Zero Energy Buildings
Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
Zero energy buildings
Environmental Engineering
Ankit Agarwal
Prateek Deshmukh
Rahul Agarwal
Varun Pal Singh Kohli
Amrit Juneja
24-3-2008
CONTENTS ABSTRACT 4 INTRODUCTION 5
I. Boundary Definitions and Energy Flows 6
II. Definitions 9
III. How definition influences design 11
IV. Conclusion 14
V. References 16
LIST OF TABLES
I. Table 1 7
II. Table 2 15 ABSTRACT:
A net zero-energy building (ZEB) is a residential or commercial building with greatly reduced energy needs through efficiency gains such that the balance of energy needs can be supplied with renewable technologies. We lack a common understanding or a common definition for the phrase “Zero Energy Building”. In this paper, we use a sample of current generation low-energy buildings to explore the concept of zero energy: what it means and why a clear and measurable definition is needed. The way the zero energy goal is defined affects the choices designers make to achieve this goal and whether they can claim success. A ZEB can be defined in different ways relating to cost, energy, or carbon emissions and, irrespective of the definition used, different views are taken on the relative importance of energy generation and energy conservation to achieve energy balance. This study shows the design impacts of the definition used for ZEB and the large difference between definitions.
“Using ZEB design goals takes us out of designing low-energy buildings with a percent energy savings goal and into the realm of a sustainable energy endpoint,” and the goals that are set and how those goals are defined “are critical to the design process,” with the definition influencing designers who strive to meet it. “Because design goals are so important to achieving high-performance buildings, the way a ZEB goal is defined is crucial to understanding the combination of applicable efficiency measures and renewable energy supply
Zero energy buildings
Environmental Engineering
Ankit Agarwal
Prateek Deshmukh
Rahul Agarwal
Varun Pal Singh Kohli
Amrit Juneja
24-3-2008
CONTENTS ABSTRACT 4 INTRODUCTION 5
I. Boundary Definitions and Energy Flows 6
II. Definitions 9
III. How definition influences design 11
IV. Conclusion 14
V. References 16
LIST OF TABLES
I. Table 1 7
II. Table 2 15 ABSTRACT:
A net zero-energy building (ZEB) is a residential or commercial building with greatly reduced energy needs through efficiency gains such that the balance of energy needs can be supplied with renewable technologies. We lack a common understanding or a common definition for the phrase “Zero Energy Building”. In this paper, we use a sample of current generation low-energy buildings to explore the concept of zero energy: what it means and why a clear and measurable definition is needed. The way the zero energy goal is defined affects the choices designers make to achieve this goal and whether they can claim success. A ZEB can be defined in different ways relating to cost, energy, or carbon emissions and, irrespective of the definition used, different views are taken on the relative importance of energy generation and energy conservation to achieve energy balance. This study shows the design impacts of the definition used for ZEB and the large difference between definitions.
“Using ZEB design goals takes us out of designing low-energy buildings with a percent energy savings goal and into the realm of a sustainable energy endpoint,” and the goals that are set and how those goals are defined “are critical to the design process,” with the definition influencing designers who strive to meet it. “Because design goals are so important to achieving high-performance buildings, the way a ZEB goal is defined is crucial to understanding the combination of applicable efficiency measures and renewable energy supply
References: • Zero Energy Buildings: A Critical Look at the Definition Preprint P. Torcellini, S. Pless, and M. Deru National Renewable Energy Laboratory D. Crawley U.S. Department of Energy To be presented at ACEEE Summer Study Pacific Grove, California August 14-18, 2006 • Wikipidea .