Settlement scale analysis approach to reach nearly zero energy communities

Abstract

The European Union directive on the energy performance of buildings was revised and republished in 2010, as EPBD Recast, introducing new terms as cost-optimal and nearly zero energy levels. It mandated that by 2018 all new public buildings and by 2020 all new buildings will be constructed as nearly zero energy building. Thus, it proposed the calculation of long-term energy-related costs of buildings together with the annual primary energy consumption, as the cost-optimal calculation framework. In the study, the cost-optimal calculation framework of EPBD was adapted to settlements (a group of buildings) connected to district energy systems. Numerous energy efficiency measures were applied to the reference buildings to reach cost-optimal and nearly zero energy levels. Then the procedure was repeated at settlement scale including the district energy system alternatives. As a result, both at building and settlement scale, reference, cost-optimal and nearly zero energy cases were determined. This paper was also focused on the effectiveness of renewable energy systems for each three energy performance levels of buildings and settlements. Renewable energy systems have a significant role to reach the nearly zero energy levels both at building and settlement scale. However, their effect on the economy should be analysed carefully by government bodies. The nearly zero energy levels for different types of buildings and settlements located in different climates in a country should be determined depending on the politics of energy, economy and social services.