Abstract
The aim of this paper is to assess the gaps and needs for net-zero energy buildings (NZEBS) design and implementations in MENA Region, particularly in Egypt. The paper reviews current government efforts and regulations on energy efficiency in buildings, the academic efforts in developing NZEBs concept, as well as challenges and barriers in building design phases.
For illustration, the paper summarized study undertaken to analyze the potential challenges and opportunities for implement (NZEBs) in Egypt as an example of Mena region. Two case studies in Mena region E-JUST campus in Egypt and MASDAR City in UAE had been analyzed. The review and case studies show a lack of energy performance in Egyptian buildings code and optimization calculation methods, as well as limited numbers of academic work for NZEBs which studied the Egyptian case.
It is concluded that the current building codes and laws need to be upgraded to include the energy performance of buildings requirements, a database for buildings materials need to be developed with studies to the cost optimal for different buildings type in Egypt, one the challenges of the NZEBs in is the vernacular environment and enhancing the implementation procedures.
The presented study describes developing a method for observing building occupants’ activity. Once their activity is registered, such data can be used to identify typical patterns in their behaviour. The collected information will support development of an occupant-behaviour-energy-related model in residential buildings. Data registration was done with the use of the Microsoft Kinect device as a depth registration camera. This research explores an innovative approach to investigating residents’ living and working habits. It supports the already existing thermal comfort models by delivering high resolution information about occupants’ activities. The obtained solution and its output will be used in the next stage of developing a dynamic metabolic rate (D-MET) model that will simulate the MET value. With proper data, it will be possible to estimate the real impact of occupants and their behaviour on energy consumption of buildings.
Occupant sensing and data acquisition are essential elements for occupant behavior research. A wide range of different types of sensors has been implemented to collect rich information on occupants and their interactions with the built environment, such as presence, actions, power consumption, etc. This information establishes a foundation to study the physiological, psychological, and social aspects of occupant behavior. This chapter summarizes existing occupancy and occupant behavior sensing and data acquisition technologies in terms of field applications, and develops nine performance metrics for their evaluation. The reviewed technologies focus on both occupants’ presence and interactions with the built environment, and are grouped into six major categories: image-based, threshold and mechanical, motion sensing, radio-based, human-in-the-loop, and consumption sensing. This chapter provides an overview and discussion of different current state-of-the-art and future sensing technologies for researchers.
ZEN pilot project Zero Village Bergen. ©Bergen Municipality
