Whole-Building Integration for Residential Buildings

Whole-building integration is very similar to the process used in the production of automobiles. Every part is designed and manufactured to work together to optimize car performance. Whole-building integration works the same way, only it creates high-performance buildings. The process begins with computer simulated design to analyze building components and systems and then it integrates them so that the overall building performance is optimized. Example systems and components that are designed to work well together are building orientation, heating and cooling systems, insulation, lighting, and windows. A systems integration approach enables advanced technologies to function more efficiently while still meeting the challenging reliability and cost requirements for buildings. Used in retrofit application, these technologies provide one of the best opportunities to increase energy efficiency in existing buildings.

System integration uses an integrated building design process, which is a collaborative, integrated planning and design process that uses a "project team" rather than one person (i.e., architect) to make decisions in all stages of a project's planning and delivery, starting with design. Whole-building integrated design establishes performance goals right from the start for siting, energy, water, materials, and indoor environmental quality along with other comprehensive design goals. It ensures incorporation of these goals throughout the design and lifecycle of the building. It also considers all stages of the building's life-cycle in the design stage, including site selection, construction, maintenance, and demolition.

NREL also focuses its research on improving building integrated solar systems and addressing barriers to integration of advanced solar hot water systems in high performance homes. Additional advanced research topics include research to resolve barriers to the broad use of advanced evaporative cooling systems in hot dry and mixed dry climates, resolving barriers to the broad use of low velocity core air distribution systems in cool climates, and ensuring uniform mixing of ventilation air between different rooms within homes in all climate zones.

An essential technology for whole-building integration is computer simulation software for making energy analysis comparisons. NREL developed an energy analysis framework for integrated systems analysis called BEopt to determine optimum design strategies and identify technology gaps, barriers, and opportunities on the path to zero energy homes. NREL's objective is to provide an accurate, consistent, and comprehensive analysis framework to track progress towards multi-year cost and performance goals and identify least-cost approaches for future technology development in a variety of climate zones and for various energy performance levels. For more information, see Energy Analysis and Tools.