The Use of Normative Energy Calculation beyond the Optimum Retrofit Solutions in Primary Design: A Case Study of Existing Buildings on a Campus

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

 

 

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Author Response

Manuscript ID sustainability-2247028

Dear reviewer, we genuinely appreciate your invaluable assistance and insightful comments. We have given these issues serious consideration and made careful modifications that we hope will meet your approval this time. In addition, we consulted native English speakers to ensure the appropriateness of the manuscript as a scientific paper (EditSprings provide a certificate confirming). The INTRODUCTION has been updated simultaneously with the literature broadened. Since the paper is on building energy optimization, some important review papers on the subject are included, especially from the angle of architects as well as for optimization algorithms. As modifications are dispersed throughout the full text, the main changes are marked in the 'track changes' version showing our interventions. Please refer to the attached document for a detailed explanation.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The paper develops a deterministic decision making method for finding the optimum set of retrofit solutions for existing buildings on campus. Overall the paper is technically OK and offers something valuable. The following issues need to be addressed:

- The English language must be improved.

- The "Discussion" section is weak. It is recommended that you use subtitles to form the logic and discuss several relevant matters.

- The literature should be broadened. Since the paper is on building energy optimization, some important review papers on the subject, especially from the angle of architects, should be included. In addition, pay attention to the studies on optimization algorithms because they are used in your study.

Author Response

Dear reviewer, your gracious support and invaluable feedback are sincerely appreciated. We have given these issues serious consideration and made careful modifications that we hope will meet your approval this time. In addition, we consulted native English speakers to ensure the appropriateness of the manuscript as a scientific paper (EditSprings provide a certificate confirming). Please refer to the attached document for a detailed explanation.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

In this paper, the global optimal solution for the energy-efficient retrofit optimization is found through energy performance calculator (EPC). Calculation calibration approach is provided which allows the user to test and find the optimal combination of input variables in the EPC energy building model that satisfies a desired target and complies with the problem constraints. A variety of technical performance aspects (energy, lighting, thermal comfort, maintenance, and indoor air quality) are addressed in a campus building located in Atlanta (3A, ASHRAE Standard climate zone), and retrofit optimizations are provided with 40% consumption decrease. In general, the topic is interesting, and a few questions are required to be well handled.

1. The authors performed the survey of energy performance and retrofit solution, which is a great work. The reviewer suggests to focus more on the short comings of the existing references. The following papers related to the energy retrofit solution can be included into the Intro.

10.1016/j.jobe.2022.104904

2. Figure 1. 3 research framework of the methodology is not clear, and maybe a vector-graph with clear words is better.

3. In the conclusion, the superiority and novelty of this EPC and retrofitting procedure can be further enhanced. Moreover, the future trends or tendency can also be predicted appropriately.

Author Response

Dear reviewer, we sincerely appreciate your gracious support and invaluable feedback. We have given serious consideration to the issues raised and made careful modifications that we hope will meet with your approval this time.

We added the papers related to the energy retrofit solution that you commended to the INTRODUCTION, and refreshed Figure 1.3.

In the CONCLUSION, we enhanced the superiority and novelty of this EPC and retrofitting procedure. We updated the INTRODUCTION simultaneously and broadened the literature. We clarified that research on performance-driven architectural design can be divided into two main directions: (1) using data-driven models for building design, and (2) using architect-centered human-computer interaction to improve the interactivity of performance evaluation during the design process. We also analyzed and emphasized the crucial role of normative energy calculation in the primary design stage. A more in-depth conversation is implied in the DISCUSSION.

Thank you again for your valuable feedback and support.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Thank you to the authors for the detailed answer to the revieweer suggestions. Thank you for the effort to improve the clarity of the article. 

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors have addressed the reviewers' comments in an adequate way.