How will future climate impact the design and performance of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs)?

Design considerations for net zero energy buildings for intensive, confined poultry production: A review of current insights, knowledge gaps, and future directions

Given the challenges to design Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) the use of Building Performance Simulation (BPS) tools during early design phases has been indispensable. In this context, BPS techniques can be supportive when integrated early in the design process. However, architects suffer from BPS tools limitations during this decisive phase that addresses more the building geometry and envelope. To identify those limitations and as part of the International Energy Agency (IEA) Task 40: Towards Net Zero Energy Buildings, this report compares ten early design BPS tools. The aim is to define the potential of using and integrating the tools by architect during the design of NZEBs. The examined tools include HEED, e-Quest, ENERGY-10, Vasari, Solar Shoebox, Open Studio Plug-in, IES-VE- Ware, DesignBuilder, ECOTECT and BEopt. The comparison is based on five criteria including usability, optimization, interoperability, accuracy and design process integration of the tools. The results describe tools limitations and major requirements to meet the NZEBs objective implications.

Buildings contribute to greenhouse gas emissions that cause environmental impacts on climate change. Net Zero Energy (NZ) buildings would reduce greenhouse gases. The current definition of NZ lacks consensus and has created uncertainties, which cause delays in the adoption of NZ. This paper proposes a Process for Clarification to Accelerate the Net Zero (PC-A-NZ) through three integrated steps: variations, strategies, and requirements. We expand on the results in published NZ literature to clarify the differences in definition and strategy. The objective of this review is to (1) distinguish current variable parameters that are slowing the acceptance of NZ, and (2) focus the discussion internationally on moving faster toward applying NZ to a larger common agreement. The publications of global NZ target assessment and energy efficient strategies will be reviewed to address the main requirements in expediting NZ’s successful progress. Our NZ review analysis highlights (1) how the existing NZ definitions and criteria differ, (2) how calculation strategies vary, and (3) how standards and requirements are often localized. The proposed PC-A-NZ will help policymakers and stakeholders to re-evaluate the existing definitions, standards, and requirements to optimize the use of renewable technologies, improved energy efficiency and electrification to speed up achieving the NZ targets. Definition: There are multiple NZ definitions that vary in source and supply requirement, timescale, emission source, and grid connection.

Net-zero energy building (NZEB) is widely considered as a promising solution to the current energy and environmental problems. The existing NZEBs are designed using the historical weather data (e.g. typical meteorological year-TMY). Nevertheless, due to climate change, the actual weather data during a NZEB’s lifecycle may differ considerably from the historical weather data. Consequently, the designed NZEBs using the historical weather data may not achieve the desired performance in their lifecycles. Therefore, this study investigates the climate change impacts on NZEB’s energy balance in different climate regions, and also evaluates different measures’ effectiveness in mitigating the associated impacts of climate change. In the study, the multi-year future weather data in different climate regions are firstly generated using the morphing method. Then, using the generated future weather data, the energy balance of the NZEBs, designed using the TMY data, are assessed. Next, to mitigate the climate change impacts, different measures are adopted and their effectiveness is evaluated. The study results can improve the understanding of climate change impacts on NZEB’s energy balance in different climate regions. They can also help select proper measures to mitigate the climate change impacts in the associated climate regions.

Environmental and resource limitations provide increased motivation for design of net-zero energy or net-zero CO2 buildings. The optimum building design will have the lowest lifecycle cost. This paper describes a method of performing and comparing lifecycle costs for standard, CO2-neutral and net-zero energy buildings. Costs of source energy are calculated based on the cost of photovoltaic systems, tradable renewable certificates, CO2 credits and conventional energy. Building energy simulation is used to determine building energy use. A case study is conducted on a proposed net-zero energy house. The paper identifies the least-cost net-zero energy house, the least-cost CO2 neutral house, and the overall least-cost house. The methodology can be generalized to different climates and buildings. The method and results may be of interest to builders, developers, city planners, or organizations managing multiple buildings.

Buildings are a major primary energy consumer in the world energy sector, with a value of about 40% of total energy consumption. The absence of traditional sources of energy currently promotes the development of Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs). The general definition of net zero energy construction is very critical to grasp. The aim of the paper is to overview the literature on the existing NZEB to make them self-sustaining and net zero in order to improve energy efficiency of the buildings. If enough renewable energy could be used, NZEB could potentially be achievable with power production. Furthermore, different building-service systems utilizing renewable energy sources have been extensively investigated for possible uses in NZEB. The paper gives the detail of its climatic condition in various part of the world along with their consequences and its impacts. The NZEB concept will significantly define the demand and supply strategies for renewable energies and conversion accounting to achieve a NZEB target along with its renewable energy evaluation. Buildings account for a large proportion of the world's total energy and carbon emissions, and play an important role in formulating strategies for sustainable growth. To this end, smart systems implement applications with numerous and interdisciplinary features. Here, the paper gives a detailed literature review on NZEB.

Buildings are one of the major energy consumers globally. Climate change and global warming are symptoms of increasing Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions due to growing energy consumption. The majority of electricity is produced from fossil fuels, such as coal, which are sources of GHG emissions. Here, renewable energy and efficient measures of energy consumption reduction can provide the opportunity to save our Earth by reducing GHG emission levels. The integrated solution for energy demand and environmental impact for buildings is the concept of net zero energy buildings (NZEBs). This paper reviews the NZEBs initiative around the world from different perspectives, such as passive design of buildings and active approaches that include energy-efficient measures and electricity production by renewable energy, particularly for buildings. Furthermore, this paper highlights optimization and modeling using different tools and software used for implementing NZEBs. This paper suggests possible ways of implementing NZEBs and its benefits in residential, commercial, and educational buildings for various climate zones, along with recent case study results.

Direct comparison of building energy performance levels between countries is usually not possible due to differences in climatic conditions, calculation methods, primary energy (PE) weighing factors and input data. This paper aims to analyse performance requirements and calculation methodology for residential Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) in Oceanic and Nordic climate zone countries according to European Commission (EC) recommended values, focusing on Denmark, Estonia, and Finland. Performance levels for each country are compared with European Commission (EC) recommended values (EU 2016/1318) using normalization and benchmarking through detailed computer simulations. The study is based on two representative buildings: a Danish single-family house and an Estonian apartment building, both designed to meet national NZEB requirements. The buildings were modelled using national and standardized (EN 16798–1:2019) methodologies, including country-specific climate and input data. The simulated performances were compared with EC threshold values, modified, and re-calculated to meet the NZEB PE targets of each country. To match the recommended energy performance, on-site renewable energy production using photovoltaic panels was increased or decreased accordingly. Results show that Estonian requirements for NZEB fulfil the EC NZEB recommendation. In the warmer, Oceanic climate zone it was however impossible to fulfil EC NZEB even with Estonian NZEB. This indicates that PE recommendations are too strict for colder Oceanic locations, represented in this paper by the Copenhagen climate.

Delivering sustainability in the buildings and construction sector requires innovation in the materials used and tools adopted to help promote low-carbon, zero-energy and resource-efficient buildings. This study has proposed an integrated building energy simulation (BES) and life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to inform the selection of sustainable facades and fenestration for a building. The influence of distinct facade systems, enhanced glazing options and varying window-to-wall (WWR) ratios are examined for a theoretical office nearly zero-energy building (NZEB) located in a temperate maritime climate. The embodied and operational environmental impacts – carbon, energy and resources – are quantified and compared for each facade system. The results presented an 8.3% reduction in operational energy demands with enhanced glazing yet translated to a 10% increase in the embodied impacts; equating to an additional 7.0–7.6 months towards the cumulative environmental payback. The optimal conditions for combined heating and cooling performance in the building was a 0.2 variable WWR layout. This can reduce the total energy consumption by 2% or 4.8 kWh/m 2 /year when compared to equivalent uniform WWR configurations. The proposed integrated BES-LCA framework provides guidance for NZEB facade and fenestration assessment, demonstrating the value of quantitative environmental assessments of building components during the design process. Further framework enhancements can ensure additional life cycle considerations are accounted for, such as circularity, life cycle costing and geospatial considerations. • Proposed framework integrating building energy simulation and life cycle assessment. • Energy, carbon and resource impacts determined for three distinct NZEB facades. • 8.3% reduction in operational demands achieved from additional 10% embodied burdens. • The optimal fenestration strategy was triple glazing and a 0.2 window-to-wall ratio. • A masonry insulated cavity wall facade presented the lowest impacts.

Building performance simulation (BPS) is the basis for informed decision-making of Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) design. This paper aims to investigate the use of building performance simulation tools as a method of informing the design decision of NZEBs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a simulation-based decision aid, ZEBO, on informed decision-making using sensitivity analysis. The objective is to assess the effect of ZEBO and other building performance simulation (BPS) tools on three specific outcomes: (i) knowledge and satisfaction when using simulation for NZEB design; (ii) users’ decision-making attitudes and patterns, and (iii) performance robustness based on an energy analysis. The paper utilizes three design case studies comprising a framework to test the use of BPS tools. The paper provides results that shed light on the effectiveness of sensitivity analysis as an approach for informing the design decisions of NZEBs.

Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) leverage passive architectural design and active energy-saving technologies to create comfortable indoor environments while minimising energy use. This study aims to explore the utilisation of Phase Change Materials (PCM) to enhance the thermal inertia of building envelopes, reduce indoor temperature fluctuations, and decrease the capacity requirements of heating and cooling systems. The methodology involves a comprehensive review of the categorisation and properties of PCM, examining their integration with solar, air, and other renewable energy sources. The findings indicate that phase change materials applications in walls, windows, roofs, and floors can significantly enhance thermal inertia, reduce indoor temperature fluctuations, and improve energy efficiency. Additionally, incorporating nanoparticles such as Al₂O₃, TiO₂, and ZnO into PCM has been shown to enhance thermal conductivity, further optimising heat storage performance. The use of PCM presents an efficient and sustainable strategy for improving the energy performance of NZEBs. This study provides a valuable reference for the study and design of nearly zero energy buildings, emphasising sustainability and energy efficiency.

The use of solar shading can have an important influence on the internal heat gains, especially in zero-energy buildings. However, the research in literature is almost uniquely focused on offices, while information on the use of solar shading in residential dwellings is lacking. Therefore, the solar shading behaviour of occupants of a nearly zero-energy social housing neighbourhood in Belgium is analysed. Data are gathered by solar shading logging with a building monitoring system, logbooks and cross-sectional surveys. In general, the solar shades were not often adjusted, with many of the solar shades either always opened or always closed. Clear seasonal influences were observed; however, the temperature and solar irradiance did not reveal a significant relationship with the use of the solar shading. This relationship could be biased by the fact that some of the occupants use the solar shades not to prevent solar heat gains but to darken the room in the evening (blinds). Since the shades are not often adjusted and are thus in the same position for a long time, the use is independent of the prevailing weather conditions. The position of the solar shades seems to be more influenced by the personal preference of the occupant than by external factors. Additional simulations, carried out with Modelica, showed that when the full capacity of the solar shades is used, the overheating can be decreased up to 29% in south oriented rooms. The possible negative impact on the heating demands can be neglected. This shows the necessity to correctly model the solar shading behaviour in residential buildings, especially in nearly zero-energy buildings, for which the cooling demands are increasingly important.

Green buildings have been gaining in popularity over the past few years in Jordan. This is attributed to environmental and financial reasons directly related to energy consumption and cost. Energy sector in Jordan faces two main challenges which are the fast growing of energy demand and the scarcity of resources to fulfill this demand. Green buildings can save energy by designing them as near Zero Energy Buildings, where they produce amount of energy almost equal the amount of energy they consume. In special cases green buildings can be designed as Net zero energy buildings, where they produce as much energy as they consume. Jordan government encourage people to adopt net zero green buildings by issuing the Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Law No. 13 of 2012, that allows selling excessive electricity to electricity companies. Despite these benefits of green buildings, they are not yet the norm in the building sector in Jordan. This can be attributed to the high construction cost of green building compared to traditional one. However, this may not be true if the whole life cycle cost of the building is considered, in which the cost not only include design and construction but also operation and maintenance as well. This paper aims to provide real life cycle cost analysis for a typical residential building in Jordan, and to search different effective building strategies and design scenarios that will lead to a successful near Zero Energy Building. The search will apply main green building strategies recommended for Jordan climatic zone. The outcome of this study is a list of best economically feasible design solutions and system selections that result in near Zero Energy Building in Jordan for residential buildings.

Energy crises has been a serious concern for economies especially for developing ones. The building stocks developed through conventional methods pose serious barriers towards sustainable energy consumption patterns. The transformation of such existing facilities into Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) can offer a valuable opportunity to manage the challenging energy loads. However, cost aspect of such transformations remains the key and explored in current study to assess a breakeven point with the energy conservations. Four commercial buildings, three and four story, were selected as case studies. 3D digital models were developed for energy analysis through cloud computing. Comparative analysis for energy consumption patterns was performed in four phases. For conventional approach, the annual consumptions ranged from 310 kWh/m2/yr to 563 kWh/m2/yr. Based upon the local conditions, roof insulation and PV were adopted as NZEB parameters. This resulted a maximum energy saving of 6 %. The corresponding cost analysis observed an addition expense of almost 11 % for such incorporation with an average payback period of 4.5 years.

Building performance simulation (BPS) is the basis for informed decision-making of Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) design. This paper aims to investigate the use of building performance simulation tools as a method of informing the design decision of NZEBs. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a simulation-based decision aid, ZEBO, on informed decision-making using sensitivity analysis. The objective is to assess the effect of ZEBO and other building performance simulation tools on three specific outcomes: (i) knowledge and satisfaction when using simulation for NZEB design; (ii) users’ decision-making attitudes and patterns, and (iii) performance robustness based on an energy analysis. The paper utilizes three design case studies comprising a framework to test the use of BPS tools. The paper provides results that shed light on the effectiveness of sensitivity analysis as an approach for informing the design decisions of NZEBs.