Combining retrofitting techniques, renewable energy resources and regulations for residential buildings to achieve energy efficiency in gated communities

Abstract

This paper presents a multi-objective method of analysing the energy efficiency associated with upper class houses in Gated Communities in Arid Zones. The application of building energy regulations has an impact on improving energy efficiency. Energy codes identify the effective techniques that could help in achieving energy efficiency on the building scale, but there is a gap in applying these techniques on the existing urban community scale. This paper proposes a method of integrating energy retrofitting techniques with renewable energy systems to achieve energy efficiency in residential gated communities. The study applies simulation analysis to determine the energy performance when applying these strategies using different building materials in light of the requirements stipulated in the Egyptian Energy Code for Residential Buildings (EECRB). The results show that the entire gated community’s energy usage is reduced by 88.68 percent and suggest a framework for achieving energy efficiency in existing buildings and communities.