scholarly journals On the Implementation of the Nearly Zero Energy Building Concept for Jointly Acting Renewables Self-Consumers in Mediterranean Climate Conditions

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1032 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faidra Kotarela ◽  
Anastasios Kyritsis ◽  
Nick Papanikolaou
Keyword(s):  
Energy Storage ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Electricity Grid

Cost-effective energy saving in the building sector is a high priority in Europe; The European Union has set ambitious targets for buildings’ energy performance in order to convert old energy-intensive ones into nearly zero energy buildings (nZEBs). This study focuses on the implementation of a collective self-consumption nZEB concept in Mediterranean climate conditions, considering a typical multi-family building (or apartment block) in the urban environment. The aggregated use of PVs, geothermal and energy storage systems allow the self-production and self-consumption of energy, in a way that the independence from fossil fuels and the reliability of the electricity grid are enhanced. The proposed nZEB implementation scheme will be analyzed from techno-economical perspective, presenting detailed calculations regarding the components dimensioning and costs-giving emphasis on life cycle cost analysis (LCCA) indexes—as well as the energy transactions between the building and the electricity grid. The main outcomes of this work are that the proposed nZEB implementation is a sustainable solution for the Mediterranean area, whereas the incorporation of electrical energy storage units—though beneficial for the reliability of the grid—calls for the implementation of positive policies regarding the reduction of their payback period.

scholarly journals Energy and Economic Sustainability of a Trigeneration Solar System Using Radiative Cooling in Mediterranean Climate

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (20) ◽  
pp. 11446
Author(s):  
Marco Noro ◽  
Simone Mancin ◽  
Roger Riehl
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Climate ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Spectral Emissivity ◽  
Passive Cooling ◽  
Radiative Cooling ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Insulation Thickness ◽  
Cooling Module

The spreading of nearly zero-energy buildings in Mediterranean climate can be supported by the suitable coupling of traditional solar heating, photovoltaics and radiative cooling. The latter is a well-known passive cooling technique, but it is not so commonly used due to low power density and long payback periods. In this study, the energy performance of a system converting solar energy into electricity and heat during the daytime and offering cooling energy at night is assessed on the basis of a validated model of a trifunctional photovoltaic–thermal–radiative cooling module. The key energy, CO2 emission and economic performance indicators were analyzed by varying the main parameters of the system, such as the spectral emissivity of the selective absorber plate and cover and thermal insulation thickness. The annual performance analysis is performed by a transient simulation model for a typical residential building and two different climates of the Mediterranean area (Trapani and Milano). For both climates, glass-PVT–RC is the best solution in terms of both overall efficiency (electric + thermal) and cooling energy capacity, even better with a thicker insulation layer; the annual electrical, heat and cooling gains of this system are 1676, 10,238 and 3200 kWh for Trapani, correspondingly (1272, 9740 and 4234 kWh for Milano, respectively). The typical glass-PVT module achieves a performance quite similar to the best ones.

scholarly journals Advances in Underground Energy Storage for Renewable Energy Sources

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 5142
Author(s):  
Javier Menéndez ◽  
Jorge Loredo
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Natural Gas ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Renewable Energy Sources ◽  
Energy Sources ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Coal Fuel

The use of fossil fuels (coal, fuel, and natural gas) to generate electricity has been reduced in the European Union during the last few years, involving a significant decrease in greenhouse gas emissions [...]

scholarly journals A Sustainable Solution for Energy Efficiency in Italian Climatic Contexts

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 2817
Author(s):  
Valeria Annibaldi ◽  
Federica Cucchiella ◽  
Marianna Rotilio
Keyword(s):  
Energy Efficiency ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Building Envelope ◽  
Reference Scenario ◽  
Life Cycle Cost Analysis ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Optimal Thickness ◽  
Hemp Fiber ◽  
Sustainable Solutions

In the European Union, about 40% of energy consumption and 36% of CO2 emissions come from buildings; therefore, the improvement of their energy performance is a strongly focused issue. In particular, the energy efficiency of the building envelope is a very important element to pay attention to. Many studies have been conducted on this field of research, and the study illustrated in this paper also belongs to this topic. In particular, this article presents a multidisciplinary method to find sustainable solutions for energy efficiency in Italian climatic contexts using the Life Cycle Cost Analysis approach. In detail, this paper defines the reference scenario and then deepens the methodology used to determine the economically optimal thickness of a specific insulating material—hemp fiber—applied to a specific type of wall—uninsulated cavity walls made of hollow bricks, which are very widespread in Italy. The analysis is developed in relation to three different regions—Piedmont, Abruzzo, and Campania. The results show that the economically optimal thickness is different for each region analyzed and demonstrates how energy efficiency strategies must be carefully weighed according to the specific conditions of the site.

scholarly journals Usability of the EPC Tools for the Profitability Calculation of a Retrofitting in a Residential Building

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 3159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex Gonzalez Caceres ◽  
Muriel Diaz
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Energy Regulation ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Financial Assessment ◽  
Efficiency Assessment ◽  
Consumption Energy ◽  
Oil Crisis

After the oil crisis in the 70s energy regulation codes were implemented, but a great portion of existing dwellings have not been retrofitted to current requirements. To face this issue several actions were taken in the European Union (EU), among these, the implementation of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), which include a Recommendation List of Measures (RLMs) to retrofit buildings. Some concerns exist about the lack of confidence on these recommendations. The main objective of this study is to analyze the usefulness of the EPC, answering if it is possible to deliver a realistic financial assessment about renovation strategies using these tools. The study is based on three indicators: Consumption, energy saving variations and profitability. The study is based on a renovation project case study, where simulations and Life Cycle Cost Assessment (LCCA) were performed, in order to identify the different results that EPC’s and an energy efficiency assessment could lead to. The results show important differences in all the concepts evaluated.

scholarly journals Energy Renovation of Residential Buildings in Cold Mediterranean Zones Using Optimized Thermal Envelope Insulation Thicknesses: The Case of Spain

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 2287 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis M. López-Ochoa ◽  
Jesús Las-Heras-Casas ◽  
Luis M. López-González ◽  
César García-Lozano
Keyword(s):  
European Union ◽  
Thermal Insulation ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Residential Buildings ◽  
Cold Climate ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Climate Zones ◽  
Heating And Cooling ◽  
Zero Energy Buildings

The residential sector of the European Union consumes 27% of the final energy of the European Union, and approximately two-thirds of the existing dwellings in the European Union were built before 1980. For this reason, the European Union aims to transform the existing residential building stock into nearly zero-energy buildings by 2050 through energy renovation. The most effective method to achieve this goal is to increase the thermal insulation of opaque elements of the thermal envelope. This study aims to assess the energy, environmental and economic impacts of the energy renovation of the thermal envelopes that are typical of the existing multi-family buildings of the 26 provincial capitals in the cold climate zones of Spain. To achieve this goal, the insulation thickness to be added to the walls, roof and first floor framework is optimized by a life cycle cost analysis, and the existing building openings are replaced, thus minimizing both the total heating costs and the total heating and cooling costs. The study uses four thermal insulation materials for four different heating and cooling systems in 10 different models. The results obtained will be used to propose energy renovation solutions to achieve nearly zero-energy buildings both in Spain and in similar Mediterranean climate zones.

scholarly journals Monitoring Data Study of the Performance of Renewable Energy Systems in a Near Zero Energy Building in Spain: A Case Study

Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Javier Rey-Hernández ◽  
Eloy Velasco-Gómez ◽  
Julio San José-Alonso ◽  
Ana Tejero-González ◽  
Sergio González-González ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Co2 Emissions ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Monitoring Data ◽  
Substantial Part ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Pv System ◽  
Zero Energy Building

The building sector is responsible for a substantial part of the energy consumption and corresponding CO2 emissions. The European Union has consequently developed various directives, among which the updated Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2018/844/EU stands out, aiming at minimizing the energy demand in buildings, improving the energy efficiency of their facilities and integrating renewable energies. The objective of the present study was to develop an analysis on the energy performance, related CO2 emissions and operating costs of the renewable energy technologies implemented within a multipurpose near Zero Energy Building (nZEB). The target building is an existing nZEB called LUCIA, located in Valladolid (Spain). Monitoring data provides the required information on the actual needs for electricity, cooling and heating. It is equipped with solar energy photovoltaic systems, a biomass boiler and a geothermal Earth to Air Heat Exchanger (EAHX) intended for meeting the ventilation thermal loads. All systems studied show favourable performances, but depend significantly on the particular characteristics of the building, the control algorithm and the climate of the location. Hence, design of these strategies for new nZEBs must consider all these factors. The combined use of the PhotoVoltaic PV System, the biomass and the EAHX reduces the CO2 emissions up to 123 to 170 tons/year in comparison with other fuels, entailing economic savings from the system operation of up to 43,000–50,000 €/year.

scholarly journals Settlement scale analysis approach to reach nearly zero energy communities

2019 ◽  
Vol 111 ◽  
pp. 06026
Author(s):  
Ece Kalaycıoğlu ◽  
Ayşe Zerrin Yılmaz
Keyword(s):  
Large Scale ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Energy System ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
High Energy ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Building Stock ◽  
District Energy ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages

Looking at the recent developments, the European Union (EU) aims to become a zero carbon community. For the building sector, Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) was recast in 2010 introducing the definition of the nearly zero energy building (NZEB) levels to construct all new buildings at this level by the end of 2020. The last revision of the directive in 2018 also promotes the renovation of the building stock to the NZEB levels. In the paper, it was proposed to define the nearly zero energy levels for settlements. This way, it was aimed to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of reaching the nearly zero energy levels at larger scales than single buildings. Settlement level studies, including the district energy systems, intended to reveal the energy efficiency measures which lead to optimal cost levels for more than one building. Key parameters were examined for a new settlement design which may be beneficial for the large-scale renewable energy system implementation and district energy system (DES) usage with high energy performance buildings.

scholarly journals Building Energy Performance Analysis after Changing Its Form of Use from an Office to a Residential Building

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 564
Author(s):  
Przemysław Markiewicz-Zahorski ◽  
Joanna Rucińska ◽  
Małgorzata Fedorczak-Cisak ◽  
Michał Zielina
Keyword(s):  
Energy Consumption ◽  
Multinational Corporations ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Residential Building ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Office Building ◽  
Modern World ◽  
Simultaneous Increase ◽  
The European Union ◽  
Zero Energy

Lowering energy consumption is one of the most important challenges of the modern world. Since the construction sector accounts for 40% of total energy consumption worldwide, the Parliament of the European Union has developed a Directive, according to which all newly designed and thermally upgraded buildings should meet the requirements of almost zero energy demand (nZEBs) from 1 January 2021. At the same time, in Poland, but also in many other countries in the world, there is a growing oversupply of office space in large cities with a simultaneous increase in demand for apartments, which is caused, among other things, by the increase in the share of remote work and the COVID-19 pandemic. Consequently, this is forcing owners to change the use of buildings from office to residential. This article analyses the possibilities of changing the function of an office building to a multi-family residential building. For both functional solutions, a comparative energy analysis was carried out, taking into account different work schedules and the requirements for new buildings with zero energy demand. The analyses have shown that changing the form of use of an office building to a multi-family building without significant financial and technical costs is possible. On the other hand, the reverse change of the form of use is much more difficult and, in many cases, practically impossible. Due to the fact that many offices are now multinational corporations, this issue is global.

Life cycle costs and environmental impacts of a nearly zero-energy detached house

2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 163-169
Author(s):  
Zs. Szalay ◽  
T. Csoknyai
Keyword(s):  
Life Cycle ◽  
Environmental Impacts ◽  
Life Cycle Cost ◽  
Energy Demand ◽  
Building Design ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Detached House ◽  
Zero Energy Buildings

Abstract The recast of the Energy Performance Building Directive contains a new article about the need to increase the number of buildings which go beyond current national requirements, and to draw up national plans for increasing the number of nearly zero-energy buildings (nZEB) with the final target that by 2020 all new buildings shall be nearly-zero energy. Nearly zero-energy buildings are buildings with a very high energy performance, where the remaining low energy demand can be supplied to a significant extent by renewable energy. In this paper, a detached house complying with the proposed Hungarian nZEB requirements is analysed. The life cycle cost and life cycle environmental impacts of the building are assessed for various building service systems to optimise the building design.

scholarly journals Benchmarks for Embodied and Operational Energy Assessment of Hellenic Single-Family Houses

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (17) ◽  
pp. 4384
Author(s):  
Elena G. Dascalaki ◽  
Poulia A. Argiropoulou ◽  
Constantinos A. Balaras ◽  
Kalliopi G. Droutsa ◽  
Simon Kontoyiannidis
Keyword(s):  
Energy Use ◽  
Energy Intensity ◽  
Construction Materials ◽  
Energy Performance ◽  
Embodied Energy ◽  
Single Family ◽  
Zero Energy ◽  
Relative Significance ◽  
Climate Conditions ◽  
Operational Energy

Building energy performance benchmarking increases awareness and enables stakeholders to make better informed decisions for designing, operating, and renovating sustainable buildings. In the era of nearly zero energy buildings, the embodied energy along with operational energy use are essential for evaluating the environmental impacts and building performance throughout their lifecycle. Key metrics and baselines for the embodied energy intensity in representative Hellenic houses are presented in this paper. The method is set up to progressively cover all types of buildings. The lifecycle analysis was performed using the well-established SimaPro software package and the EcoInvent lifecycle inventory database, complemented with national data from short energy audits carried out in Greece. The operational energy intensity was estimated using the national calculation engine for assessing the building’s energy performance and the predictions were adapted to obtain more realistic estimates. The sensitivity analysis for different type of buildings considered 16 case studies, accounting for representative construction practices, locations (climate conditions), system efficiencies, renovation practices, and lifetime of buildings. The results were used to quantify the relative significance of operational and embodied energy, and to estimate the energy recovery time for popular energy conservation and energy efficiency measures. The derived indicators reaffirm the importance of embodied energy in construction materials and systems for new high performing buildings and for renovating existing buildings to nearly zero energy.

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