Analysis of energy consumption for residential building- A case study in Libya

Abstract An energy-efficient building maximises the utilisation of resources by providing comfortable living conditions to occupancy inside; while consuming the lowest amount of energy required. Building materials and electrical appliances used in a structure affect how power is consumed; hence, a building's characteristics are essential for further development. Notwithstanding, throughout the year, either in cold or hot weather, buildings are designed to provide comfort for their residents. Households in Libya turn on their air conditioning throughout the day to decrease the impact of the summertime weather, so the rise of temperature. That significantly demands more energy from the grid, and during peak energy demand might cause a deficiency in power generation. In residential houses, air conditioning units consume a large volume of Libya's electricity consumption, approximately 36% of the total electricity generated. Therefore, to obtain an overview of the amount of power required for cooling in Libyan homes; an investigation was created with an emphasis on air conditioning usage, followed by modelling of energy consumption. This work aims to minimise the amount of electricity required from a design perspective. It used surveys and modelling to determine the cooling requirements of different types of architectural buildings (ABs). Besides, the investigation indicated there is a substantial excessive waste of energy in the dwelling when using air conditioning units (ACUs). The analysis deduced consumption patterns of Libyan households are high in electricity, whereas approximately 40.6% of the respondents live in a one-floor house, which needs further consideration. At the same time, it addresses the challenges of electricity demand from the architectural viewpoint. Graphical abstract