Analysis of Net-zero Energy Homes and Net-zero Energy Communities in Hot and Humid Climates from the Builders Perspective

Analysis of Net-zero Energy Homes and Net-zero Energy Communities in Hot and Humid Climates from the Builders Perspective
Author: Robert Lamb
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2009
Genre:
ISBN:

Homebuyer. The homebuyer costs included a 10 % markup from the builder/developer. Furthermore, the costs were separated into costs before rebates and incentives and costs after rebates and incentives. The final costs were compared against the calculated Gainesville average cost per square foot to construct a new single-family home in a typical community. The calculated Gainesville average cost per square foot to the homeowner before rebates and incentives was determined to be $146 while the BA Best Practices (30 % energy reduction) was $146.46, and the NZEH was $199.80. Without accounting for the rebates and incentives, NZEHs and NZECs were determined to not be feasible at this time. The cost per square foot to construct including rebates and incentives were $140.67 for the Gainesville Baseline, $140.80 for the BA Best Practices, and $167.04 for the NZEH. Including the rebates and incentives NZEHs and NZECs were determined to be feasible at this time.

Net-Zero and Positive Energy Communities

Net-Zero and Positive Energy Communities
Author: Shabtai Isaac
Publisher: Taylor & Francis
Total Pages: 237
Release: 2023-12-12
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 1003811116

This book presents a methodology for the design, construction, monitoring, optimization, and post-occupancy evaluation of net-zero and positive-energy communities based on the experiences gained in the EU Horizon 2020 ZERO-PLUS project. It describes the steps, tools, and methods developed during the project, providing practical information for the energy and construction sector that will be of interest to students, engineers, architects, developers, and professionals working around high performance architecture and sustainable communities. Through the ZERO-PLUS project, a consortium of 32 partners from eight countries, including academic institutions, technology providers, architects, and construction companies, designed four communities covering completely different geo-climatic regions, construction practices, and cultural backgrounds in Cyprus, Italy, France, and the UK. The communities were designed, optimized, constructed, monitored, handed over to tenants, post-occupancy evaluated, and troubleshooted through a system of continuous collaboration and data acquisition. This book presents these case studies and shows how the project targets of reducing electricity consumption below 20 kWh/m2/y, increasing electricity production from Renewable Energy Systems to over 50 kWh/m2/y, and at cheaper costs when compared to current zero-energy buildings were reached and surpassed. These cases demonstrate that a holistic and interactive approach to design and construction can bring communities a high standard of sustainability. The key features of the book include: • Practical guidance drawn from the interdisciplinary, international, and remote cooperation between experts from academia and industry across the construction sector. • A survey of the state-of-the-art on net-zero and positive-energy communities, including the experience and the lessons learned from previous projects and from the ZERO-PLUS project. • Descriptions of novel emerging renewable energy technologies, integrated into real case study communities to achieve the energy generation target of the communities. • A comprehensive set of approaches, tools, guidelines, best practices, challenges, and lessons learned from the five-year ZERO-PLUS project and the completion of four residential case studies to inform the reader of how to achieve affordable net-zero energy communities. • Four typologies of residential communities located in different climatic conditions are presented, touching on the critical aspects of the design, construction, monitoring, and occupancy phase • A discussion of future trends for developing communities that are more liveable, accessible, and sustainable and which can comply with new energy policies in a way that is affordable for the owners and residents.

Solution Sets for Net Zero Energy Buildings

Solution Sets for Net Zero Energy Buildings
Author: Françios Garde
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2017-03-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 343360469X

Net Zero-Energy Buildings have been the object of numerous studies in recent years as various countries have set this performance level as a long-term goal of their energy policies. This book presents a unique study of 30 NZEBs that have been constructed and have had their performance measured for at least 12 months. The study is based upon an international collaborative research initiated by the International Energy Agency - the Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (SHC). It is the first book to evaluate building strategies in houses, educational buildings and offices that have been demonstrated to work in practice. It examines how the design challenges of climate and building type have been addressed, and to what extent the various design approaches have been successful. This book presents convincing evidence that a careful re-thinking of conventional design norms can achieve a far greater performance benefit than is normally feasible. It identifies `solution sets? that work at the whole building level and at the individual building design challenge level for each climate and building type. In doing so, the book provides guidance as to how to improve the design by learning from these cases. Unusually for a book of this type it has examples of buildings in what are conventionally labeled "hot" and "cold" climates. A simple process is proposed for the reader to commission the analysis of their own climate to assess not only the conventional measure of how hot or cold or humid it is, but also to assess its suitability to support other NZEB technical challenge solutions sets such as Daylight or Natural Ventilation or comfort based climate conditioning.

The New Net Zero

The New Net Zero
Author: Bill Maclay
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 578
Release: 2014
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 160358448X

The new threshold for green building is not just low energy, it's net-zero energy. In The New Net Zero, sustainable architect Bill Maclay charts the path for designers and builders interested in exploring green design's new-frontier net-zero-energy structures that produce as much energy as they consume and are carbon neutral. In a nation where traditional buildings use roughly 40 percent of the total fossil energy, the interest in net-zero building is growing enormously--among both designers interested in addressing climate change and consumers interested in energy efficiency and long-term savings. Maclay, an award-winning net-zero designer whose buildings have achieved high-performance goals at affordable costs, makes the case for a net-zero future; explains net-zero building metrics, integrated design practices, and renewable energy options; and shares his lessons learned on net-zero teambuilding. Designers and builders will find a wealth of state-of-the-art information on such considerations as air, water, and vapor barriers; embodied energy; residential and commercial net-zero standards; monitoring and commissioning; insulation options; costs; and more. The comprehensive overview is accompanied by several case studies, which include institutional buildings, commercial projects, and residences. Both new-building and renovation projects are covered in detail. The New Net Zero is geared toward professionals exploring net-zero design, but also suitable for nonprofessionals seeking ideas and strategies on net-zero options that are beautiful and renewably powered.

Zero and Net Zero Energy

Zero and Net Zero Energy
Author: Getu Hailu
Publisher: BoD – Books on Demand
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2019-11-13
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1789844983

There is a growing concern about fluctuating energy prices, energy security, and the impact of climate change. Buildings are amongst the primary energy consumers in the world. This fact underlines the importance of targeting building energy use as a key to decreasing any nation's energy consumption. According to the American Society of Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) Research Strategic Plan 2010-2015, even limited deployment of Net-Zero-Energy buildings within this timeframe will have a beneficial effect by reducing the pressure for additional energy and power supply and the reduction of GHG emissions. The building sector is poised to significantly reduce energy use by incorporating energy-efficient strategies into the design, construction, and operation of new buildings and retrofits to improve the efficiency of existing buildings.

Achieving very high efficiency and net zero energy in an existing home in a hot-humid climate

Achieving very high efficiency and net zero energy in an existing home in a hot-humid climate
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 95
Release: 2012
Genre: Architecture and energy conservation
ISBN:

This study summarizes the first six months of detailed data collected on a single family home that experienced a series of retrofits targeting reductions in energy use. The project was designed to develop data on how envelope modifications and renewable measures can result in considerable energy reductions and potentially net zero energy for an existing home. Originally published in February 2012, this revised version of the report contains further research conducted on the Parker residence. Key updates include one full year of additional data, an analysis of cooling performance of the mini-split heat pump, an evaluation of room-to-room temperature distribution, and an evaluation of plug-in automobile charging performance, electricity consumption, and load shape.

New Whole-House Case Study

New Whole-House Case Study
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2013
Genre:
ISBN:

In 2009, Transformations, Inc. partnered with Building America team Building Science Corporation (BSC) to build new net zero energy houses in three developments in Massachusetts. The company has been developing strategies for cost-effective super-insulated homes in the New England market since 2006. After years of using various construction techniques, it has developed a specific set of assemblies and specifications that achieve a 44.9% reduction in energy use compared with a home built to the 2009 International Residential Code, qualifying the houses for the DOE's Challenge Home. The super-insulated houses provide data for several research topics in a cold climate. BSC studied the moisture risks in double stud walls insulated with open cell spray foam and cellulose. The mini-split air source heat pump (ASHP) research focused on the range of temperatures experienced in bedrooms as well as the homeowners' perceptions of equipment performance. BSC also examined the developer's financing options for the photovoltaic (PV) systems, which take advantage of Solar Renewable Energy Certificates, local incentives, and state and federal tax credits.

Renewable Energy and Storage Devices for Sustainable Development

Renewable Energy and Storage Devices for Sustainable Development
Author: V. K. Jain
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 188
Release: 2022-04-01
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9811692807

The book contains selected and peer-reviewed papers presented during the ‘International Workshop on Renewable Energy and Storage Devices for Sustainable Development’ (IWRESD-2021). The book covers recent research on various applications and scientific developments in the areas of renewable energy. These topics are solar cells, sustainable energy conversion, processing technologies, instrumentation, energy storage devices, solar thermal applications, batteries, new materials, and processes to develop low-cost renewable energy-based technologies, etc. This book will be of interest to researchers and engineers across a variety of fields.

Net Zero Energy Buildings

Net Zero Energy Buildings
Author: Linda Reeder
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 283
Release: 2016-03-31
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1317289994

This book presents 18 in-depth case studies of net zero energy buildings—low-energy building that generate as much energy as they consume over the course of a year—for a range of project types, sizes, and U.S. climate zones. Each case study describes the owner’s goals, the design and construction process, design strategies, measurement and verification activities and results, and project costs. With a year or more of post-occupancy performance data and other project information, as well as lessons learned by project owners and developers, architects, engineers, energy modelers, constructors, and operators, each case study answers the questions: What were the challenges to achieving net zero energy performance, and how were these challenges overcome? How would stakeholders address these issues on future projects? Are the occupants satisfied with the building? Do they find it comfortable? Is it easy to operate? How can other projects benefit from the lessons learned on each project? What would the owners, designers, and constructors do differently knowing what they know now? A final chapter aggregates processes to engage in and pitfalls to avoid when approaching the challenges peculiar to designing, constructing, and owning a net zero energy building. By providing a wealth of comparable information, this book which will flatten the learning curve for designing, constructing, and owning this emerging building type and improve the effectiveness of architectural design and construction.

Achieving Very High Efficiency and Net Zero Energy in an Existing Home in a Hot-Humid Climate

Achieving Very High Efficiency and Net Zero Energy in an Existing Home in a Hot-Humid Climate
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 111
Release: 2012
Genre:
ISBN:

This study summarizes the first six months of detailed data collected on a single family home that experienced a series of retrofits targeting reductions in energy use. The project was designed to develop data on how envelope modifications and renewable measures can result in considerable energy reductions and potentially net zero energy for an existing home. Originally published in February 2012, this revised version of the report contains further research conducted on the Parker residence. Key updates include one full year of additional data, an analysis of cooling performance of the mini-split heat pump, an evaluation of room-to-room temperature distribution, and an evaluation of plug-in automobile charging performance, electricity consumption, and load shape.