Zero Energy Buildings Research Articles

A life cycle carbon dioxide equivalent emissions assessment of zero carbon building in hot semi-arid climate region: Case study

As societies are shifting toward carbon neutral environments, they are beginning to account for their carbon emissions. One of the primary contributors of greenhouse gas emissions and global warming is the building industry; therefore, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is one of the instruments that allows an assessment of the energy and the energy-related environmental impacts of the buildings from cradle to grave, according to ISO 14040. In this context, the aim of this research study is to assess the Life Cycle carbon dioxide (LC CO2eq) emissions over a 50-year-lifespan of a zero-carbon solar-powered earth-based building, built with carbon-free adobe bricks, in the hot semi-arid climate of Morocco. While research on the carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2eq) emissions across the life cycle is crucial to determine the energy-intensive stages, this study looks into global tendencies of CO2eq emissions arising during the cradle-to-gate embodied (A1-3) and operational (B6) phases of a Zero Carbon Building (ZCB) case study, and which should be offset by carbon-free energy in order to abide by the ZCB definition. Results show that the LC CO2eq emissions of the eco-friendly zero-carbon residential building falls in 48.62 Kg CO2eq/m2.y., with an operational phase that has a share of around 93 % of global LC CO2eq emissions. In addition, when conventional construction materials such as concrete, bricks, and insulation materials are used as an alternative, embodied carbon emissions accounts for 6.3 kg CO2eq/m2.y. and is 85 % higher than the eco-friendly building, and it constitutes approximately 12.5 % of the overall carbon footprint. Moreover, the annual embodied and operational CO2eq emissions are offset by the 3.3-kWc-building-added-photovoltaic system. Hence, the conducted case study offers valuable insight into the good practices for decarbonization of Morocco's building stock.Through that case study, we aim to generate knowledge of net zero carbon buildings within the African continent, promoting the perks of decentralized solar energy in leaping forward a carbon-free electrified continent and valorizing the local construction techniques and knowhow in the building sector.

Research on integrating hydrogen energy storage with solar and wind power for Net-Zero energy buildings

Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEBs) are evolving as a pillar concept as it fits in with the global Net Zero Energy Target strategy and the decarbonisation strategy of the building sector, which has been developed in response to climate change. The shift from existing building types to Net Zero Energy Buildings is a predominant trend. Net Zero Energy Buildings. This review paper explores the use of solar and wind energy as new sources of energy to generate electricity and hydrogen to store electricity as revolutionary solutions to achieve Net Zero Energy Buildings. It provides insights into the technological advances and challenges associated with hydrogen energy systems, including electrolyser efficiency, storage solution resolution, and fuel cell innovation. In addition, the paper highlights the key role of hydrogen in addressing the intermittency of renewable energy generation and enhancing the resilience and sustainability of Net Zero Energy Buildings systems. The potential for scaling up and commercialising hydrogen storage in the building sector is assessed through a detailed examination of current technologies, performance evaluations, and case studies. Despite facing a number of barriers from technical, economic, and policy perspectives, this paper argues that hydrogen storage can make a significant contribution to the decarbonisation of the built environment through continued technological innovation and framework improvement.

Deep retrofitting toward net zero energy building in the Mediterranean region: A case study of Albania

Like many other Mediterranean countries, Albania faces unique challenges and opportunities to achieve an efficient and fully decarbonized household sector by applying real energy efficiency measures and numbers toward nearly zero-energy buildings. The study findings showed that nZEB in 2030 can be achieved by combining active and passive energy efficiency measures. Behind the study's state-of-the-art stands a multivariable regression analysis of both electricity consumption and electricity generation executed for three validated consecutive years, 2021, 2022, and 2023, including demand side (electricity bills) and supply side generation provided from a nearby existing onsite PV with an installed capacity of 5.5 kWp. A good mathematical correlation is carried out using Durbin – Watson criteria on statistics using RETScreen software to correlate electricity consumption and generation as a function of weather parameters for the tested household and selected region. The goals to meet the nZEB concept require the insulation of the existing exterior wall and window replacements in compliance with the Energy Performance Methodology on Building and installing rooftop Solar Water Heating (SWH) panels of 3.73 m2 as expostulated in scenario 7. The simulation results show that integrating a rooftop PV system with an installed capacity of 5.5 kWp would provide enough electricity to convert residential buildings into Positive Energy Buildings in 2050 based on the selected dwelling and location (Mediterranean region). At the national level, the proposed model would reduce the national annual electricity import level by 1.64 %, saving annually around €31,021,162 and reducing at least 0.068 MtCO2 per year. Subsidizing passive energy efficiency measures at a rate of 3 % per year coupled with onsite renewable energy sources schemes and other incentivization pathways from the government and other interested parties at a rate of 80 % in the roadmap towards nZEB and PEB is mandatory.

Techno-Economic Analysis of a High-Rise Residential Building Adapted to Nearly Zero-Energy Building Standards

Zero-energy buildings have attracted great attention in China. Limited research about typical high-rise, zero-energy residential buildings in China was found. To figure out the potential of zero-energy buildings in northern China, a techno-economic analysis of a typical residential building adapted to the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) standards in the cold region of China was carried out in detail in this paper. Firstly, the feasibility of different building energy efficiency technologies was figured out in the passive design level. Secondly, the annual energy balance of the nearly zero-energy building model was investigated. Finally, detailed economic and environmental analyses were performed. The results show that the energy consumption of space heating and cooling of a typical high-rise, nearly zero-energy building could decrease to 11.1 kWh/(m2·a) in Beijing. The conclusions could provide a reference and design basis for the development of zero-energy residential buildings in northern China in the near future.

Practical Exploration of Net-Zero Building Technology in Hot Summer and Cold Winter Regions—Qingdao Sino-German Eco-Park Longfor Guangnian Project as an Example

Energy saving and carbon reduction in the building sector is crucial to the realization of China’s “double-carbon” goal, and the development of passive house/net-zero buildings is an important initiative to achieve this goal. This paper takes Longfor Guangnian, a passive house project in Qingdao, as a case study, summarizes the technical practice of net-zero buildings in coastal areas with hot summers and cold winters, and gives an optimization plan in combination with the existing problems of the case. The final result is to improve the building energy efficiency and optimize the building energy structure. It accumulates experience and provides reference for the promotion of net-zero buildings in cold areas, and provides support for green and low-carbon development in the field of housing and urban-rural construction.

New approach for zero energy industries via integrating energy management and renewable energy system: Enviro-economic investigation

The building sector stands as the world’s predominant energy consumer and major contributor of CO2 emissions. In the recent years, the Zero Energy Building (ZEB) concept has been gaining traction as a solution to this challenge. However, while the concept has been primarily used for residential buildings where it has shown promising results, its application in the industrial sector has not been extensively explored. So, the current study proposes a sustainable approach to achieve zero energy for an industrial site using PV system. The approach is applied on a manhole cover manufacturing company located in Alexandria, Egypt. Firstly, an energy audit is conducted to identify the energy consumption patterns and energy waste sources in the facility. Next, an energy management where various energy saving measures are implemented to optimize energy use in the facility follows. Then, an 850kWp grid connected PV array is designed and sized using PVsyst simulation tool to supply the remaining net annual energy consumption of the industrial site. The results show that the energy management reduces the entire facility’s energy consumption by about 20 % with a yearly saving of energy, cost, and CO2 emission reduction of 425.3MWh, 22,536$, and 850.4 tons, respectively. Moreover, the proposed PV system proves its reliability and efficiency to supply slightly more than the remaining facility energy needs of 1257.74 MWh/year thus achieving zero energy status. With an investment of 211,480 USD, a payback period of about 4 years is estimated with a Life Cycle Emission of 18,444 tons CO2 reduction. The study shows that achieving Zero Energy Industries (ZEI) is technically and economically feasible by combining energy management and Renewable Energy Systems (RES). Besides its contribution to SDG’s 7 and 13, the study elaborates the significance of implementing ISO 50001 towards energy efficient practices in industrial sites thus providing valuable insights and recommendations to various stakeholders and policy makers.

EVALUACIÓN DEL POTENCIAL DE UN SISTEMA HÍBRIDO INTERCAMBIADOR TIERRA-AIRE Y ENFRIAMIENTO EVAPORATIVO

These days, everyone is concerned with conserving energy. Among the existing heating and cooling technologies to reduce energy consumption in buildings are the Earth-to-Air Heat Exchangers (EAHE). These systems can be combined with evaporative cooling, either direct or indirect, to improve the global performance. In the literature, hybrid solutions with direct evaporative cooling systems at the exit of EAHEs are proposed for indoor cooling. Due to limitations of indoor RH, most applications focus on greenhouses. Moreover, existing works target hot and arid climates. This work targets both indirect evaporative cooling (IEC) and direct evaporative cooling (DEC) to be combined with an EAHE installed at a near Zero Energy Building. The supplied relative humidity is analyzed to evaluate its feasibility for occupied spaces. The performance and energy savings achievable are studied through simulation using TRNSYS software.

Enabling Net Zero Energy Buildings With Shared Storage: A Cyber–Physical Perspective

Enabling Net Zero Energy Buildings With Shared Storage: A Cyber–Physical Perspective

Potential of artificial intelligence in reducing energy and carbon emissions of commercial buildings at scale

Artificial intelligence has emerged as a technology to enhance productivity and improve life quality. However, its role in building energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction has not been systematically studied. This study evaluated artificial intelligence’s potential in the building sector, focusing on medium office buildings in the United States. A methodology was developed to assess and quantify potential emissions reductions. Key areas identified were equipment, occupancy influence, control and operation, and design and construction. Six scenarios were used to estimate energy and emissions savings across representative climate zones. Here we show that artificial intelligence could reduce cost premiums, enhancing high energy efficiency and net zero building penetration. Adopting artificial intelligence could reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions by approximately 8% to 19% in 2050. Combining with energy policy and low-carbon power generation could approximately reduce energy consumption by 40% and carbon emissions by 90% compared to business-as-usual scenarios in 2050.

Hybrid ventilation in a nearly zero-energy building as a function of users’ habits for better indoor air quality and thermal comfort in a warm climate

ABSTRACT During the design stage of a detached house located in warm climate, passive strategies were integrated and a high-energy efficiency qualification was achieved in accordance with the Spanish Building Technical Code (CTE). During the execution phase, an elevated level of control was carried out to guarantee airtightness and thermal insulation quality according to the specifications of the project. A hybrid ventilation system was designed and installed as it was allowed under Spanish regulations for residential buildings, but as a legislative exception. The mechanical part of the hybrid ventilation system was deactivated by the owner due to his cultural perception that effective ventilation can only be achieved by opening windows. Consequently, with the operable aerators closed, ventilation relied solely on traditional Mediterranean airing habits, impacting both the indoor air change rate and subsequently, indoor air quality and thermal comfort. This research aims to assess whether satisfactory levels of thermal comfort and indoor air quality can be attained solely through these airing habits, thus questioning the necessity of active strategies to meet the indoor air change rate requirements. Thermal comfort and indoor air quality are evaluated based on indoor environmental data correlated with users’ declared ventilation habits.

Self-powered electrochromic smart window helps net-zero energy buildings

Net-zero energy buildings are becoming an important energy-saving and low-carbon technology for global environmental protection and resource conservation. As the least energy-efficient building components, windows have promoted the development of electrochemically light/thermal management, where smart windows without external electrical supplies are highly desired for net-zero energy buildings. Here, we develop a self-powered electrochromic smart window system to regulate solar radiation transmittance, constructed by a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) and a high-performance electrochromic device. The visible–near-infrared (VIS-NIR) dual-band electrochromic device is well-designed based on an eco-friendly low-energy demand phenothiazine redox ionic liquid, demonstrating a fast switching response of ﹤1.9 s, a large transmittance modulation of >51.8 %, and outstanding electrochemical durability (5.5 % attenuation after 4000 cycles). Upon continuous pressing/releasing motions, the integrated TENG-powered electrochromic smart window (TECSW) displays a prompt light/thermal management behavior with desirable privacy preservation performance (transmittance modulation of 51 % in the visible region) and excellent thermal management property (12.3 °C reducti°n). The whole-building energy simulations show that TECSW can save 347.79 MJ/m2yr (amounting to 96.60 kWh/m2yr) of operational Heating Ventilation Air Conditioning (HVAC) warming/cooling energy consumption among 34 cities in China, accounting for 17.25 % of the total energy consumption. This research provides new insight into designing green and energy-efficient smart windows for net-zero energy buildings.

The Role of Blockchain-Secured Digital Twins in Promoting Smart Energy Performance-Based Contracts for Buildings

Energy performance-based contracts (EPCs) offer a promising solution for enhancing the energy performance of buildings, which is an overarching step towards achieving Net Zero Carbon Buildings, addressing climate change and improving occupants’ comfort. Despite their potential, their execution is constrained by difficulties that hinder their diffusion in the architecture, engineering, construction, and operation industry. Notably, the Measurement and Verification process is considered a significant impediment due to data sharing, storage, and security challenges. Nevertheless, there have been minimal efforts to analyze research conducted in this field systematically. A systematic analysis of 113 identified journal articles was conducted to fill this gap. A paucity of research tackling the utilization of digital technologies to enhance the implementation of EPCs was found. Consequently, this article proposes a framework integrating Digital Twin and Blockchain technologies to provide an enhanced EPC execution environment. Digital Twin technology leverages the system by monitoring and evaluating energy performance in real-time, predicting future performance, and facilitating informed decisions. Blockchain technology ensures the integrity, transparency, and accountability of information. Moreover, a private Blockchain infrastructure was originally introduced in the framework to eliminate high transaction costs related to on-chain storage and potential concerns regarding the confidentiality of information in open distributed ledgers.

Volumetric Add-On Retrofit Strategy with Multi-Benefit Approach toward Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Target

Around 35% of the total housing stock of the European Union is more than half a century old. The shortage of funds for new construction, combined with rapidly changing economic, social, and technological factors, has led to significant obsolescence. Additionally, this situation makes it difficult to satisfy the owners’ energy, functional, and socio-economic needs. This research aims to develop an innovative retrofit approach that brings multiple benefits to assessing retrofit designs for social housing, with specific emphasis on volumetric envelope additions toward the nearly zero energy buildings target (nZEBs). To achieve the purpose of this study, the research through design methodology was chosen. The research methodology consisted of two phases: design and simulation. First, the design phase focused on re-designing and retrofitting social housing to address various aspects of the functional requirements in developing rational solutions. Second, the simulation phase focused on computational modeling and analysis of energy performance to assess the nZEBs target. The results show that the use of high-efficiency Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and improved material envelopes cut electricity consumption use by 43% and primary energy use by 40% compared to the base case. Photovoltaics (PV) production can meet the total electricity demand for six months. This approach can encourage residents and tenants to actively participate in the retrofit process and increase the real estate value of buildings through improvements in energy efficiency and housing function.

Mapping the Potential of Zero-Energy Building in Greece Using Roof Photovoltaics

The present study investigates the incorporation of renewable rooftop photovoltaic systems in fully electrified residential buildings and estimates the zero-energy demand building potential in relation to the climatic data of Greece. Specifically, the aim of the analysis is to calculate the maximum possible number of stories and therefore the total building height for a complete transformation to zero-net-energy building. The energy analysis, which is conducted using the DesignBuilder software, focuses on single-floor up to seven-story buildings. The importance of the present work lies in the acknowledgment of the diversity of the Greek residential sector, the adherence to national energy policies, and the European goal of fully electrified buildings. The examined case studies are equipped with electrically driven air-to-air heat pumps serving the space heating and cooling demands and with an air-to-water heat pump covering the domestic hot water requirements. The investigated locations are the four main cities of Greece, Athens, Thessaloniki, Chania, and Kastoria, which represent the country’s four climatic categories. The conducted analysis allows for the mapping of the zero-energy building potential for the climatic data of Greece, demonstrating the possibility of striking a positive building energy balance through the integration of on-site renewable energy sources and the production of necessary electrical energy. The novelty of the present work lies in the identification of a key factor, namely, the building height, which determines the feasibility of transforming multifamily buildings into zero-energy buildings. According to the analysis results, the critical number of stories is calculated at six for Chania, five for Athens, four for Thessaloniki, and two for Kastoria. Regarding a three-story residential building, the incorporation of a renewable photovoltaic system can result in an annual surplus electricity production of 13,741 kWh (Chania), 10,424 kWh (Athens), and 6931 kWh (Thessaloniki), and a corresponding coverage of 100% (Chania), 69.0% (Athens), 38.9% (Thessaloniki) and 0% (Kastoria).

The prospects of zero energy building as an alternative to the conventional building system in Bangladesh (A review)

Energy consumption in commercial and residential buildings worldwide accounts for about one-third of the world’s energy and one-quarter of greenhouse gas emissions. If current trends continue, by 2025, buildings worldwide will be the largest consumers of global energy, using as much power as the transportation and industrial sectors combined. Recent studies have found that improving energy efficiency in buildings is the least costly way to reduce a large quantity of carbon emissions. By changing energy management practices and instituting technologies that enhance energy efficiency, building owners and managers can reduce energy consumption by up to 35%. However, energy efficiency efforts in buildings alone cannot address future demand for more energy by this sector. To achieve breakthrough solutions to this problem, it is evident that a coordinated effort in a whole-building systems approach that emphasizes the necessity of integrating renewable on-site or distributed generation and energy efficiency is required to design the buildings of the future. Several International Energy Agency (IEA) countries have adopted a vision of so-called ‘net zero energy buildings’ (NetZEBs) as the long-term goal of their energy policies. This NetZEB is very new in Bangladesh and it started building green buildings which will lead to NetZEB shortly. However, Bangladesh has to comply with the IEA and must accept the zero-energy building concept.

Challenging factors across industry players in implementing the green building concept in Malaysia

Abstract This study examines the obstacles to implementing the green building concept in Greater Kuala Lumpur, a relatively novel concept in Malaysia. The country currently lacks awareness regarding existing green building technologies. In 2007, a Zero Energy Building in Kuala Lumpur, constructed based on the Green Building Concept, faced challenges, ultimately unable to effectively reduce energy consumption after three years of efforts. The research focuses on evaluating internal factors and external factors that pose challenges to the Green Building Concept among industry players in Greater Kuala Lumpur. The study involved 100 respondents in the property and construction field, utilizing a cluster sampling technique. Survey results revealed that both external and internal factors act as barriers to the implementation of the green building industry in Malaysia. The Relative Important Index identified high cost and pricing factors as significant external challenges, with relative importance indices of 0.946 and 0.936, respectively. Internally, the lack of consumer demand emerged as the most formidable obstacle, boasting a high relative importance index of 0.936. Additionally, the study highlighted the lack of incentive support as a notable internal factor, with a relative importance index of 0.934. To address these challenges, the study recommends collective responsibility among all stakeholders in the property and construction industry, including architects, property agents, the government, universities, and clients. Establishing a collaborative ecosystem can foster the growth of the green building industry in Malaysia, promoting sustainability and contributing to economic development.

A general sizing methodology of grid-connected PV systems to meet the zero-energy goal in buildings

This work expresses the most general definition of zero-energy building through a set of equations based on measured energy consumption and electricity generation predictions. This helps determining the optimal size of grid-connected photovoltaic systems for upgrading any highly efficient or conventional building into a zero-energy building. Opposed to previous works, which consider only electrical consumptions, this article includes consumption from fossil fuels and district heat and cooling networks. The study also covers environmental parameters and an economic study adaptable to any electricity market structure, contributing to deciding the best electricity tariff to hire.The methodology was applied to passive and conventional single-family houses in Spain. Results showed that the performance of a grid-connected photovoltaic system depends critically on the energy sources imported by the building. In particular, the performance improves in buildings where the electricity represents most of the imported energy. The required minimum size of the photovoltaic system in the conventional house (14 kWp) is far greater than in the passive house (9 kWp). After the recent global increase in electricity prices, annual economic savings of 70.12 % and 49.71 %, and payback periods of 6 and 13 years for the passive and conventional houses, respectively, make the investment profitable.

Research on geometry optimization of park office buildings with the goal of zero energy

At the conceptual design stage, the building geometry design can predict the building load demand and renewable energy application potential to some extent. Geometry design interventions are critical to efficiently achieving the goal of zero-energy buildings. In the existing studies, the typicality and representativeness of the object geometry in the practice project are not high, and the influence of different geometry indices on energy savings and photovoltaic (PV) utilization potential under the same type of plane shape is rarely considered. In addition, the surrounding building shading situations considered are single. There is still significant room for improvement in the typical geometries selection and optimization condition settings. This paper presents a study of three typical park office building geometries in hot summer and cold winter regions. An optimization method based on the genetic algorithm and energy consumption simulation is proposed that takes into account both building energy savings and PV utilization potential improvements. The geometry-related indices of each typical geometry are then optimized under different PV layout scenarios and surrounding shading situations, and suitable geometry design strategies for typical office buildings are proposed under each optimization scenario. Geometry optimization can significantly reduce building energy consumption (the building energy-saving rate is 1.3–10.7 %) and increase PV generation (enhancement of 13.37–66.67 % for PV generation potential), thus lowering the net energy consumption of buildings. The findings of this study can be used to guide the design of park office building geometries in hot summer and cold winter regions with the goal of zero energy, as well as to promote the practice of zero-energy office buildings at the regional and national levels.

Field Assessment for Initial Preparation of Net Zero Building Certification for The Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN) Building: A Case Study On Visual Comfort in C and D Tower

Ensuring optimal physical comfort, the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the performance of building systems was established. This investigation endeavors to meticulously scrutinize illuminance and light power density metrics across distinct temporal segments (morning, noon, afternoon, and night), as well as the dynamism of daylighting and artificial lighting presence within Tower C and D of Universitas Multimedia Nusantara (UMN). Noteworthy for their incorporation of double skin façades, these edifices serve as focal points of inquiry. The empirical findings reveal that illuminance levels within classrooms and offices, irrespective of natural or artificial lighting, consistently fall short of the prescribed 350 lux threshold based on SNI across most floor levels. The efficacy of the double skin façade manifests in a discernible attenuation, diminishing illuminance ingress to the building by approximately 50%, and precipitously by up to 90% about window fixtures. Furthermore, the analysis of light power density underscores an energy efficiency quotient hovering around 60%. These empirical insights are intended to serve as a foundational resource for guiding the initiation of Net Zero Healthy Greenship certification endeavors.

A proposal on a co-generation system accompanied with phase change material to supply energy demand of a hospital to make it a zero energy building (ZEB)

The concept of zero energy building (ZEB) has been developed rapidly to achieve an independent building of energy. This research proposes a new co-generation system to fulfill energy demand of a three-story hospital in Rome, Italy. The primary objective is to define the hospital as a ZEB by integrating a solar system. The simulation process, including the extraction of hospital’s energy consumption is conducted using BEopt. One of the advantages of this study is to relate a wide range of weather data to a ZEB, which is less considered concept. Optimization of the hospital’s energy consumption has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by 2.1 tons/h, contributing to environmental pollution prevention. Optimal outcomes demonstrate that the modified system achieves an exergy efficiency of 25.1 % and the modified co-generation system cost rate (CR) of 46.6 USD/hour, in its most efficient state. The new system’s performance in Rome leads to generate an annual electricity capacity of 210 MWh, 500 MWh of heating, and 215.3 MWh of cooling. The additional 201 MWh/year of electricity is available to be feed to the grid. Also, 475.8 MWh/year of heating and 211.96 MWh/year of cooling should be saved throughout the year to compensate for the costs of the system. Also, the effect of using PCM in walls as an energy storage medium was investigated. Finally, the environmental aspect of the proposed system is assessed, too. The findings of this research can be contributed as a sample for architectures who want to apply more novel energy techniques in building.