IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v11y2018i6p1478-d151019.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cost-Optimal Analysis for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Design and Optimization: A Critical Review

Author

Listed:
  • Maria Ferrara

    (Dipartimento Energia (DENERG), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy)

  • Valentina Monetti

    (Dipartimento Energia (DENERG), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy)

  • Enrico Fabrizio

    (Dipartimento Energia (DENERG), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
    FULL—Future Urban Legacy Lab., Via Agostino da Montefeltro 2, 10134 Torino, Italy)

Abstract

Since the introduction of the recast of the EPBD European Directive 2010/31/EU, many studies on the cost-effective feasibility of nearly zero-energy buildings (NZEBs) were carried out either by academic research bodies and by national bodies. In particular, the introduction of the cost-optimal methodology has given a strong impulse to research in this field. This paper presents a comprehensive and significant review on scientific works based on the application of cost-optimal analysis applications in Europe since the EPBD recast entered into force, pointing out the differences in the analyzed studies and comparing their outcomes before the new recast of EPBD enters into force in 2018. The analysis is conducted with special regard to the methods used for the energy performance assessment, the global cost calculation, and for the selection of the energy efficiency measures leading to design optimization. A critical discussion about the assumptions on which the studies are based and the resulting gaps between the resulting cost-optimal performance and the zero energy target is provided together with a summary of the resulting cost-optimal set of technologies to be used for cost-optimal NZEB design in different contexts. It is shown that the cost-optimal approach results as an effective method for delineating the future of NZEB design throughout Europe while emerging criticalities and open research issues are presented.

Suggested Citation

  • Maria Ferrara & Valentina Monetti & Enrico Fabrizio, 2018. "Cost-Optimal Analysis for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Design and Optimization: A Critical Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(6), pages 1-32, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:6:p:1478-:d:151019
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/6/1478/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/6/1478/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ascione, Fabrizio & Bianco, Nicola & De Stasio, Claudio & Mauro, Gerardo Maria & Vanoli, Giuseppe Peter, 2016. "Multi-stage and multi-objective optimization for energy retrofitting a developed hospital reference building: A new approach to assess cost-optimality," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 174(C), pages 37-68.
    2. Brinks, Pascal & Kornadt, Oliver & Oly, René, 2016. "Development of concepts for cost-optimal nearly zero-energy buildings for the industrial steel building sector," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 343-354.
    3. Ganiç, Neşe & Yılmaz, A. Zerrin, 2014. "Adaptation of the cost optimal level calculation method of Directive 2010/31/EU considering the influence of Turkish national factors," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 94-107.
    4. Stevanović, Sanja, 2016. "Parametric study of a cost-optimal, energy efficient office building in Serbia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 117(P2), pages 492-505.
    5. Ballarini, Ilaria & Corrado, Vincenzo & Madonna, Francesco & Paduos, Simona & Ravasio, Franco, 2017. "Energy refurbishment of the Italian residential building stock: energy and cost analysis through the application of the building typology," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 148-160.
    6. Brandão de Vasconcelos, Ana & Cabaço, António & Pinheiro, Manuel Duarte & Manso, Armando, 2016. "The impact of building orientation and discount rates on a Portuguese reference building refurbishment decision," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 329-340.
    7. Baglivo, Cristina & Congedo, Paolo Maria & D'Agostino, Delia & Zacà, Ilaria, 2015. "Cost-optimal analysis and technical comparison between standard and high efficient mono-residential buildings in a warm climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 560-575.
    8. Pikas, Ergo & Thalfeldt, Martin & Kurnitski, Jarek & Liias, Roode, 2015. "Extra cost analyses of two apartment buildings for achieving nearly zero and low energy buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 623-633.
    9. Niemelä, Tuomo & Kosonen, Risto & Jokisalo, Juha, 2016. "Cost-optimal energy performance renovation measures of educational buildings in cold climate," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 183(C), pages 1005-1020.
    10. Thalfeldt, Martin & Pikas, Ergo & Kurnitski, Jarek & Voll, Hendrik, 2017. "Window model and 5 year price data sensitivity to cost-effective façade solutions for office buildings in Estonia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 685-697.
    11. Arumägi, Endrik & Kalamees, Targo, 2014. "Analysis of energy economic renovation for historic wooden apartment buildings in cold climates," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 540-548.
    12. Corgnati, Stefano Paolo & Fabrizio, Enrico & Filippi, Marco & Monetti, Valentina, 2013. "Reference buildings for cost optimal analysis: Method of definition and application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 102(C), pages 983-993.
    13. Satyajith Amaran & Nikolaos V. Sahinidis & Bikram Sharda & Scott J. Bury, 2016. "Simulation optimization: a review of algorithms and applications," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 240(1), pages 351-380, May.
    14. Mohamed, Ayman & Hamdy, Mohamed & Hasan, Ala & Sirén, Kai, 2015. "The performance of small scale multi-generation technologies in achieving cost-optimal and zero-energy office building solutions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 94-108.
    15. Aste, Niccolò & Adhikari, R.S. & Manfren, Massimiliano, 2013. "Cost optimal analysis of heat pump technology adoption in residential reference buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 615-624.
    16. Paolo Maria Congedo & Delia D’Agostino & Cristina Baglivo & Giuliano Tornese & Ilaria Zacà, 2016. "Efficient Solutions and Cost-Optimal Analysis for Existing School Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-24, October.
    17. Araújo, Catarina & Almeida, Manuela & Bragança, Luís & Barbosa, José Amarilio, 2016. "Cost–benefit analysis method for building solutions," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 124-133.
    18. D'Agostino, Delia & Parker, Danny, 2018. "A framework for the cost-optimal design of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs) in representative climates across Europe," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 814-829.
    19. Congedo, Paolo Maria & Baglivo, Cristina & D'Agostino, Delia & Zacà, Ilaria, 2015. "Cost-optimal design for nearly zero energy office buildings located in warm climates," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(C), pages 967-982.
    20. Ascione, Fabrizio & Böttcher, Olaf & Kaltenbrunner, Robert & Vanoli, Giuseppe Peter, 2017. "Methodology of the cost-optimality for improving the indoor thermal environment during the warm season. Presentation of the method and application to a new multi-storey building in Berlin," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P2), pages 1529-1541.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Ming Hu, 2019. "Cost-Effective Options for the Renovation of an Existing Education Building toward the Nearly Net-Zero Energy Goal—Life-Cycle Cost Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, April.
    2. Barone, Giovanni & Buonomano, Annamaria & Forzano, Cesare & Giuzio, Giovanni Francesco & Palombo, Adolfo, 2020. "Increasing self-consumption of renewable energy through the Building to Vehicle to Building approach applied to multiple users connected in a virtual micro-grid," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 1165-1176.
    3. Miguel-Angel Perea-Moreno & Quetzalcoatl Hernandez-Escobedo & Fernando Rueda-Martinez & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2020. "Zapote Seed ( Pouteria mammosa L. ) Valorization for Thermal Energy Generation in Tropical Climates," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-21, May.
    4. Kittisak Lohwanitchai & Daranee Jareemit, 2021. "Modeling Energy Efficiency Performance and Cost-Benefit Analysis Achieving Net-Zero Energy Building Design: Case Studies of Three Representative Offices in Thailand," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-24, May.
    5. Giulia Mancò & Elisa Guelpa & Alessandro Colangelo & Alessandro Virtuani & Tommaso Morbiato & Vittorio Verda, 2021. "Innovative Renewable Technology Integration for Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings within the Re-COGNITION Project," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-24, February.
    6. Heangwoo Lee & Chang-ho Choi & Minki Sung, 2018. "Development of a Dimming Lighting Control System Using General Illumination and Location-Awareness Technology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-19, November.
    7. Cremer, Leo & Weber, Christine, 2022. "Deep energy retrofits: How effective and robust are policy instruments?," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C).
    8. Samuel Domínguez-Amarillo & Jesica Fernández-Agüera & Miguel Ángel Campano & Ignacio Acosta, 2019. "Effect of Airtightness on Thermal Loads in Legacy Low-Income Housing," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-14, May.
    9. Buonomano, Annamaria, 2020. "Building to Vehicle to Building concept: A comprehensive parametric and sensitivity analysis for decision making aims," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(C).
    10. Baldoni, Edoardo & Coderoni, Silvia & D'Orazio, Marco & Di Giuseppe, Elisa & Esposti, Roberto, 2019. "The role of economic and policy variables in energy-efficient retrofitting assessment. A stochastic Life Cycle Costing methodology," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 129(C), pages 1207-1219.
    11. Silvia Soutullo & Laura Aelenei & Per Sieverts Nielsen & Jose Antonio Ferrer & Helder Gonçalves, 2020. "Testing Platforms as Drivers for Positive-Energy Living Laboratories," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, October.
    12. Ascione, Fabrizio & Bianco, Nicola & Mauro, Gerardo Maria & Napolitano, Davide Ferdinando, 2019. "Retrofit of villas on Mediterranean coastlines: Pareto optimization with a view to energy-efficiency and cost-effectiveness," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    13. Bilardo, Matteo & Ferrara, Maria & Fabrizio, Enrico, 2020. "Performance assessment and optimization of a solar cooling system to satisfy renewable energy ratio (RER) requirements in multi-family buildings," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 990-1008.
    14. Seung Hyo Baek & Byung Hee Lee, 2019. "Optimal Decision-Making of Renewable Energy Systems in Buildings in the Early Design Stage," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-19, March.
    15. Manfren, Massimiliano & Nastasi, Benedetto & Tronchin, Lamberto & Groppi, Daniele & Garcia, Davide Astiaso, 2021. "Techno-economic analysis and energy modelling as a key enablers for smart energy services and technologies in buildings," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    16. David Muñoz-Rodríguez & Pilar Aparicio-Martínez & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2022. "Contribution of Agroforestry Biomass Valorisation to Energy and Environmental Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(22), pages 1-7, November.
    17. Miklos Kassai & Laith Al-Hyari, 2019. "Investigation of Ventilation Energy Recovery with Polymer Membrane Material-Based Counter-Flow Energy Exchanger for Nearly Zero-Energy Buildings," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-21, May.
    18. Zinzi, Michele & Mattoni, Benedetta, 2019. "Assessment of construction cost reduction of nearly zero energy dwellings in a life cycle perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    19. Ferrara, Maria & Rolfo, Andrea & Prunotto, Federico & Fabrizio, Enrico, 2019. "EDeSSOpt – Energy Demand and Supply Simultaneous Optimization for cost-optimized design: Application to a multi-family building," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 1231-1248.
    20. Miguel-Angel Perea-Moreno & Francisco Manzano-Agugliaro & Alberto-Jesus Perea-Moreno, 2018. "Sustainable Energy Based on Sunflower Seed Husk Boiler for Residential Buildings," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-20, September.
    21. Elena G. Dascalaki & Poulia A. Argiropoulou & Constantinos A. Balaras & Kalliopi G. Droutsa & Simon Kontoyiannidis, 2020. "Benchmarks for Embodied and Operational Energy Assessment of Hellenic Single-Family Houses," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-36, August.
    22. Rana, Anber & Sadiq, Rehan & Alam, M. Shahria & Karunathilake, Hirushie & Hewage, Kasun, 2021. "Evaluation of financial incentives for green buildings in Canadian landscape," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 135(C).
    23. Szilárd Karda & Tamás Nagy-György & Iosif Boros, 2023. "Evolution of the Payback Period for Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings in Romania in the Last Decade," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-19, June.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Roberto Bruno & Piero Bevilacqua & Cristina Carpino & Natale Arcuri, 2020. "The Cost-Optimal Analysis of a Multistory Building in the Mediterranean Area: Financial and Macroeconomic Projections," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-19, March.
    2. Cristina Baglivo & Delia D’Agostino & Paolo Maria Congedo, 2018. "Design of a Ventilation System Coupled with a Horizontal Air-Ground Heat Exchanger (HAGHE) for a Residential Building in a Warm Climate," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-27, August.
    3. D'Agostino, Delia & Parker, Danny, 2018. "A framework for the cost-optimal design of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs) in representative climates across Europe," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 814-829.
    4. Brandão de Vasconcelos, Ana & Pinheiro, Manuel Duarte & Manso, Armando & Cabaço, António, 2015. "A Portuguese approach to define reference buildings for cost-optimal methodologies," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 316-328.
    5. D'Agostino, D. & Parker, D. & Epifani, I. & Crawley, D. & Lawrie, L., 2022. "How will future climate impact the design and performance of nearly zero energy buildings (NZEBs)?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    6. Malvoni, Maria & Baglivo, Cristina & Congedo, Paolo Maria & Laforgia, Domenico, 2016. "CFD modeling to evaluate the thermal performances of window frames in accordance with the ISO 10077," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 430-438.
    7. Delia D’Agostino & Ilaria Zacà & Cristina Baglivo & Paolo Maria Congedo, 2017. "Economic and Thermal Evaluation of Different Uses of an Existing Structure in a Warm Climate," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-29, May.
    8. Zinzi, Michele & Mattoni, Benedetta, 2019. "Assessment of construction cost reduction of nearly zero energy dwellings in a life cycle perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    9. Thalfeldt, Martin & Pikas, Ergo & Kurnitski, Jarek & Voll, Hendrik, 2017. "Window model and 5 year price data sensitivity to cost-effective façade solutions for office buildings in Estonia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 685-697.
    10. Baglivo, Cristina & Congedo, Paolo Maria & D'Agostino, Delia & Zacà, Ilaria, 2015. "Cost-optimal analysis and technical comparison between standard and high efficient mono-residential buildings in a warm climate," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 83(C), pages 560-575.
    11. Ainur Tukhtamisheva & Dinar Adilova & Karolis Banionis & Aurelija Levinskytė & Raimondas Bliūdžius, 2020. "Optimization of the Thermal Insulation Level of Residential Buildings in the Almaty Region of Kazakhstan," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-16, September.
    12. Pikas, Ergo & Thalfeldt, Martin & Kurnitski, Jarek & Liias, Roode, 2015. "Extra cost analyses of two apartment buildings for achieving nearly zero and low energy buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 84(C), pages 623-633.
    13. Cristina Baglivo & Paolo Maria Congedo & Matteo Di Cataldo & Luigi Damiano Coluccia & Delia D’Agostino, 2017. "Envelope Design Optimization by Thermal Modelling of a Building in a Warm Climate," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-34, November.
    14. Fan, Cheng & Huang, Gongsheng & Sun, Yongjun, 2018. "A collaborative control optimization of grid-connected net zero energy buildings for performance improvements at building group level," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 536-549.
    15. Younghoon Kwak & Jeonga Kang & Sun-Hye Mun & Young-Sun Jeong & Jung-Ho Huh, 2020. "Development and Application of a Flexible Modeling Approach to Reference Buildings for Energy Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, November.
    16. Olkkonen, Ville & Hirvonen, Janne & Heljo, Juhani & Syri, Sanna, 2021. "Effectiveness of building stock sustainability measures in a low-carbon energy system: A scenario analysis for Finland until 2050," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C).
    17. Chul-Ho Kim & Seung-Eon Lee & Kang-Soo Kim, 2018. "Analysis of Energy Saving Potential in High-Performance Building Technologies under Korean Climatic Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(4), pages 1-34, April.
    18. Szalay, Zsuzsa & Zöld, András, 2014. "Definition of nearly zero-energy building requirements based on a large building sample," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 510-521.
    19. Eleftheria Touloupaki & Theodoros Theodosiou, 2017. "Optimization of External Envelope Insulation Thickness: A Parametric Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-19, February.
    20. Baglivo, Cristina & Congedo, Paolo Maria, 2016. "High performance precast external walls for cold climate by a multi-criteria methodology," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 115(P1), pages 561-576.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:6:p:1478-:d:151019. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.