy projects for large commercial buildings in Shanghai, and related literature research is also limited. This paper aims to study the primary design parameters that contribute to the 30% reduction in annual cumulative cooling and heating demand for ultra-low energy public buildings in Shanghai. The effects of different design parameters on the outcomes under various building shape coefficients are studied through the EnergyPlus simulation calculation. The results indicate that the key to ultra-low energy design for large commercial buildings mainly lies in the building shape coefficient, the external envelope thermal performance (the heat transfer coefficient of exterior walls and external windows, and the comprehensive shading coefficient of external windows), and the overall heat recovery efficiency of outdoor air. The research findings presented in this paper can provide fundamental guidelines for designing ultra-low energy large commercial buildings in Shanghai.