Prioritising Energy Efficiency Measures to Achieve a Zero Net-energy Hotel on the Island of Gozo in the Central Mediterranean

Abstract

Nowadays energy consumption of buildings in different countries comprises 20–40% of total energy use. In Malta, the building sector consumes about 35% of the total energy consumption, with hotels playing a significant role in producing carbon dioxide emissions. In this scenario and taking into consideration the EPBD goal for 2020, a review of all possible measures that can be considered to attain near or net zero-energy buildings has been made.. A case study has also been adopted to design a real new small hotel in the island of Gozo, Malta with the aim of making it a low energy building. An energy analysis software Design Builder-EnergyPlus has been used to simulate and optimise the energy use of the hotel, through improvements in the building's envelope. Polysun software has also been used to evaluate the performance of sustainable energy and high efficiency systems. A number of optimum solutions combining different systems together with improved building envelope design were then proposed to make the hotel a zero net-energy building.