Achieving affordable zero carbon housing design through an integrated approach

CO2 emissions from building operations have increased to their highest level, moving away from the Paris Agreement goal of below 2 degrees C. Zero carbon housing (ZCH) has been identified as a viable solution to realise carbon neutrality. However, ZCHs are barely recognised by the mainstream market due to the misconception of high up-front cost. This research aims to identify affordable solutions for ZCH by synergising building design, mechanical services, and renewable energy, and to balance capital cost and environmental benefits. An integrated framework of energy simulation, sensitivity analysis, and multi-objective optimisation is employed to achieve the goals. A representative house design is selected to demonstrate the proposed methodology, and a national energy rating scheme in Australia, NatHERS, is used for validation. The optimisation identified eight optimal solutions, resulting in a CO2 emission reduction between 1.894 tCO2 to 2.259 tCO2 with increased indoor comfort of 1.3%-2.6%. This research also finds that given the policy incentives, the actual incremental cost is marginal after the government rebate. This research addresses the major barriers of the high up-front cost associated with ZCH through an integrated approach. The research facilitates the paradigm shift in the mainstream market, promoting the development and market expansion of ZCH.(c) 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Automated summary

CO2 emissions from building operations have exceeded the Paris Agreement target of 2 degrees Celsius. Zero carbon housing, although a viable solution, faces limited acceptance due to perceived high upfront costs. This research aims to identify affordable solutions by integrating building design, mechanical services, and renewable energy, and achieving a balance between capital cost and environmental benefits. The study utilizes energy simulation, sensitivity analysis, and multi-objective optimization, and successfully demonstrates the feasibility of low-cost zero carbon housing. Rating: 9 out of 10.