Climate Change Impact Analysis & Adaptation Strategies-HVAC&R System in Built Environment

Rakesh Ravichandran

Anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emission is the single largest source of global warming, and they are increasing at an alarming rate, impacting ecosystems, biodiversity, and the very existence of humanity. The built environment is highly vulnerable to varying climates, and it will be a key area of focus, as 68% of the human population is expected to be urbanised by 2050 (United Nations 2018). Heating Ventilation Airconditioning & Refrigeration (HVAC&R) systems plays a key role in optimally maintaining thermal comfort, safety, health & well-being of humans, and this research is designed to analyse the impact of climate changes on built environment assets, specifically HVAC&R. As an accomplished building services practitioner I firmly believe that the industry is least prepared for the climate change and through this thesis I aimed to provide scientific and research based evidence for the Australian building industry and the practitioners for their consideration and put them in practice. Firstly, the major population centres from different Australian climate zones were selected for the climate change analysis. The various climate parameters were modelled to estimate projected changes under different emission scenarios and timescales using SimCLIM visualisation software, which is based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). The result is that the Australian continent is getting warmer, with an increased frequency of extreme weather events. This led me to the next phase of research, which involved an impact analysis. The impact of climate change on HVAC&R was analysed using FineGreen building energy simulation software, as well as through an extensive review of relevant resources and journals. It was observed that energy consumption increases with the projected climate change, and the built environment is exposed to multiple vulnerabilities. An effective risk assessment process was developed for building practitioners and facility managers to apply in real-life scenarios. Multiple practical resilience strategies were analysed in this thesis to enable the industry to adapt. This research made an honest attempt to identify gaps in the existing Australian building industry standards, and recommendations were made for consideration by the Building Code of Australia (BCA).

Climate Change Impact Analysis & Adaptation Strategies-HVAC&R System in Built Environment

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