Abasi, Fatemeh (2026) Sustainable Energy Modeling for Office Buildings Through Energy Efficiency Strategies. Masters thesis, Concordia University.
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Abstract
As older buildings are not compliant with modern energy standards such as ASHRAE or the National Building Code of Canada, they are generally less energy efficient than newer buildings. National Research Council data indicate that although the energy efficiency of commercial and institutional buildings improved by about 15% over the last two decades, total energy demand increased by about 19%, and would likely have exceeded 30% without modern materials and efficiency practices. In cold climates, office buildings have high heating-related energy use, making cost-effective retrofits essential.
This thesis evaluates the energy and economic impacts of retrofit strategies for office buildings in Montréal’s cold climate (ASHRAE Zone 6A). Two representative office building archetypes were modeled using a physics-based bottom-up Building Energy Modeling (BEM) approach in DesignBuilder: (1) a modern, code-compliant office tower reflecting contemporary efficiency standards (Type A), and (2) an older office tower with a weaker envelope and less efficient building systems (Type B). A wide range of retrofit scenarios was simulated, including envelope upgrades, glazing improvements, ventilation and heat-recovery measures, lighting controls, and operational schedule optimization. Economic performance was assessed using Simple Payback Period (SPP) and Discounted Payback Period (DPP) to evaluate financial feasibility across different investment and energy-saving levels.
Results show that that combined retrofit packages consistently outperformed single-measure upgrades in both energy savings and economic value. These findings provide practical guidance for engineers, building owners, and policymakers seeking cost-effective and high-impact retrofit pathways for commercial office buildings in cold-climate regions such as Montréal.
| Divisions: | Concordia University > Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science > Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering |
|---|---|
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
| Authors: | Abasi, Fatemeh |
| Institution: | Concordia University |
| Degree Name: | M.A. Sc. |
| Program: | Building Engineering |
| Date: | 12 January 2026 |
| Thesis Supervisor(s): | Chen, Po-Han and bagchi, Ashutosh |
| Keywords: | Sustainability, Energy Modeling, Energy Efficiency Strategies, Retrofit, Office Buildings |
| ID Code: | 996716 |
| Deposited By: | Fatemeh Abasi |
| Deposited On: | 29 Jun 2026 14:24 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jun 2026 14:24 |
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