Building Energy Assessment of Thermal and Electrical Properties for Compact Cities: Case Study of a Multi-Purpose Building in South Korea

This study conducts a simulation-based assessment of a recently commissioned office building in the Republic of Korea, representing a typical public office facility. The building was modeled using EnergyPlus 23.1.0 after construction, although no validation was performed due to the absence of metered consumption data. Previous approaches relying on simplified methods such as the Radiant Time Series (RTS), which neglect dynamic building behavior, have often led to overestimated cooling and heating loads. This has emerged as a major obstacle in designing energy-efficient buildings within the context of compact and smart cities pursuing carbon neutrality. Consequently, the trend in building performance analysis is shifting toward dynamic simulations and digital twin-based design methodologies. Furthermore, electrification of buildings without adequate thermal load assessment may also contribute to overdesign, irrespective of urban environmental characteristics. From an urban planning standpoint, there is a growing need for performance criteria that reflect occupant behavior and actual usage patterns. However, dynamics-based building studies remain scarce in the Republic of Korea. In this context, the present study demonstrates that passive design strategies, implemented through systematic changes in envelope materials, HVAC operational standards, and compliance with ASHRAE 90.1 criteria, can significantly enhance thermal comfort and indoor air quality. The simulation results show that energy consumption can be reduced by over 36.21% without compromising occupant health or comfort. These findings underscore the importance of thermal load understanding prior to electrification and highlight the potential of LEED-aligned passive strategies for achieving high-performance, low-energy buildings.