Application of ANN for analysing a neighbourhood of single-family houses constituting an Energy Cluster

Lodz University of Technology, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Lodz, Poland

^* Corresponding author: marcin.zygmunt@p.lodz.pl

Abstract

In this article a simple computer tool that can predict energy demand of residential buildings area in Poland by means of artificial neural network is developed and its application is demonstrated. Authors focused on energy demand analyses for single-family houses, representative for the Polish household sector. Advanced computer simulations were performed by means of the Energy Plus software, with hourly calculation step. Then, the obtained results and simulation parameters were used as input data for artificial neural network analysis. As a result, authors developed a simple, user friendly computer tool that can predict, with relatively good accuracy in comparison to the Energy Plus results, energy demand for residential buildings located in Poland. The software might be used for local (a single building) or regional (whole areas, neighbourhoods) analyses of single-family houses in Polish household sector. Additionally, for the analysed area, Renewable Energy potential can be checked – the developed software allows for analyses of solar energy application in the building/neighbour-hood design. Some examples of the energy analyses performed by means of the developed software have been presented.