C h a l l e n g e s F a c i n g t h e A p p l i c a t i o n o f Z e r o – E n e r g y H o m e s
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2020. Recently, the Government has established the Ministry of Housing as a measure
to coordinate the upcoming growth of domestic buildings.
The demand for electricity is experiencing at a rapid growth in Saudi Arabia. The
residential sector is the biggest consumer of electricity – presently it accounts for 52 % of
the total national electricity consumption (MoWE 2009). Owing to factors like burgeoning
population, high economic growth, and low tariffs, the electricity demand in this sector is
expected to double by the year 2025 (Obaid and Mufti 2008). The country therefore
needs to take appropriate initiatives to boost its power generation capacity in due
course. It is therefore crucial for Saudi Arabia to improve the energy consumption trends
in residential buildings and to move towards energy efficient buildings. An appropriate
solution in this respect could be to develop Zero-Energy Homes (ZEHs).
Zero-Energy Home
There is growing realization in the world that the energy consumption in buildings and
the consequent GHG emissions are required to be curtailed in order to promote
sustainable development. A great emphasis is being placed on the development of
energy efficient and low energy/carbon buildings. The concept of ZEH is also finding
increased acceptance especially in the developed countries.
The term ZEH is used for a building that has zero net energy consumption and zero CO
₂
emissions. These buildings essentially incorporate advanced energy saving features and
renewable energy technologies respectively to reduce the consumption of energy and to
generate energy without releasing GHG emissions. A precise definition of ZEH is
provided by Trocellini et al (2006:1) as:
“a residential building with greatly reduced
energy needs through efficiency gains such that the balance of energy needs can be
supplied with renewable technologies”
. In ZEH, off-sit renewable energy generation can
also be employed in case the on-site renewable systems are not practical or are not
sufficient to support the energy requirements of the building.
The ZEH is not a new concept; Esbensen and Korsgaard conducted a study in 1977 on
an experimental ZEH in Denmark. Over the years, the framework for ZEH has been
further developed by researchers. Many countries around the world are now pursuing
the idea of ZEH. Some of them have already developed ZEHs mainly for the
demonstration/experimental purposes while others are working on the feasibility of these
buildings. The US Department of Energy has set up a strategic goal to achieve
‘marketable Zero-Energy Homes in 2020’
(US DoE 2011). The UK has also developed
four ZEH projects. One of these is the Beddington Zero-Energy Development (BedZED).
Besides incorporating excellent insulation features, this development employs solar
photovoltaic and biomass resources to generate energy (Twinn 2003).
Research Survey
The concept of ZEH is new to the Saudi construction industry and there is
a lack of
pertinent studies in the country. The concept of ZEH relies on three principles including
the provision of sustainable design features, the use of low-energy technologies and the
application of renewable energy resources. A questionnaire-based survey has been
conducted to identify the important barriers under these categories, which have hindered
the promotion of the ZEH concept in Saudi Arabia.
The participants have been selected randomly from different regions covering all climatic
and architectural zones in Saudi Arabia. The survey was conducted with some of the
important non-governmental stakeholders in the construction industry (i.e. architects,
engineers, project managers, construction contractors, developers and investors) and
