Achieving affordable zero carbon housing design through an integrated approach

Abstract

CO2 emissions from building operations have increased to their highest level, moving away from the Paris Agreement goal of below 2 °C. Zero carbon housing (ZCH) has been identified as a viable solution to realise carbon neutrality. However, ZCHs are barely recognised by the mainstream market due to the misconception of high up-front cost. This research aims to identify affordable solutions for ZCH by synergising building design, mechanical services, and renewable energy, and to balance capital cost and environmental benefits. An integrated framework of energy simulation, sensitivity analysis, and multi-objective optimisation is employed to achieve the goals. A representative house design is selected to demonstrate the proposed methodology, and a national energy rating scheme in Australia, NatHERS, is used for validation. The optimisation identified eight optimal solutions, resulting in a CO2 emission reduction between 1.894 tCO2 to 2.259 tCO2 with increased indoor comfort of 1.3%–2.6%. This research also finds that given the policy incentives, the actual incremental cost is marginal after the government rebate. This research addresses the major barriers of the high up-front cost associated with ZCH through an integrated approach. The research facilitates the paradigm shift in the mainstream market, promoting the development and market expansion of ZCH.