Lighting simulation of energy saving for rest and service area in Malaysia

Abstract

Rest and Service Areas (RSA) is to provide a refreshing feeling for traveller to relax and rest. However, it is reported that a large amount of electrical energy was consumed every day at RSAs which reported almost 250 kW/h in a day. Reducing the amount of end-use energy and enhancing energy efficiency in buildings are essential strategies to reduce the carbon emission. Most energy efficiency can be applied for retrofitting purposes such as advancing the electrical appliances, yet less effort of energy saving has been introduced to improve the energy performance at RSA which also known as semi-open space building. Semi-structure interview was conducted among the concessionaire for Malaysia Highway Authority (MHA), and as a result RSA Ayer Keroh located at the North bound highway consumes the highest energy. Hence, this study aims to improve building energy performance at RSA Ayer Keroh Northbound by using quantitative study and energy-saving simulation as retrofitting measures. To achieve this aim four objectives have been lined up; the first objective is to identify the significant factors affecting energy consumption in building for retrofitting initiative, second is determination of existing building energy index and lighting performance at RSA. The third is an investigation of existing lighting characteristic for proposing lighting retrofitting scenarios in reducing energy consumption at RSA. Finally, the evaluation on the optimum lighting energy saving based on the proposed lighting scenarios were identified using DesignBuilder. The process begins with a comprehensive literature review in identifying the most appropriate variables for factor affecting energy consumption for RSA followed by a survey questionnaires method to identify the level of significance of each variable. Factor analysis was performed to reduce the numbers of variables on energy consumption and to prioritize the level of its importance. The results from the factor analysis optimized retrofitting measures, where the end-use factor is the most dominant factor with weightage 49% and indicated that the artificial lighting combined with daylight harvesting was selected as most significant in proposing the energy-saving method. Based on the results, three lighting simulation scenarios were proposed. Scenario 1 is the baseline of the case study in which the light is assumed to be ON for 24 hours, scenario 2 is to reduce the amount of luminaire in the existing layout of Ayer Keroh RSA and scenario 3 is reducing the time operation by using the timer devices. The step in predicting the energy-saving from the lighting control scenarios begins with the use of Autodesk Revit software to model the architectural template and MEP template for the building. Timer effect was modelled in DesignBuilder software by creating a new schedule template. The simulation individually was performed on each scenario of lighting to predict the energy consumption. The results showed a high opportunity of energy-saving with 24% and 42 % total annual lighting load reduction respectively for scenario 2 and 3. Besides that, the results were estimated about RM 84,000 annually can be saved from electricity cost and reduced about 10 metric tonnes of carbon emission.