Modeling Nearly Zero Energy Buildings for Sustainable Development in Rural Areas

Reza Khakian, Mehrdad Karimimoshaver, Farshid Aram, Soghra Zoroufchi Benis, Amir Mosavi and Annamaria R. Varkonyi-Koczy
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Reza Khakian: Department of Architecture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 6517838695, Iran
Mehrdad Karimimoshaver: Department of Architecture, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan 6517838695, Iran
Farshid Aram: Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid-UPM, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Soghra Zoroufchi Benis: Department of Architecture, Semnan University, Semnan 35131-19111, Iran
Amir Mosavi: Thuringian Institute of Sustainability and Climate Protection, 07743 Jena, Germany
Annamaria R. Varkonyi-Koczy: Department of Automation, Obuda University, 1300 Budapest, Hungary

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 10, 1-19

Abstract: The energy performance of buildings and energy-saving measures have been widely investigated in recent years. However, little attention has been paid to buildings located in rural areas. The aim of this study is to assess the energy performance of two-story residential buildings located in the mountainous village of Palangan in Iran and to evaluate the impact of multiple parameters, namely building orientation, window-to-wall ratio (WWR), glazing type, shading devices, and insulation, on its energy performance. To attain a nearly zero energy building design in rural areas, the building is equipped with photovoltaic modules. The proposed building design is then economically evaluated to ensure its viability. The findings indicate that an energy saving of 29% can be achieved compared to conventional buildings, and over 22 MWh of electricity can be produced on an annual basis. The payback period is assessed at 21.7 years. However, energy subsidies are projected to be eliminated in the near future, which in turn may reduce the payback period.

Keywords: nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEB); energy performance; insulation materials; building energy estimation; window-to-wall ratio (WWR); photovoltaic; energy consumption; net zero; solar energy; renewable energy; energy models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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