Evaluating the Impact of Energy Efficiency Building Codes for Residential Buildings in the GCC

Mohamed H Elnabawi

doi:10.3390/en14238088

Abstract

In arid climates, almost half of the urban peak load of energy demand is used to supply cooling and air-conditioning in the summertime. The pressure placed on energy resources to satisfy inhabitants’ indoor comfort requirements is mounting due to accelerated urbanisation rates in developing countries and has led countries such as those in the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) to establish sustainable building codes to enhance their environmental performance. Using the extensive parametric energy simulations provided by DesignBuilder, this study addresses the potential of applying different GCC energy efficiency measures to reduce annual energy consumption and carbon emissions in a typical residential dwelling in the Kingdom of Bahrain. To do so, first, a base case validation simulation model was generated, followed by four design scenarios addressing the minimum requirements for Bahrain’s Energy Conservation Code, Abu Dhabi’s ESTIDAMA 1, Saudi Arabia’s code, and Kuwait’s building code. Then, a feasibility study was conducted using the simple payback period (SPP) and lifecycle cost (LCC) analysis. Overall energy and carbon emission (CO2) reduction showed the potential for building sustainable codes to improve building environmental performance throughout the year. In terms of energy performance and CO2 reduction, Abu Dhabi’s ESTIDAMA 1 code recorded the best energy savings at a 24.4% and a 26.3% reduction in carbon emissions, followed by the Saudi code with a 14.6% annual energy savings and 12.3% less carbon emissions. Regarding the economic analysis, although the SPP indicates the Bahraini code offered payback in just under two years for subsidised energy and half a year for unsubsidised, the LCC analysis suggests that applying Abu Dhabi’s ESTIDAMA 1 code was the most feasible, followed by the Saudi building code. Consequently, the study suggests a comprehensive evaluation of the relationship between the sustainable building codes and their economic feasibility in order to enhance and promote the wide application in the GCC based on the code’s capabilities and their benefits for residential households and the overall economy.

Highlights

For many reasons, the building sector accounts for more than 40% of all primary energy use and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including the increasing population, expanding housing stock, and better living standards; all these have led to an expected escalation in energy use
The results suggested that the applied measures were responsible for reducing energy consumption by 27–29% for walls, 13–14% for roofs, and 6% for windows; these findings are much lower in comparison to Wahl [37] regarding the windows and roofs, despite both studies being set in the same climate
According to the Electricity and Water Authority [4], the average amount of electricity consumed by the residential sector between 2010–2018 was 47.9% of all electricity supplied by the country; this means that the sector consumed almost half the electricity, while the other half was consumed by three different sectors

Summary

Introduction

The building sector accounts for more than 40% of all primary energy use and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, including the increasing population, expanding housing stock, and better living standards; all these have led to an expected escalation in energy use. Like other GCC countries, Bahrain has a substantial seasonal variation in electricity consumption; during the extremely hot months from May to October, there is a significant increase in consumption, mainly due to the heavy use of air-conditioning units, which account for 60–65% of electricity usage in buildings. This high annual rate of electricity consumption will mostly continue and lead to an increase in energy consumption per capita, as Bahrain is witnessing a high population growth rate, rapid urbanisation, industrialisation, and commercialisation

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Conclusion