Zero energy buildings review

Abstract

The concept about ZEB (Zero Energy Buildings) has gained wide international attention due to the expected crucial role that could play in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The concepts ZEB, NZEB (Net Zero Energy Building) and nZEB (nearly Zero Energy Building) are found in the scientific literature. However, these concepts are typically linking up with an integration and interaction between energy-efficiency technologies and renewable energy on-site generation in buildings. The implementation of these two iniciatives are considered as an integrated solution to address problems related to energy saving, energy security, environmental protection, CO2 emission reduction and air pollution in the buildings sector. This paper focuses on the review of definitions of the three concepts above and also it shows the main elements of NZEB. It is an overview about on-site generation technologies and energy efficiency measures. Finally, ten ZEB projects, chosen ramdomly, are presented and classify by tipology, on-site generation technology, year of construction or renovation, region and total area. Some of them have more detailed analysis than others.