Zero-energy Housing Research Articles

Study of the green building implementation: towards net zero energy housing (case study: South Tangerang)

The study investigates the use of green building concepts by private developers in South Tangerang. The implementation of green building policies has a significant impact on the government’s target of reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions by 2030. The private sector, specifically large private developers in South Tangerang, has made significant contributions to the successful implementation of green building. The majority of new houses built in recent years have been built by large private developers with a lot of land in South Tangerang. This research is significant because a large developer with all of the financial and technical resources can be a pioneer in the future application of green building for residential homes. For governments with all financial and technical constraints, the active role of private developers will greatly aid in the mass implementation of green buildings. However, the constraints and challenges faced by private developers in incorporating green building concepts into their products remain poorly understood and discussed. A simulation of a typical model house built by a private developer can be used to assess the private sector’s potential for energy and economic savings. There are still very few green building discussions that address the potential of housing to save energy. The study is expected to contribute to discussions about green building applications by providing an overview of the challenges and potential for implementation.

Development of an Energy Rating Tool for Australian Existing Housing

Australia aims to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, and its building sector needs rapid change. The Nationwide House Energy Rating Scheme (NatHERS) is supported by the Australian Government to expand the current building envelope thermal performance energy star rating to a whole-of-home (WoH) energy rating. The NatHERS Administrator supports CSIRO to develop a benchmark WoH energy rating tool for new and existing housing, respectively. The tool for new housing was released in June 2023. This study presents the tool development for Australian existing housing. A case study was conducted using the tool for the eight capital cities of Australian states and territories. It shows that with a detached house built in the 1900s being updated to six or more stars and replacing old equipment and appliances with high-energy-efficient ones, more than 50% of energy can be saved in all the eight cities. To be zero-energy (carbon) housing, 5 kW solar PV needs be installed in Darwin and Hobart, 4 kW in Melbourne and Canberra, 3.5 kW in Adelaide and Sydney, and 3 kW in Brisbane and Perth. It demonstrates that this tool can be used for housing retrofitting to be low/zero-carbon emissions and low operational cost.

Photovoltaic Ventilated Roof for Reaching Net Zero and Plus Energy Housing in the Tropical Equatorial Context

Photovoltaic Ventilated Roof for Reaching Net Zero and Plus Energy Housing in the Tropical Equatorial Context

Deploying low-carbon energy technologies in soilless vertical agricultural greenhouses in Tunisia

This article introduces an innovative approach to develop a high-efficiency photovoltaic hydroponic greenhouse that acts as a zero-energy housing. The simulations and experiments performed provide valuable information about greenhouse performance and useful control strategies that can be used to optimize performance. In addition, the economic analysis shows the potential financial benefits of such a system. The greenhouse is equipped with a photovoltaic system (2.1 kWh) that powers the electric greenhouse equipment for lighting, ventilation, irrigation and solar systems (solar evacuated tube collectors and solar air heater with latent storage). The energy generated by PV can also be stored in a battery. A simulation model of the PV connected to a hydroponic greenhouse is developed to predict their performance and investigate useful control strategies. The profiles of different variables (solar energy, temperatures, voltage, current) during the barley production period are analyzed. The PV power model includes the generated current and voltage analysis of the inverter. The model is validated by experimental measurements. The experimental analysis shows that the photovoltaic system covers the heat demand for 92.25% of the operating hours and the excess energy could supply the grid with approx. 1421 kWhel per year.

Development of an intelligent envelope system with energy recovery ventilation for passive dehumidification in summer and solar collection in winter

With the aim of establishing a zero-energy housing (ZEH), an intelligent envelope system composed of a passive dehumidification and solar collection system (PDSC system) based on thermodynamic energy theory and an energy recovery ventilation (ERV) unit has been developed, abbreviated as PSE (PDSC & ERV) system, which can be expected to control the indoor hygrothermal environment by using renewable energy further to reduce the heating and cooling demand for the HVAC system. In this study, the measurement experiments were conducted in a wooden house equipped with a PSE system, and the temperature and humidity distributions in the rooms were assessed using thermohygrometer sensors. The field comparison experiments for the three systems (exhaust-only ventilation system, ERV system, and PSE system) were performed separately under various meteorological conditions in summer and winter. The measurement results in summer showed that the PSE system has a significant dehumidification effect compared to the exhaust-only and ERV-only ventilation systems and could effectively reduce the latent heat load caused by ventilation. The measurement results in winter indicated that the PSE system has the effect of heat collection and humidity control as well as reducing the sensible heat load originating from ventilation.

Perceived Barriers to Nearly Zero-Energy Housing: Empirical Evidence from Kilkenny, Ireland

In 2010, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive announced that all new buildings are to be nearly zero-energy as of January 2021. Having reached year 2022, it can be said that the transition has proven to be slower than anticipated. Transition research has long acknowledged the potential impact of the human factor in the process of change. While there is a relative wealth of literature on end-users and their perceptions as recipients of change within the demand end of the market, research on professionals and their perceptions as actors in the process of change is limited. Thus, this study looks at the human factor in the supply end of the market by bringing professionals’ perceptions to the forefront in its investigation of barriers to the implementation and uptake of nearly zero-energy housing in practice. As part of the project entitled Housing 4.0 Energy: Affordable and Sustainable Housing through Digitization, data were collected through a focus group and semi-structured interviews with housing professionals in Kilkenny, Ireland. Descriptive coding, inferential coding, and fact tracing revealed several identified barriers to be perceptions and not actual barriers to nearly zero-energy housing. Additionally, information dissemination and assimilation between policy and industry was identified as an overarching barrier. Therefore, the paper ends with recommendations to reduce delay factors at the supply end of the market, thus contributing to closing the gap between the development of policies and their implementation.

Net zero energy housing: An empirical analysis from measured data

This study reports an empirical analysis of an all-electric, Net zero energy housing (NZEH) development located in a mixed-humid climate zone (4A, Virginia, USA). Circuit-level energy monitors were used to measure energy consumption and energy production data (solar photovoltaic) at 1-hr intervals in six identical apartments over 24 months. The study employs a multi-step case study methodology to a) empirically evaluate energy consumption and production data, b) identify the temporal variability of energy consumption and production data at different time scales, c) explore energy consumption and production outcomes from weather and select human-building interactions (HBI), and d) synthesize the study’s lessons learned toward data-driven recommendations for future NZEH researchers and practitioners. The study found that the development’s net zero energy goal was achieved in three of six identical 2-bedroom case units within 3 NZEH duplexes and that NZEH housing performance was more influenced by human-building interaction than weather variability. The analysis also found the solar photovoltaic (PV) performance to be reliable across the sampled units over the periods of measurement, suggesting that solar PV could be oversized as an approach to overcome variability in HBI and achieve NZEH performance goals.

The transition to net zero energy (NZE) housing: An integrated approach to market, state, and other barriers

To limit global warming, transitions in all sectors of activity to achieve major reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are imperative. Highly efficient net zero energy (NZE) homes that produce their own electricity from renewable sources are proposed as a solution to reduce energy use and GHG emissions from the residential sector. While the technological and economic feasibility of NZE building in cold climates has been demonstrated, its uptake in Canada has yet to take off. This study analyzes the structural barriers to the adoption of NZE building in lower-income and rural jurisdictions within a developed country. Based on a mixed-methods approach using a quantitative survey and semi-structured interviews, we develop an integrated model that suggests that while market barriers like cost and demand for NZE homes are the most significant, market changes alone cannot guarantee the wide-spread adoption of NZE building. Findings emphasize the key role of the state to instigate energy transition in the building sector, to ensure that NZE building rapidly delivers the necessary emissions reductions, and that the benefits of NZE homes are fairly distributed among all groups.

Retrofitting at scale: comparing transition experiments in Scotland and the Netherlands

New approaches are needed to achieve the scale and standard of building retrofit required to meet climate targets. Transition experiments are innovation projects that take a societal challenge as their starting point; they can be both top-down (government led) and bottom-up (civil society led). However, such experiments often remain isolated events that have little impact on delivering systemic change. There is limited knowledge on why this is so and what can be done to increase the success of experiments. The paper therefore compares the top-down approach to piloting Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies (LHEES) in Scotland with the bottom-up strategy used for the Social Innovation Labs for a Zero Energy Housing Stock (SMILE) in the Netherlands. The different approaches are compared using three mechanisms to characterise systemic change: deepening, broadening and scaling up. Using data from interviews with local authority and citizen actors, the paper shows that neither top-down nor bottom-up experiments are sufficient in themselves to foster the new norms, information-sharing or legislative mechanisms needed to reach climate targets. The paper specifies elements of top-down and bottom-up experiments which can usefully be incorporated for achieving systemic change in energy retrofitting. <em><strong>Policy relevance</strong></em> Delivering building retrofit at scale is crucial to net zero greenhouse gas emissions targets. Policymakers can benefit from adopting long-term strategic approaches to retrofitting, incorporating leadership from local actors. Central government coordination is essential to providing a clear programme and timetable for local actors to coalesce around. In addition, localised projects need to be shared and supported through centrally coordinated repositories and knowledge exchange. Policymakers must develop complementary policies designed to improve support from both governmental and non-governmental actors. This will include planning and citizen engagement, managed at a local level; this is crucial for retrofitting buildings, which affects everyone directly. Neither top-down nor bottom-up approaches are sufficient in themselves to deliver systemic change in retrofitting. Central coordination, together with local planning and public engagement, will provide more opportunities to deliver retrofit at the speed and scale necessary for meeting climate targets.

Trends in Zero-Energy Buildings and Housing and the Future

Trends in Zero-Energy Buildings and Housing and the Future

Institutional Barriers to Near Zero-Energy Housing: A Context Specific Approach

After more than ten years since the introduction of Near Zero-Energy Buildings (NZEBs), the transition towards a zero-energy new built environment can still be considered slow despite European Member States’ various efforts to facilitate, promote and accelerate their implementation and uptake. The barriers to sustainability measures in general and NZEBs in particular have been extensively explored by academic literature and despite different research scopes, perspectives, locations and times, previous studies have reached similar outcomes. Similar barriers were perceived by different housing professionals in different geographic contexts and these same barriers also persisted through time. This study argues that while this could be interpreted as a validation of outcomes, it also underlines a limitation resulting from a general level of analysis. Thus, this study contributes to the discussion by adopting a context-specific approach in its investigation of barriers to near zero-energy housing in small towns in Flanders, Ireland and the Netherlands. The data was collected from a series of focus groups with housing professionals in Leuven, Kilkenny and Almere. Through descriptive coding, this study’s outcomes echoed previous research findings. However, a closer look through inferential coding resulted in the identification of 21 new contextual barriers leading to the formulation of more specific policy suggestions with a different allocation of precedence that depends on every context.

The Electrification of Cooking Methods in Korea—Impact on Energy Use and Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The electrification of cooking methods in Korea was investigated to understand the impact of different cooking methods on energy use and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the building sector. Annual household cooking energy consumption was compared for the Nowon Energy Zero House Project, a zero-energy housing complex using induction cooktops, and a sample of households that used natural gas for cooking. The results showed that the former consumed less calories (a difference of 2.2 times) and emitted less GHGs (a difference of 2.6 times) compared to gas cooking households. A countrywide scenario analysis was conducted by combining the share of electric cooking households with the projected power generation mix in 2030. Under the 2030 Policy scenario for power generation, and with an electricity cooking share of 20%, cooking-related GHG emissions were projected to be 3.79 million t CO2/year; 3.8% (150,000 t CO2/year) lower than those in the present day, despite a total population increase. The electrification of cooking methods in Korea has the potential to reduce both the energy demand of the building sector and GHG emissions, in synergy with the decarbonization of the power generation sector.

Sustainable Housing: Understanding the Barriers to Adopting Net Zero Energy Homes in Ontario, Canada

Buildings in Canada account for a significant amount of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and net zero energy building technology has been identified as part of the solution. This study presents a conceptual model identifying barriers to the adoption of net zero energy housing and tests it by administering a survey to 271 participants in a net zero energy housing demonstration project in Toronto, Canada. Using multivariate correlation and multi-linear regression analyses this study finds that of all the innovation adoption variables it was the construction and design quality that was the most significant contributor to the adoption of a net zero energy home by a potential home owner. This study found that the (a) extra cost compared to a conventional home, b) lack of knowledge about the technology associated with a net zero energy home or (c) not knowing someone who owned a net zero energy home were not significant barriers to accepting net zero energy homes. Our results suggest that policy-makers should promote the diffusion of net zero energy home technology by encouraging housing developers to include net zero energy homes in their collection of model homes, with an emphasis on quality design and construction. Furthermore, engaging in trust building initiatives such as education and knowledge about the technology, its related energy cost savings, and the environmental benefits would contribute to a greater acceptance of net zero energy homes.

Towards Zero-Energy Housing in Egypt

As the Egyptian population is increasing at a huge rate, the yearly housing demand is increasing in an equivalent rate. In addition, the whole world is suffering from an energy crises caused by the rapidly increasing consumption of world’s traditional energy resources, so the obvious solution is to go green, and depend much more on renewable energy resources. According to the statistical data available in Egyptian governmental authorities, the accumulated housing demand till 2014 was about 2,400,000 units. On the other hand, the yearly housing supply from private and public sectors is about 150,000 to 200,000 unit, Egyptian authorities declared that at summer 2010 air-conditioning devices increased to reach 3.000.000 ( three million) devices all over Egypt, mostly working from early mornings till 2 am next day to adjust temperatures that reach up to (45C) and more outside buildings to reach (25 C) or less inside. This behavior increased electricity consumption rapidly. Consequently, the electricity consumption rate in Egypt had increased by 13% more than 2009, which exceeds the maximum capacity power of the high dam by 7% to 8%, ministry of electricity announcements declared that to fill that gab we need 3000 megawatts at peak hours which costs the electricity sector up to 16.000.000.000 l.E. Accordingly, a new architectural design concept is proposed (Zero-Energy Housing Unit) to rely on the surrounding environmental conditions and new Green Architecture Techniques in order to provide human comfort based on renewable energy sources, provided that the common current governmental energy sources will be a backup system for the meanwhile.

Approaching net zero energy housing through integrated EV

This paper conceptualizes and demonstrates an intelligent energy management system for a single-family house, considering electric vehicle (EV) as an active component of the building’s energy system, including bidirectional energy exchange with the house and the grid. Thus, an energy demand model is proposed for net-zero energy building (NZEB) definitions to represent personal mobility in the building’s energy balance. Therefore, including EV in building’s energy supply increases the chances of getting closer to an NZEB. A mixed-integer linear (MILP) optimization scheme is developed to address the energy management problem related to the aforementioned energy balance model. The proposed system is assessed under two different heating scenarios, district heating (DH) and ground source heat pump (GSHP). Results indicate that both the annual imported and exported energy can be reduced in the DH scenario by 30% and 50%, respectively and for GSHP scenario by 5% in imported and 60% in exported energy. In addition, energy-matching indices are improved with the optimized energy exchange options. Furthermore, the proposed system results in annual cost savings up to 38% for DH and 11% for GSHP scenarios due to the household owner energy costs reduction, which in turn, provides some refund over the extra initial investments.

A Review of Zero Energy Housing (ZEH) Regulations for Low-Income Households

This paper reviews zero energy building programs and regulations in the USA, Europe, Australia and South Korea, and suggest the implication of zero energy housing (ZEH) policy for low-income households to allow for better access, management and modification of homes. Low-income households in Australia are most vulnerable to 'energy poverty' due to ever increasing energy costs such as electricity and gas services. This study identifies three barriers in promoting zero energy housing for low-income households, its affordability, accessibility and occupants' behaviours. It suggests that both provision of financial incentives and assistance for zero energy housing retrofit is required as a regulatory practice in Australia.

Sustainable Heating or Cooling and Ventilation of Affordable Zero-energy Housing

This paper updates the ongoing research, by simulation and experimentation for a sustainable low-energy method to heat or cool and ventilate affordable housing. Renewable sources are used to heat or cool water which is circulated to low temperature (22-25°C) radiators (LTRs) on inside faces to make houses as thermally comfortable as caves. In cool (15°C annual average temperature) Melbourne, Australia, water from 100m-deep VGHEs has been measured at 22-24°C. Using the 25-30°C increase in ground temperature per kilometre depth given by the International Panel on Climate Change, the depth should be about 200m. Most of the inhabited places have annual average temperature of more than 0°C, and the estimated depth would be less than 1 kilometre. Literature review is included in the introduction and discussion. Method for heating (experimental house/s in Melbourne, Australia) is grouped with simulated results and experimental findings. Next subsection presents experiments in hot tropical Kuching, Malaysia and simulated results. The heat extracted from VGHE in winter is sustainable because in summer, solar-heated water is used for replenishment. In summer and tropical climates, the fan, which can create a cooling sensation of up to 4°C can enable 30.5°C indoors comfortable. Low power is required to circulate water and operate fans and can come from photovoltaics on the roof, enabling off-grid or zero-energy houses. Plans for May-August 2018 experiments include the use of a 300W photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) i.e., outdoor air will be drawn through the gap between the metallic roof and insulated ceiling, to be preheated ventilation air in winter. In Kuching, Malaysia, the water is cooled by radiation to the night sky to 25°C. The cooling coil of a PV or PV/T powered chiller is proposed to make the water colder. Hotter days would likely have more solar radiation to generate more power for the photovoltaic to make the coil colder. The ground source heat pump is not used, thus the VGHE-LTR could be comparable in cost to conventional e.g., horizontal GHE with heat pumps and high temperature (about 50°C) radiators. LTRs could be integrated into the inside metal that clads structural insulated panels and housing would be affordably constructed. Funding is sought for an experimental house in cool/cold climates with LTRs heated by a 23°-bottom temperature VGHE.

제로에너지 공동주택 추가 공사요소의 장기수선충당금 분석 연구

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport had announced 'Building Energy Performance Improvement Plan' to achieve Zero Energy building with sufficient thermal insulation capability by 2025. However, the uncertainty regarding the high initial investment costs and the excessive repair costs had been a concern in the construction market and impeding the prevalence of zero energy houses. By analysing the long-term repair cycle and costs for the additional energy saving elements from the Zero Energy Housing Complex in Nowon-gu, this study aims to provide a basis for the long-term repair plan budgeting guidelines in order to benefit future Zero Energy housing cost estimation process. As a result of the anlaysis, the large-scale long-term repair occurred after the completion of the 25th-year(for elements of external insulation, hign insulation windows and heat recovery ventilation system) and 30 year cycle(for elements of high insulation doors and photovoltaic equipment). The additional long-term repair costs for each household was analyzed by 28,988 won/month. In the case of the future active construction market, the additional costs is expected to decrease.

패시브 공동주택 세대 위치별 에너지요구량에 따른 냉난방 에너지비용 비교 연구

We analyzed and compared the cooling/heating energy demand and cost of nine households of different positions in a passive house Apartment. To do this, the Passive House Planning Package(PHPP) was used on Building 102 of the Net Zero Energy Housing Complex located in Hagye-dong, Nowon-gu, Seoul, Korea. For the heating energy demand, it was analyzed that the middle floor and the first floor have the lowest and highest demands, respectively, and the highest demand was about twice as the lowest. On the same floor, the units in the middle had the lowest demand, while the units on the right and left of the building had little difference. For the cooling energy demand, the higher floors had higher demand, and the highest cooling energy demand was about 40% higher than the lowest. There was not much difference between the units on the same floor when it comes to cooling energy. By analyzing the cooling and heating costs of each household, we concluded that the household with the highest electricity bills payed about 50% higher cost than the one with the lowest bills.

용적률이 패시브 공동주택 난방 에너지요구량에 미치는 영향 분석

This study compared and analyzed the difference in heating energy demand in relation to the raise of floor area ratio based on the case of passive housing complex based on the intention of examining whether relaxing floor area ratio as an incentive acknowledged when acquiring certification is a substantial system for realizing passive housing or zero energy housing complex and making related suggestions. The energy performance analysis on each building showed that the heating energy demand decreased, however, for buildings influenced by the increase of floors in the building before them, the energy demand increased as the solar heat gain decreased while the heat loss through conduction and ventilation and internal heating did not show difference. The combination analysis of 30 buildings showed that the total heating energy demand by the complex increased in proportion to the floor area ratio while the annual heating energy demand per unit area decreased. Since the difference in heating energy demand is directly related with the total energy consumption, it is necessary to consider the housing complex's energy performance in arranging and composing main buildings from the planning stage. Furthermore, it is necessary to make an additional suggestion for the energy efficiency rating based on the characteristics of the household as the heat loss and gain patterns appear variously according to such characteristics.