Cooling Demand Under Climate Change and Associated Environmental Impacts

by Ammar M. Khourchid, Sami G. Al-Ghamdi
Conference Year: 2022 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-43559-1_13

Abstract

The building sector is a major contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, significantly impacting climate change. As a consequence of climate change, the demand for cooling in buildings is expected to rise, especially in countries with hot and arid climates where a substantial portion of energy is dedicated to cooling. This study aims to quantify the impact of climate change on the cooling demand of restaurant buildings in Qatar and assess the associated environmental implications. Future climate conditions were obtained from a fine-resolution regional climate model, specifically using the extreme Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) 8.5 scenario. Energy analyses were conducted using OpenStudio software to compare reference and future climates. The simulation results were then used to perform a life cycle assessment. The findings indicate that by 2100, under the RCP 8.5 scenario, the annual cooling requirements of restaurant buildings in Qatar are projected to increase by 20%. Consequently, there will be a corresponding rise in power usage within these buildings, leading to increased environmental implications. Specifically, CO2 emissions are expected to increase by 14.6 metric tons by 2100. The study underscores the necessity of incorporating renewable energy resources in power production and integrating climate change considerations into building designs. These measures are essential for reducing carbon emissions, ensuring energy security, and mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change.

Keywords

Climate Change Cooling Demand Life cycle assessment (LCA)