Embedded Files
2025 | Building Performance Modeling | Carnegie Mellon University, MSSD
Challenge: Reducing building energy use and carbon emissions while balancing daylight, thermal comfort, and outdoor usability through design decisions rather than assumptions.
Solution: A performance-driven, iterative design process using climate, radiation, and daylight simulations to inform massing, zoning, shading, and landscape strategies, resulting in a 72% EUI reduction and significant carbon savings.
Energy optimization of a secondary school in Pittsburgh
A whole-building energy simulation of the PNNL Secondary School prototype in Pittsburgh (ASHRAE Climate Zone 5A), conducted using IES-VE 2024. Parametric iterations across four design categories achieved a 54.5% site EUI reduction.
Baseline vs Best-case Outputs
Starting from the PNNL prototype geometry, a two-storey secondary school with pod-based classroom wings, a gym, an auditorium, a cafeteria, and a library.
A Baseline BEM was built using the ASHRAE 90.1-2016 prescriptive envelope and internal load values.
The model was then progressively refined through parametric simulations across four categories to drive the site EUI from 33 to 15 kBtu/ft²/yr.
What We Navigate
A heating-dominant climate, a complex mixed-use programme, and the need to balance energy performance with constructional practicality required careful iteration and decision-making throughout the simulation process.
8 AHU Zones Across 2 Floors
The building was divided into 8 HVAC zones - 4 per floor. Each floor contains three pod-based classroom AHUs and one consolidated zone for all mixed-use alternate spaces. Zones were mapped directly from IESVE's ASHRAE space-by-space method to match functional usage, occupancy density, and schedule alignment.
Four Categories ·- Cumulative Optimisation
Each simulation category was tested sequentially, with the best-performing iteration carried forward as the new baseline for the next category. Changes to WWR had the largest single-step impact; glazing and lighting fine-tuned the final result. Envelope insulation changes (roof, wall, slab) showed diminishing returns but were systematically tested across all relevant ASHRAE prescriptive options for Climate Zone 5A.
Envelope Thermal Detail
Best Case Performance
The optimised model achieved a site EUI of 15 kBtu/ft²/yr with total annual energy consumption of 6,622 MBtu. The fuel mix shifted dramatically -electricity now accounts for 83% of energy use, primarily driven by the efficient electric HVAC and lighting system, while natural gas drops to 17%, largely for residual heating. Interior lighting (25.2%) and receptacle loads (18.2%) become the dominant electricity end-uses.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse