A hierarchical optimization methodology for the cost optimal design of low energy buildings in Cyprus

In view of the needs for energy minimization in the buildings sector, the design of cost optimal low energy buildings (LEB) in the Mediterranean area is of significant interest. The measures available to accomplish this task include the use of latest building technology and the customization of the design (climate, owner’s needs and requirements, user behavior, etc). The goals include the minimization of the annual primary energy consumption/carbon dioxide emissions and of the costs. Both measures and goals constitute in general a multi-objective optimization problem, for which numerous methods, including mathematical optimization methods, have been proposed in the past. This paper proposes a new optimization method for the design of low energy buildings based on Hierarchical Optimization (HO). The method uses technical and financial information of building components available in Cyprus organized in an excel database CyLEBd, which feeds CyLEBs, a building performance simulation (BPS) tool. A case example illustrates how the method enables the design optimization of low energy buildings in Cyprus, implying that the method could be easily adjusted for other Mediterranean climates. This research has been financed by the Research Promotion Foundation of Cyprus. Key-Words: Low energy buildings, Hierarchical optimization, Energy and costs minimization, Cyprus