Near zero energy house design parameter implementation in cluster housing – a case study

Abstract

The sustainable concept of housing supports a house in reducing the dependence on fossil-based energy. The environmental impact of a housing building, particularly CO2 emissions, depends on the house overall design, including site planning, configuration, materials, construction, and operation where every aspect affected the house environmental performance. Nature has provide sufficient energy to tropical climate environment like Indonesia. Nevertheless, economically viable cluster housing is the other issue that encounter high costs housing from energy efficient building such as the Near Zero Energy House (nZEH) due to high price of materials and equipment used. The objective of the research is to understand how nZEH design parameter has been implemented and give impacts on architectural form of housing design. Methods used in this study is qualitative approach using research instruments among others: checklist, interview form and observation log book. From the case study conducted in this research, it was found that the object, the cluster design housing, are poorly incorporate the nZEH design parameter due to costly reasoning that impact to initial cost of the housing building. Among the design parameter which has been suggested are limited to passive design, fenestration, HVAC, lighting, and minor consideration to operation and maintenance.