Mathematical programming for energetic, economic and environmental optimization of building design

Identifier:  TDX:2312

Handle: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11797/TDX2312

Authors:  Carreras Ubach, Joan

Abstract:
The goal of this thesis is to provide systematic mathematical decision-support tools for the design of optimal buildings with minimum cost and minimum environmental impact. Nowadays the society is becoming more aware of the importance of being environmentally conscious. As a result, the authorities and many companies and consumers seek for products that are cost efficient but also environmentally friendly. Here energy efficiency plays an important role. Building insulation is particularly appealing, since it decreases the energy demand, thereby leading to significant environmental savings. The general problem we aim to solve in this thesis is the design of environmentally friendly buildings with the lowest possible cost focusing on the optimization of the external thermal insulation. To illustrate the capabilities of our approaches, we consider a case study: A house-like cubicle located in the Lleida region. However our methodology is general enough to work with different building models, decision variables and objective functions. Our methods are intended to assist decision-makers in the design of buildings.