A Multi-Objective Design Optimization of a New Build Future Home Standard House in Controlled Conditions

This paper aims to determine the optimal construction strategies for new build houses in the UK to minimise heating energy demand and discomfort hours. The research utilises a previously calibrated model of "The Future Home" in Energy House 2.0's environmental chamber. Eight design variables were optimised including multiple building fabric specifications, air permeability rates, and heating setpoint temperatures. Three optimisation scenarios were investigated: fixed heating setpoints, variable heating setpoints, and variable setpoints with comfort constraints. The analysis revealed that while fixed heating setpoints showed limited optimization potential, variable setpoint scenarios identified three distinct clusters of optimal solutions. The optimization consistently favored superior building fabric parameters, though air permeability solutions became more nuanced with variable heating control. When constrained to maximum 400 discomfort hours, solutions required elevated heating setpoints (22-23 °C) while maintaining high fabric specifications. These findings advance building optimization methodology by demonstrating the importance of heating control flexibility and comfort constraints in achieving optimal performance, while the use of a calibrated model in controlled conditions overcomes the limitations of previous studies that relied on uncalibrated or hypothetical models.