Retrofit of Commercial Buildings Using a Gas Heat Pump System (LB-17-C041)

In office buildings, the use of a Gas Heat Pump air-conditioning systems may be able to meet thermal demands with the same efficacy as a conventional electrical system while reducing energy demand of the whole building. This paper investigates technically, ambient and economically the substitution of a conventional air-conditioning system of an existing office building by a Gas Heat Pump air-conditioning system. The analysis was conducted through a data assembling of the potential of retrofit of operating office buildings in the city of Sao Paulo; through interviews with mechanical engineers and consultants; and through a case study developed in an existent office building, using computer simulation to evaluate energy performance of different air-conditioning scenarios.