Towards Net Zero Energy Buildings: building performance optimization, simulation and analysis

The European Union 2020 energy targets seems to be a progressive, however, it still needs to be worked upon. The implementation of Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (nZEBs) as the building target represents one of the biggest challenges to increase energy savings and minimize greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper detached house has been modelled using dynamic simulation tool and the energy efficiency measures, concerning different technologies for envelope systems and technical systems, were set up as parameters in dynamic simulation tool and simulated and analysed. The objective of this paper is to define the heating, cooling, and electricity demand of a residential building in a cold climate region. The façade parameters were optimized for the best possible energy performance, to be used as design guidelines for facades in low and nearly zero energy buildings for architects and engineers. The purpose of the study is to give guidelines of office buildings facade design from the perspective of energy-efficiency and daylighting to architects, engineers, real-estate developers, etc.Peer reviewe