Energy System Design: Buildings and Needs

This lecture focuses on defining the energy needs of buildings, particularly in the context of designing the energy system of EPFL. The instructor discusses the importance of understanding the characteristics of buildings, such as their heating and cooling requirements, electricity needs, and the impact of solar irradiation. The lecture covers methods for characterizing building needs, including defining heat loads, calculating energy balances, and solving nonlinear equations to optimize energy efficiency. Various concepts like defining variables, applying methodologies, and ensuring convergence in solving energy system equations are explored in detail.