Active House Smart Nearly Zero Energy Buildings

The book provides an overview of the Active House (AH) vision, intended as a building design method “beyond” the passive approach for buildings of the future that will be more and more connected, smart and innovative. It offers a novel philosophical design approach in which buildings, new or renovated, are in balance with natural, renewable energies and become “concentrators-distributors” of energies instead of being consumers of resources. The book is composed of five chapters, providing information on fundamental aspects of innovations toward resource-efficient buildings, as well as case studies presenting the concept in practice. It demonstrates that a completely new design approach is possible, and that a turning point has been reached. Lastly, it shows how the AH Alliance, along with designers, institutions, industries and academies, is bringing a breath of fresh air to the world of construction.

There is widespread interest in the way that smart energy control systems, such as assessment and monitoring techniques for low carbon, nearly-zero energy and net positive buildings can contribute to a Sustainable future, for current and future generations. There is a turning point on the horizon for the supply of energy from finite resources such as natural gas and oil become less reliable in economic terms and extraction become more challenging, and more unacceptable socially, such as adverse public reaction to ‘fracking’. Thus, in 2016 these challenges are having a major influence on the design, optimisation, performance measurements, operation and preservation of: buildings, neighbourhoods, cities, regions, countries and continents. The source and nature of energy, the security of supply and the equity of distribution, the environmental impact of its supply and utilization, are all crucial matters to be addressed by suppliers, consumers, governments, industry, academia, and financial institutions. This book entitled ‘Smart Energy Control Systems for Sustainable Buildings’ contains eleven chapters written by international experts based on enhanced conference papers presented at the Sustainability and Energy in Buildings International conference series. This book will be of interest to University staff and students; and also industry practioners.

Net Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB): Concepts, Frameworks and Roadmap for Project Analysis and Implementation provides readers with the elements they need to understand, combine and contextualize design decisions on Net Zero Energy Buildings. The book is based on learned lessons from NZEB design, construction, operation that are integrated to bring the most relevant topics, such as multidisciplinarity, climate sensitivity, comfort requirements, carbon footprints, construction quality and evidence-based design. Chapters introduce the context of high performance buildings, present overviews of NZEB, cover the performance thresholds for efficient buildings, cover materials, micro-grid and smart grids, construction quality, performance monitoring, post occupancy evaluation, and more. Offers a roadmap for engaging in energy efficiency in high performance buildings projects Combines solid grounding in core concepts, such as energy efficiency, with a wider context that includes the technical, socio-cultural and environmental dimensions Covers key areas for decision-making Provides a logical framework to analyze projects in the context of environmental change Presents worldwide examples and cases for different climates and societies

Smart zero-energy buildings and communities have a major role to play in the evolution of the electric grid towards alignment with carbon neutrality policies. The goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the built environment can be pursued through a holistic approach, including the drastic reduction of buildings’ energy consumption. The state-of-the-art in this field relates, on the one hand, to design methodologies and innovative technologies which aim to minimize the energy demand at the building level. On the other hand, the development of information and communication technologies, along with the integration of renewable energy and storage, provide the basis for zero and positive energy buildings and communities that can produce, store, manage and exchange energy at a local level. This book provides a structured and detailed insight of the state-of-the-art in this context based on the analysis of real case studies and applications.

This book focuses on near-zero energy buildings (NZEBs), smart communities and microgrids. In this context, demand response (DR) is associated with significant environmental and economic benefits when looking at how electricity grids, communities and buildings can operate optimally. In DR, the consumer becomes a prosumer with an important active role in the exchange of energy on an hourly basis. DR is gradually gaining ground with respect to the reduction of peak loads, grid balancing and dealing with the volatility of renewable energy sources (RES). This transition calls for high environmental awareness and new tools or services that will improve the dynamic as well as secure multidirectional exchange of energy and data. Overall, DR is identified as an important field for technological and market innovations aligned with climate change mitigation policies and the transition to sustainable smart grids in the foreseeable future. Smart Buildings, Smart Communities and Demand Response provides an insight into various intrinsic aspects of DR potential, at the building and the community level.

The book encodes a vision for the actively sustainable management and development of the built environment by referring to the application of timber-based construction systems as additive solutions for the multi-purpose improvement of existing buildings. It translates this vision into an innovative methodology for the management of the entire building process – from design to production, operation, and maintenance - and the assessment of timber-based construction performances across the whole building life-cycle. This approach is based on a multi-dimensional analysis, which starts from the structure of the Active House (AH) protocol, improved through information-integrated digital environments and multi-criteria evaluation methods, such as BIM and Design Optioneering. During the design stage, indeed, it analyzes and compares different design choices, according to the DO method, until the definition and validation of the “As-Built” step, while in the operational phase, it refers to sensors-retrieved data to show the evolution of the building behaviour, accounting for real users’ interaction, building performances decay and needs of maintenance, defining the digital twin of the building: a real Cognitive Building. Finally, the application of this methodology identifies innovative models of processes, products, and design of wood-based construction technologies, suitable to satisfy the needs of the 2D/3D construction layering for the sustainable transformation of the built environment.

"Net zero energy buildings, equilibrium buildings or carbon neutral cities – depending on location and the reasons for making the calculation, the numbers are run differently. The variety of terms in use indicates that a scientific method is still lacking – which is a problem not just in regard to international communication, but also with respect to planning processes as a response to energy challenges. The clarification and meaning of the most important terms in use is extremely important for their implementation. Since October 2008, a panel of experts from an international energy agency has concerned itself with these topics as part of a project entitled “Towards Net Zero Energy Solar Buildings”. The objective is to analyse exemplary buildings that are near a zero-energy balance in order to develop methods and tools for the planning, design and operation of such buildings. The results are documented in this publication: In addition to the presentation of selected projects, it is not just architectural showcase projects that are shown – the focus is on relaying knowledge and experience gained by planners and builders. Even if many questions remain unanswered: Project examples that have already been implemented prove on a practical basis that the objective of a zero energy balance is already possible today."

This book provides a comprehensive study on state-of-the-art developments in the control, operation, and market participation of active buildings (ABs). Active buildings can support the broader energy system by intelligent integration of renewable-based energy technologies for heating, cooling, electricity, and transport. This important reference analyzes the key features of modern control and operation techniques applied to these systems. Contributions from an international team of experts present practical methods with evidence and case studies from applications to real-world or simulated active buildings. Sample computer codes and analytical examples aid in the understanding of the presented methods. The book will support researchers working on the control and operation of buildings as an energy system, smart cities and smart grids, and microgrids, as well as researchers and developers from the building and energy engineering, economic, and operation research fields. Provides an in-depth review of building-level energy systems technologies; Covers codes, standards, and requirements for active building control systems; Includes sample computer code and analytical examples.