Investigating the potential of designing net-zero energy buildings using photovoltaic installation with considering urban development plans requirements

Due to technological improvement and the development of photovoltaic (PV) systems, the application of PV installation for net-zero energy buildings (NZEBs) is promising. However, to achieve more reliable results, precise energy analysis is necessary to take into consideration both the urban plans restrictions and the climatic conditions of renewable energy resources and building energy consumption. This study aims to define the most favorable configuration of building components and PV installation to meet NZEB requirements, considering urban development plans limits. First, a sensitivity analysis was performed to indicate the most influential variables that affect building energy demand and cost. Next, an optimization process was conducted to concurrently minimize the building energy consumption and capital cost. Besides, a different configuration for PV panel installation was used for quantifying the possibility of achieving NZEB. The results show that in a residential 3-story building the optimized configuration of the building envelope and systems can reduce electricity consumption by 20%. The rooftop PV account for 87.2% and PV installation on the southern façade contributed to 12.8% of total electricity generation. PV installation on the south façade and roof covers 88.2% of the building's electricity demand.