Analysis of Photovoltaic Applications in Zero Energy Building Cases of IEA SHC/EBC Task 40/Annex 52

Abstract

A Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) considerably reduces the building energy load through high efficiency equipment and passive elements such as building orientation, high insulation, natural daylighting, and ventilation in order to achieve zero energy balance with on-site energy production from renewable energy systems applied to the building. For a Zero Energy Building (ZEB), the heating energy demand can be significantly reduced with high insulation and air tightness, while the cooling energy demand can be curtailed by applying shading device, cross ventilation, etc. As such, the electrical energy demand for a ZEB is relatively higher than its heat energy demand. Therefore, the application of a Renewable Energy System (RES) to produce electricity is necessary for a ZEB. In particular, Building Integrated Photovoltaic (BIPV) systems that generate electricity can play an important role for achieving zero energy balance in buildings; BIPVs are multi-functional and there are many ways to apply them into buildings. This study comprehensively analyzes photovoltaic (PV) applications in ZEB cases through the International Energy Agency Solar Heating and Cooling Programme (IEA SHC)/Energy in Buildings and Communities Programme (EBC) Task 40/Annex 52 activities, which include PV installation methods, PV cell type, and electricity generation. The most widely applied OPEN ACCESSSustainability 2015, 7 8783RES is the PV system, corresponding to 29 out of a total of 30 cases. Among the roof type PV systems, 71% were non-integrated. In addition, 14 of the 27 cases in which PV systems were applied, satisfied over 100% of the electricity energy demand from the PV system and were found to generate surplus electrical power.

Energy and Greenhouse Gas Emission Assessment of Conventional and Solar Assisted Air Conditioning Systems

“…Scenarios 1, 3 and 5 are the annual consumption of grid electricity of WCC, ACC and HSAC respectively, while 2, 4 and 6 are the ideal cases that apply PV electricity at the building's full PV installation capacity in order to substitute for the demand from the grid. The results presented here are in accordance with the previous research [27] and demonstrate the potential of the PV panel to not only cover all of the building's cooling electricity consumptions in Scenarios 2, 4 and 6, but can also have surplus electricity of 194,750 kWh, 127,420 kWh and 157,635 kWh respectively. Scenario 2, in which the water cooled chiller is integrated with PV panels in the building structure, provides the most energy efficient solution for cooling of the selected library building for the investigated yearly weather conditions in Sydney.…”

“Domestication” of renewable energy from a Polish perspective

“…Their constant development gives a wide range of possibilities for their use. Currently available solutions allow for installation of the PV systems in a form of panels on roofs or fa ades (as studied by Kim et al [8]). From an architectural standpoint those solutions are additional design factors, which consistency with the building's architecture and aesthetics can be discussed.…”

Climate Data to Undertake Hygrothermal and Whole Building Simulations Under Projected Climate Change Influences for 11 Canadian Cities

“…Several other building simulation-based studies have been performed to assess the impacts of climate change on the hygrothermal and thermal performance of building envelopes [8][9][10][11][12][13]. By undertaking whole building simulations, studies have also evaluated the energy behavior of buildings under current [14][15][16][17] and projected climate change influences [18][19][20].…”