Zero-Energy Design

The urgent issue of an energetically poor performing existing building stock is the subject of Zero Energy Design. The energy use of these buildings, to become comfortable for its users, comes with considerable carbon emissions; as does the electricity use of its residents. But also the use of new materials to upgrade or transform these buildings causes some initial carbon emissions.

Within the assignment of ZED, an existing residential building block has to be transformed into a zero carbon building with net zero energy use and net zero carbon emissions. So, all carbon emissions, from the energy use of the building and the users, as well as the carbon emissions embedded in the material use for renovation, have to be compensated by sustainable energy production on-site. With the successive steps (of the New Stepped Strategy) of reducing the demand, re-using waste streams and producing the remaining demand with renewables, a combination of smart measures has to be defined to reach this goal. Smart energy connections with the surrounding built environment will also be considered.

The the focus of this course lies on a well-integrated climate design and well-balanced energy system that makes the building carbon neutral or even provides a negative carbon footprint. The building has to be transformed in an architectonically attractive way, including additional space and functions, to become future proof.

With an energy potential mapping analysis of the neighbourhood and an energy performance calculation program, tools are provided to quantify and prove the final carbon and energy performance.

Knowledge of the theory is tested through a report and an oral presentation.
Report (80%) and presentation (20%)

Half way the course, the students have to make a formative test individually, in order to check their level of knowledge.

The design project is awarded a grade that is a whole or half number between 1.0 and 10.0. Students pass the course with a 6.0 or higher. With a grade below 6.0: students who presented assessable work during the course are allowed to do a repair to change the grade into a ‘pass’. The repair is unsupervised and needs to be completed within 2 weeks after the end of the course. When the repair is unsuccessful, the student needs to follow the entire course again.