Module 02 · Pre-build
Facility Energy
Define the building geometry, envelope, lighting, HVAC, and production schedule. EnergyPlus runs a full 8,760-hour simulation against TMYx weather to produce the load profile that Module 03 sizes solar & storage against.
Floor area
650
m² · two zones
Annual load
695
MWh / yr
Peak demand
142
kW · staggered
LED density
114
W/m² · 3.5 µmol/J
Envelope U
0.05
W/m²K · PUR-core
Specific energy
16.5
kWh / kg-FW basil
The staggered layout overlaps photoperiods across zones, flattening the load. Synchronized layout doubles the midday peak but shifts more energy into solar hours.
Facility geometry — 26 × 25 × 6 m
Two-zone Graamans-style indoor farm. 650 m² floor area, 6 m ceiling, closed envelope at U = 0.05 W/m²K (PUR-core sandwich). Zone A and Zone B share an interior partition. Drag to rotate, scroll to zoom.
Zone A · 325 m² · 02–20
Zone B · 325 m² · 08–02
Insulated envelope
LED canopy fixtures
Monthly electricity load
Aggregated kWh per month from the 8,760-hour simulation. Slight summer rise reflects higher dehumidification load.
Mean daily load — decomposed
Average hour-by-hour breakdown across all 365 days. LED canopy dominates; HVAC adds a midday hump tracking ambient temperature.
Model inputs
The IDF file is generated by SOLARA from the geometry editor and equipment selections. Every value is auditable.
| Category | Parameter | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geometry | Floor area, height | 650 m², 6 m ceiling | Geometry editor |
| Envelope | U-value (all surfaces) | 0.05 W/m²K | PUR-core sandwich panel spec |
| Lighting | LED density · efficacy | 114.3 W/m² · 3.5 µmol/J | Graamans 2018 |
| Lighting | Sensible heat fraction | 0.48 | Graamans 2017 |
| Plant model | Latent gain · transpiration | 65 W/m², 6-hr ramp-down | Graamans plant factory model |
| HVAC | Chiller COP | 3.7 (ideal-loads) | EnergyPlus default |
| HVAC | Setpoints (occ / unocc) | 24 °C / 22 °C | Crop spec |
| Atmosphere | CO₂ concentration | 1,000 ppm | Production target |
| Schedule (staggered) | Zone A · Zone B | 02–20 · 08–02 | Production planner |
| Weather | TMYx file | Agadir-Massira 602520 | climate.onebuilding.org |
Validation
SOLARA's energy model reproduces Graamans (2018) at ≈ 235 kWh per kg lettuce dry weight versus the published 247 kWh / kg DW — within 5%. For Farm32's basil schedule (42,250 kg fresh weight per year) the specific energy is 16.5 kWh / kg-FW, below the LCA-reported 26.4 kWh / kg-FW because dehumidification overhead and capital-goods stages sit outside the EnergyPlus boundary. Those gaps close in Module 04 (Environmental Impact).
Outputs handed downstream
| Output | Goes to | How it is used |
|---|---|---|
| 8,760-hour facility load (kW) | Module 03 — Solar & Storage | Demand curve dispatched against PV + battery |
| Annual electricity consumption (MWh) | Module 04 — Environmental Impact | Operational energy stage (PEFCR §5.3) |
| HVAC, refrigerant, LED bill of materials | Module 04 — Environmental Impact | Capital-goods stage |
| Design load profile | Operate | Real-time variance against measured kWh |