Month: October 2013
M.I.T. Classes by Prof. Erik Demaine | WeWantToLearn.net
Geometric Folding Algorithms: Linkages, Origami, Polyhedra is a wonderful class by Prof. Erik Demaine at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It is fully documented on the http://courses.csail.mit.edu website of the MIT with course notes and video. Here is a list of all his classes: http://erikdemaine.org/classes/
via M.I.T. Classes by Prof. Erik Demaine | WeWantToLearn.net.
Project:Climate Analysis for Building Design
I’m starting the “Climate Analysis for Building Design” using R language(Python is also a good choice) . R is a free software environment for statistical computing and graphics. The goal of the project is to analyse the climate data under various criteria to guide the choosing of different strategy for building design in different climatic environment. There should be a GUI for the settings so an integration of R and C++ is necessary. Rcpp provides a powerful API on top of R, permitting direct interchange of rich R objects (including S3, S4 or Reference Class objects) between R and C++. The RInside package provides C++ classes that make it easier to embed R in C++ code — on either Linux, OS X or Windows. A web application is also under considering.
The R Project for Statistical Computing.
Rcpp: Seamless R and C++ Integration.
Astronomy Answers: Position of the Sun
ENERGY MODELING AT EACH DESIGN PHASE: STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE DESIGN ENERGY USE
ENERGY MODELING AT EACH DESIGN PHASE: STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE DESIGN ENERGY USE
http://www.rmi.org/Knowledge-Center/Library/2010-27_EnergyModelingDesignPhase
net present value (NPV), return on investment (ROI), internal rate of return (IRR)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Net_present_value
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Return_on_investment
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internal_rate_of_return
The main difference between providing a simple payback figure (typically just the capital cost divided by the annual energy cost savings) and providing NPV, ROI or IRR is that the consultant includes cash flows in the analysis. A simple payback calculation generally underestimates the true economic value of the energy efficiency investment, as it ignores other important benefits (rebates, depreciation expenses, maintenance savings, etc.). LCCA enables decision-makers to fully understand the economic justification for an integrated sustainable design.
theoretical minimum energy use
The theoretical minimum energy use is the lowest technically possible (using today’s technology) energy use for the building, before investigating renewable energy opportunities.
Kendra Tupper and Caroline Fluhrer, ENERGY MODELING AT EACH DESIGN PHASE: STRATEGIES TO MINIMIZE DESIGN ENERGY USE