Abstract
The use of solar energy in buildings is a good alternative to fossil fuels considering the geographical location of Iran. The present research evaluated the feasibility of net-zero energy residential buildings in southern Iran using a distinct framework. To this end, a low-energy and simulated model of a multi-family residential building as the dominant typology in Bushehr city equipped with combined (active and passive) solutions were used in Design Builder software for optimizing energy consumption. Annual electricity consumption of this simulated model was reduced by 48% using very low power density appliances and an Air Source Heat Pump (ASHP) water heater with an Energy Star label to supply hot water. Then, a grid-connected PV system with a capacity of 29 kW was used to provide the annual electricity demand. The results indicate that this system annually generates 52 MWh of electricity that not only covers the annual electricity demand but also sends 5.8 MWh of additional electricity to the grid. The Economic analysis indicates that the payback period in this project will be very long. Therefore, achieving NZEBs in southern Iran is technically feasible but, from the economic point of view, it depends on the provision of the economic infrastructures.
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